BYD unveils a windshield-less supercar

Type of Chinese and electric clone of the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss, the Bao Super 9 will soon be marketed.

Take a good look at it. Don’t its features remind you of anything? Especially that distinctive look. The Fang Cheng Bao (luxury brand of the Chinese giant BYD) Super 9 is the work of German designer Wolfgang Eggert, who previously worked at Lamborghini.

Eggert is a prestigious name in the automotive design world, having spent a significant part of his career at Audi. But has he seriously “committed” to this concept that the manufacturer promises to produce in the coming months? The question is legitimate as one might be tempted to mock the accumulation of grotesque plagiarisms here and there.

Front hood inspired by Lotus Evija, front blade from MG Cyberster, butterfly door from McLaren Elva, rear bulges from Mercedes-McLaren SLR, separate cockpit in the style of Ferrari SP2 or Aston Martin CC100, sides with Koenigsegg air intakes, and rear section reminiscent of Panoz Esperante. Finally, the wheels are directly inspired by those of the Mercedes-AMG One with carbon flanges.

Is it only about making a statement?

This Fang Cheng Bao Super 9 is a tribute to the 30 years celebrated this year by the BYD group. This model certainly gets people talking, but what happens next?

We always come back to the starting point with Chinese manufacturers: they suffer from a deficit of image abroad, yet they keep launching new brands with names that are unpronounceable for an American, German, or French customer. No matter how sophisticated it is, who will buy this car, other than a handful of very wealthy Chinese who likely wish to impress the Party?

Launched in the summer of 2023, Fang Cheng Bao dilutes BYD’s strategic power both locally and internationally. The future will tell if this idea was a good one. On paper, aside from making noise, all this makes little sense. The growing difficulties of Tesla are proof that the focus should rather be on efficiency in the world of electric vehicles.

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