THIS is the silliest car with the silliest name – yet it’s also the coolest.
And here’s why.
First, the name. YangWang U8. I mean, seriously, who calls a car U8?
Second, it’s big. And heavy. So big and heavy it’s a whisker away from needing an HGV licence to drive it.
That’s the silly stuff done. Now let’s concentrate on the cool stuff because this Chinese Land Rover is also:
A BOAT: Next time there’s a flood, just drive straight at it. The U8 has a one-metre wading depth.
Beyond that, it’ll float for 30 minutes. Steer and accelerate as if you were on dry land. The sunroof opens automatically in case things go pear-shaped.
A TANK: We’re talking 360-degree turns on the spot. The incredible torque required is provided by four e-motors, one for each wheel.
The two outer wheels drive forward and the two inner wheels reverse. All controlled via the curved central screen. Proper crowd-pleaser. But it eats tyres. And the road.
A MISSILE: Those four e-motors have a total output of 1,200hp, which is hilarious, catapulting the U8 from 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds and giving a Porsche 911 a bloody nose. Aside from Racing Mode, there are the usual off-road modes for sand, rocks and snow.
A KARAOKE BAR: Pick a track from the WeSing app and the video and lyrics play on the widescreen passenger display. They only had Chinese pop loaded in this test car. I wanted to try John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John from Grease . . . You’re The Wang That I Want.
If all that’s not enough for you, the intelligent hydraulic suspension system will keep you safe and in a straight line after a blow-out.
Yep, the U8 can drive along on THREE WHEELS.
The same tech is used for Camping Mode, which keeps the car level when parked on uneven ground, and there’s 6kW of output power to run lights, microwaves, air pumps or whatever on weekend adventures.
I have one more surprise for you. This car isn’t electric. It’s a range-extender. Like a giant Mazda MX-30.
The 2-litre petrol engine charges a 49kWh battery pack which feeds the four e-motors.
It’ll do up to 620 miles on a tank. And 100 miles or so without waking the engine.
Everyone is happy in the back. They’ve got their own TV screens, reclining seats and a fridge
The cabin is super comfy — and very brown. The headrests are pillow-soft.
Lumbar supports in the seats inflate to keep you snug when cornering at speed.
Everyone is happy in the back. They’ve got their own TV screens, reclining seats and a fridge.
Now I should perhaps explain that YangWang is a posh BYD. Like Lexus/Toyota.
The U8 is already proving popular in China and bosses are looking to bring the £110k monster here later.
I reckon they will.
You’ll see it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July alongside the U9, a Lambo-crushing supercar that can DANCE.
