Huawei's new luxury EV Maextro S800 debuts

The S800 just went official as the first offering from Huawei's latest brand, Maextro. This luxury sedan, a product of the Huawei-JAC collaboration, is designed to compete with the top players in the D+ class executive sedan segment, including the likes of the Mercedes-Maybach and Rolls-Royce models. That's right - Huawei wants to square up against the best luxury automakers in the world.

With pre-sale prices ranging from $137,950 to $206,950, the S800 will be one of the most expensive Chinese-produced cars to date. The vehicle measures 215.7 inches in length, 79 inches in width, and 60.5 inches in height, with a wheelbase of 132.7 inches. According to Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's smart car unit, this puts the S800 in the top 0.01% of vehicles on the road in terms of size.

The exterior design is a unique blend of classic luxury and futuristic elements. The car will initially be available in two color schemes: a striking purple-silver and a more traditional all-black. One of the most distinctive design features is the wheel design, described by Chinese media as resembling "flatbread" or "pie rings." It's a big departure from the typical multi-spoke designs common in this segment that look very much like a rally wheel from OZ Racing or Ronal.

The rounded design is particularly noticeable at the front grille, which, while upright, is less boxy than one might expect from a luxury sedan. The lighting design is another standout feature. The front end features two LED light bars flanking the main headlight clusters, surrounded by a constellation of smaller light sources, creating a "Milky Way" effect. We see the same design element in the taillight cluster and the unique door handles.

The interior promises to be equally impressive, featuring a "starry sky" roof and two individual rear seats. Spy shots suggest a three-screen design for the front dash. The thick B-pillar likely contributes to the vehicle's safety and structural integrity. Interestingly, the car displays the brand name "Maextro" in Latin letters on its sides and rear, while the front logo is flush with the hood.

Although concrete details about the car's features are still limited, Huawei promises a suite of "super" capabilities, including Super Cruise, Super Maneuverability, Super Awareness, Super Privacy, Super Communication, Super AI, Super Protection, and Super Reliability. We get the message - everything is super. The S800 will reportedly feature L3 self-driving capability, supported by a roof-mounted Lidar unit. Huawei also confirmed the integration of three intelligences: intelligent driving, intelligent cockpit, and intelligent domain control, all powered by the second-generation Turing platform.

The Maextro S800 is a brave step from Huawei. And in the Chinese market, it actually might work. The Chinese EV market has grown really fast over the last few years, and now luxury vehicle buyers are ready to switch away from gasoline to electrons. YangWang is a great evidence that demand for +$100,000 electric vehicles is growing. And Huawei's Maextro will take luxury to a whole new level.

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