The majority of buyers preferred the most expensive version, which costs nearly $150,000.
China is the number one automotive market in the world, which is why the entire industry closely monitors its preferences. And another news from there is likely to upset the 'big three' German automakers. Barely entering the market, the new premium limousine Maextro S800 has outperformed all iconic models from German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen Group in sales. Behind the newcomer Maextro are the regular S-Class and its Maybach version, the BMW 7 Series, and all Rolls-Royce models (the brand belongs to BMW), as well as the Porsche Panamera and Audi A8. What kind of car is this and what is the secret to its rapid rise?
Production of the Maextro S800 began in the summer of this year, and immediately the novelty gathered an impressive number of confirmed orders for such an expensive item: over 2,600 in the first three days of sales. Moreover, the majority of buyers preferred the most expensive version, which costs nearly $150,000. As of now, 18,000 orders have already been fulfilled, and demand is prompting the manufacturer to increase production volumes from 2,000 to 4,000 cars per month. That’s almost 50,000 units per year! For comparison, last year just over 40,000 non-Maybach S-Class cars and 31,000 BMW 7 Series were sold worldwide.
The Maextro S800 was developed by the automotive division of Huawei in collaboration with the JAC brand. The car is a luxurious limousine measuring 5.5 meters long with a purely electric or hybrid (series type) powertrain. In the first case, the power output is 530 horsepower, while in the second, it is also 530 or 853 in two- and three-motor configurations, respectively. The battery capacity produced by CATL is 97 and 65 kWh for the pure electric version and the hybrid, respectively. The dynamics range from 4.3 to 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 or 210 km/h depending on the version.
The interior is predictably finished with expensive types of wood, leather, and suede, complemented by faceted crystal fittings and a 'starry sky' on the ceiling. Among the features not offered by German competitors is a retractable 40-inch screen partition for rear passengers, where the projector's image is displayed. Naturally, the rear seats are equipped with the function of 'zero gravity,' which is so beloved by the Chinese.
A refrigerator, tables, a set of glasses, a 3-kilowatt Huawei audio system with 43 speakers (including emitters in the ceiling and headrests), a 4-zone climate control, massage, and everything else one can imagine in a car of this class is also present. In front, the driver has access to a 76-inch projection screen, digital mirrors in the door panels, a multimedia system, and an advanced next-generation autopilot from Huawei, which seemingly possesses an unprecedented number of cameras, lidars, and radars. And equally impressive computing power.
Other driving technologies include adaptive dual-chamber air suspension with adjustable height and artificial intelligence capable of proactively adjusting chassis characteristics according to changes in the road surface (the road is scanned by the same computer vision); a rear axle with a steering angle of up to 12 degrees (the turning radius is only 5.05 m); a 'crab' driving mode diagonally at a 16-degree angle; an advanced roll and pitch suppression system; matrix adaptive lighting with a 'light pointer,' a proactive safety system complex, tamper-resistant software, and communication channels, and much more. The communication complex, which works even under unstable satellite and cellular network signals, is particularly emphasized.
Impressive, isn’t it? And now for the most important part. For the base Maextro S800, which is still very well equipped, the asking price in China is equivalent to $100,000. The top version is $145,000. Now let’s compare it with the 'Europeans': the base Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs around $132,000 in China, the S-Class Maybach starts at $200,000, the BMW 7 Series begins at $130,000, the Audi A8L starts at $112,000, and the Porsche Panamera starts at $162,000.
