BYD’s high-end brand Fang Cheng Bao has unveiled a sleek sports car called the Super 9 alongside two new SUVs during a glitzy event in China. The stunning speedster model will make its public debut at this month’s Beijing Auto Show, also known as Auto China. The new Super 9 was showcased by Wolfgang Egger, BYD’s design boss, who has previously led the design departments of Alfa Romeo, Seat, Lancia, and Audi/Lamborghini. The speedster is unlike anything else we have seen from BYD in the past.
Fang Cheng Bao currently has just a single
model on the market in the form of the Leopard 5 SUV and while the Super 9
presented is a concept, a production version is also in the works and will hit
the market as the Bao 9. Nailing the design of a speedster is no easy feat but
Fang Cheng Bao’s team has done it. The front of the concept includes a shapely
bumper with massive air intakes. It features a pair of intriguing LED
headlights and DRLs that give it a unique presence on the road. The company has
also ditched traditional wing mirrors in favor of rear-facing cameras and has
designed a set of center-locking wheels for the concept.
Like other high-end speedster models
released in recent years, the Super 9 features a long hood but is slightly more
balanced in its proportions than, say, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster. The
cockpit sits squarely in the center of the car, while at the rear are two
prominent buttresses, a large diffuser, and some sleek taillights, somewhat
resembling the shape of the Fang Cheng Bao badge.
The interior of the Super 9 also appears
quite special. Both the passenger and driver seats are carbon fiber-backed buckets
with red cushioning and aggressive bolsters. Additionally, there’s a
motorsport-inspired carbon fiber steering wheel and a digital instrument
cluster. A large panel stretches from the front to the rear, separating the
driver and passenger sides of the car.
Underpinning the beautiful concept is a
lightweight carbon fiber monocoque. While technical specifications haven’t been
announced yet, it is believed to be rocking a battery-electric powertrain. The
Fang Cheng Bao brand, which is positioned below YangWang but above Denza in
BYD’s portfolio, also unveiled the Bao 3 and Bao 8 at the same event, both
SUVs.