The new brand is a move far upmarket by BYD, with prices said to be in the realm of AUD$ 200,000, with BYD’s chairman Wang Chuanfu saying its models will offer “unprecedented high performance” and “disruptive features”. The camouflaged vehicle is thought to be called the Yangwang R1, the brand’s first vehicle scheduled to be unveiled in the first half of 2023.
It unmistakably wears the silhouette of
cars like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover defender, with squared-off
lines, a flat face, high belt-line for its windows, and what appears to be a
side-opening tailgate, complete with a large housing for a spare wheel.
Leaked render images published by
CarNewsChina also show what the R1’s face should look like, as well as its
front and rear bumper designs. The three ridges on front of the R1’s roof are
likely to contain the antennas and cameras required for its always-online
connectivity, as well as its advanced safety suite. Interior spy shots show
similar switchgear to BYD’s current Tesla Model S-sized Han flagship sedan,
which may not arrive in Australia despite having been spotted testing a few
years ago.
The R1 is seen fording water, driving
through mud, and climbing rock faces, although it is as-yet unknown if the
brand will be electric-only, or continue to use plug-in hybrid drivetrains, as
the BYD brand does for some models in its home market.
