Yangwang unveils its Altior luxury sedan in Abu Dhabi; no UAE price yet

Yangwang, the luxury brand of the Chinese car maker BYD, chose Abu Dhabi for the world debut of the Altior, a long, chauffeur-driven electric sedan, on Saturday 7 November. The brand opened pre-orders for the first version on the same day, but it has not yet given a price or a sale date for the UAE.

The Altior is 5,600 mm long, 2,030 mm wide and 1,590 mm tall, with a 3,500 mm wheelbase, so most of its length goes to the rear cabin. Its rear doors are coach doors that open to almost 90 degrees, with an umbrella stored in the door. Inside there is wood trim, cream diamond-quilted leather, rear seats with leg rests, a control panel for the back seats and electric privacy blinds. At the front sits the brand's dotted gemstone grille.

The car uses BYD's second-generation Blade Battery and is quoted at more than 1,000 km of range on China's CLTC test, a cycle that gives higher figures than the WLTP test used in Europe. Yangwang says it supports BYD's fast charging.

The first version on order is a four-seat limited edition called Shanhe Dingyun, in brown with a white interior. In China it takes a deposit of 300,000 yuan and has an expected price of 2,080,000 yuan, which the brand says is not final. CnEVPost reports that the edition is limited to 399 cars worldwide. A five-seat version will follow later.

The Altior sits at the top of a range that already includes the U7 sedan, the U8 off-roader and the U9 supercar. Yangwang's sales chief Hu Xiaoqing said the car had been three years in development.

In the UAE, Yangwang is sold through Al-Futtaim. No local price, delivery date or showroom date has been announced, and the Chinese price is only a guide, since local prices include shipping, duties and specification changes. Buyers who want to see the car or join an early list should ask Al-Futtaim's Yangwang team directly.