On 6 November, BYD turned Burj Park in Downtown Dubai into a celebration of speed. The occasion was the Yangwang U9 Xtreme’s new world record: 503.17 km/h, making it the first production car ever to pass 500 km/h. The record itself was set days earlier on a road in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai was where BYD marked the achievement in front of guests and media, with Executive Vice President Stella Li on stage. Here is a full recap, plus what each car on display is all about.
Quick Highlights
- Record speed: 503.17 km/h by the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, set on 1 November 2026 in Abu Dhabi
- Recognised by the FIA and awarded two Guinness World Records
- Celebration of Speed held at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai, on 6 November
- Executive Vice President Stella Li gave a speech tracing BYD’s history
- Seven cars on display: BYD Shark 6, BYD Ti7, Denza B5, Denza B8, Denza Z, Denza Z9 GT and Yangwang U8L
The Record: How It Happened
German driver Marc Basseng made the record run on a closed section of the E11, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road, in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. The team first ran on 31 October, reaching 490 km/h. After adjusting the aerodynamics, suspension and tyre pressures, two more runs on 1 November produced the final figure of 503.17 km/h. That is 6.95 km/h faster than the car’s own previous record of 496.22 km/h, set in Germany in September 2025.
The car is powered by four electric motors producing a combined 2,220 kW (more than 3,000 PS) on a 1,200V system, and BYD plans to build only 30 examples.
Official Recognition
The FIA recognised the speed, and the run earned two Guinness World Records: highest speed by a production car, and highest speed by an electric production car, both in a single-direction run.
Worth knowing: 503.17 km/h is a one-way figure, not a two-way average. By the traditional two-way method, the SSC Tuatara’s 455.3 km/h remains the benchmark. This does not take away from the achievement, but it explains why the wording “single-direction” appears in the official announcement.
The Celebration of Speed at Burj Park
BYD announced the record on 6 November and marked it the same day at Burj Park in Downtown Dubai, with a reported guest list of about 3,000 people, including international media, and a Burj Khalifa light show. Stella Li, who has led BYD’s expansion in global markets, spoke about the company’s journey from its beginnings to its position today. She has described the engineers behind the U9 as young, bold and perhaps a little crazy, in a good way.
Yangwang, BYD’s ultra-luxury brand, was introduced in November 2022, and the U9 Xtreme is its flagship expression of what the brand calls “going beyond the limit”.
The Cars on Display
- Yangwang U8L: a four-seat luxury SUV from the same brand as the U9, designed to handle off-road driving and even water crossings.
- Denza Z: a high-performance electric coupe that had its global launch at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2026. BYD’s flash-charging demonstrations at Goodwood showed up to 1,500 kW charging, with the Denza Z Racing and Z9 GT going from 10% to 70% in five minutes.
- Denza Z9 GT: a shooting-brake grand tourer available in plug-in hybrid and electric versions, using a three-motor setup.
- Denza B8: a large plug-in hybrid 4×4 with a seven-seat layout, off-road modes and differential locks.
- Denza B5: a boxy off-road SUV with a Devialet audio system and a 50-inch head-up display. It has reportedly been sold in the UAE since November 2025.
- BYD Shark 6: BYD’s first pickup, with a plug-in hybrid powertrain producing around 436 PS, a 0 to 100 km/h time of about 5.7 seconds and a Euro NCAP five-star rating.
- BYD Ti7: a boxy, rugged plug-in hybrid SUV aimed at buyers who want a more affordable alternative to luxury off-roaders like the Land Rover Defender.
Specifications and availability vary by market, so check with your local dealer about what is sold in the UAE.
What Comes Next in the UAE?
Reports say pre-bookings for the U9 Xtreme are expected to open soon, but no UAE price has been confirmed. BYD’s luxury flagship, the Yangwang Altior, is also due to debut in Abu Dhabi on 8 November.
Final Thoughts
With the Gulf as the stage for both the record and the celebration, BYD has made clear how important the region is to its premium plans. Do you think 500 km/h has any real meaning outside a record book? Tell us in the comments.
