2,959bhp Yangwang U9 Xtreme is now the world’s fastest production car with 308.4mph record run

The Yangwang U9 hypercar has snatched the crown for the world’s fastest production car after surging to a world-first 308.4mph run at the Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) high speed oval test track facility in Germany.

Now the fastest road-legal car in automotive history, the all-electric Yangwang U9 Xtreme dethrones the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ at the top of the fastest production car record table. In 2019, the French hypercar managed 304.9 mph.

Yangwang’s U9 Xtreme record was set by endurance racer and test driver, Marc Basseng, who managed ‘just’ 233mph in the standard U9 in 2024.

Following his recent record-breaking run, Basseng said: “Something like this is not possible with a combustion engine. Thanks to the electric motor, the car is quiet, there are no load changes, and that allows me to focus even more on the track.”

To set its most recent record, Yangwang engineers fitted the U9 Xtreme with an upgraded aero package, and reconfigured the car’s clever DiSus-X suspension to handle the 300mph+ top speed. They also worked with tyre maker Giti to develop a dedicated track-focused semi slick tyre, with new technology that prevents the wheel slipping within the tyre under the car’s huge power.

In terms of numbers, the U9 Xtreme generates a mind-boggling 2,959bhp from its four-motor setup, which can operate at 30,000rpm. Underneath, it rides on 1,200-volt architecture, a world first for any EV. For context, the regular U9 gets an 800V system. A luxury subsidiary of BYD, the Yangwang U9X uses a lithium ion battery in the Chinese manufacturer’s signature blade configuration.

While Yangwang has confirmed it will produce just 30 U9 Xtreme models, it has yet to say whether any of them will be sold in the UK. No mention of pricing has been made, either. However, in China, the regular U9 starts from the equivalent of around £175,000.