BYD Yangwang U9 Xtreme, planet’s fastest production car, heading to Brazil’s racer Leo Sanchez
BYD executive Li Yunfei announced on Weibo that Brazilian racing driver and Forbes-listed businessman Leo Sanchez will become the only owner of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme in Brazil.
According to Li, the Yangwang U9 Xtreme (U9X) is limited to 30 units worldwide, with only one allocation for the Brazilian market. Over the past month, BYD reportedly received more than 20 purchase requests from public figures in Brazil. Still, the company selected Sanchez due to his background in motorsport and long-standing interest in the Yangwang brand.
The U9 Xtreme is a track-focused special edition of the Yangwang U9, developed under BYD’s luxury performance sub-brand. It was officially unveiled on September 20, 2025, at the BYD Racing Circuit in Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone. The model’s name combines the English word “extreme” with the letter “X”, representing the concept of pushing performance boundaries.
Built on BYD’s 1200V high-voltage architecture, the U9X features the company’s e4 all-wheel-drive system and Yunnian-X intelligent body control technology, along with a track-oriented version of the Blade battery. Power comes from four 30,000-rpm electric motors, each rated at 555 kW, combining for 2,220 kW (close to 3000 hp) and a power-to-weight ratio of 1,217 hp per ton.
Compared to the standard U9, the U9 Xtreme adopts extensive hardware and software upgrades aimed at improving track performance. These include a dual-layer cooling system that boosts thermal efficiency by 133%, a titanium-alloy carbon-ceramic braking setup, and custom GitiSport e·Gtr2 Pro semi-slick tyres.
In August 2025, the U9X prototype reportedly set a new global top-speed record for electric vehicles, reaching 496.22 km/h. It later achieved a 6:59.157 lap time at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife, becoming the first electric production car to complete the circuit in under seven minutes.
