- The Yangwang U8 is a luxury 4×4 that rivals the G-Wagen and Range Rover with impressive power and performance.
- It features unique capabilities like a “tank turn” and can float for up to 30 minutes.
- A right-hand-drive version is expected in Australia by 2026.
It’s called the Yangwang U8, and it might just be the coolest 4×4 this side of a G-Wagen. YangWang is the prestige arm of Chinese brand BYD — think Lexus to Toyota or Audi to Volkswagen. The YangWang U8 is positioned as the brand’s alternative to the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen and Range Rover Autobiography, with a price tag in China to match. This, along with our list of 12 Chinese car bands coming soon to Australia proves that not everything from the world’s most populous nation is cheap and cheerful!
Performance and Power: How the Yangwang U8 Compares to Competitors
The U8 is as big as a Range Rover — and it has the performance credentials to match. This range-extended electric SUV features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine… Meh, right? But wait — there’s more. The engine solely charges the battery. So, even though it’s rated at just 200kW, thanks to four electric motors (one for each wheel), the U8 puts out closer to 900kW and 1300Nm to the road.
That means this luxurious five-seater can go from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds — a full second faster than the AMG-tuned G-Wagen and even its upcoming electric G580 counterpart. The four-motor setup also allows it to perform a “tank turn,” rotating the wheels in opposite directions on either side of the vehicle to spin in its own length.
And if tank turns are becoming a little too common for your liking (it’s even coming to Australia utes!), the Yangwang U8 has another trick up its sleeve – swimming.
The Yanwang U8 Can Swim
Fording depth is a common boast of off-roaders — it’s the amount of water the car can cope with when crossing a river or similar. The U8 not only betters most at 1000mm (or 1400mm for the Off-road Master Edition variant Yangwang says will join the standard U8), it goes the extra mile.
If you stray into deeper water, emergency floatation mode is activated. Among the various functions it activates, the U8 automatically closes the windows and opens the sunroof to provide an escape hatch. The vehicle’s onboard computer even displays the water depth.
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Yangwang says the U8 will float for 30 minutes and driving the car as normal will deliver around 3km/h of forward motion. You’re not going to escape bridge or tunnel tolls but it should be enough to get you out of trouble.
In normal use, you’ll be pampered by lashings of nappa leather and entertained across six oversize screens: 600mm each for driver and passenger; a 300mm centre screen and individual screens for the two outboard rear occupants. Oh, and did we mention there’s tech to make almost the whole windscreen an augmented reality head-up display?
What do we care? The big news is that a right-hand-drive Yangwang U8 has been spotted near one of BYD’s production facilities in China. That’s the clearest indication yet that the U8 is headed for Australia and other RHD markets like the UK. A left-hand-drive U8 made a surprise appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year.
The U8 represents the peak of Chinese SUV design right now. But right now big, bold, square styling seems to be the new black for SUVs with off-road ambitions, no matter where they come from.
Yangwang U8’s Arrival in Australia
INEOS has revived Land Rover Defender-like lines with its debut Grenadier, and the all-new Lexus GX is catching the eye of buyers who previously barely noticed Toyota’s premium brand. Even before outfitters get their hands on the GX, it already looks properly tough. With big wheels and a lift kit, it’s the business. The GX will also arrive Down Under soon as the new-generation Prado. It’ll sell like hot cakes and the waiting list is already growing.
So, back to the U8… How long will you have to wait to show off your Yangwang Down Under? Local BYD sources are optimistic about the brand’s potential, but they haven’t provided specifics yet. Our sources in China, however, suggest a YangWang launch in Australia by 2026.
