The race to build the world's fastest production car has entered uncharted territory. BYD's luxury brand, Yangwang, has pushed its U9 Xtreme hypercar beyond 500 km/h (310.7 mph), reaching an astonishing 503.17 km/h (312.65 mph) in Abu Dhabi. It's the first production car to cross that milestone, and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has now officially recognized the achievement.
The record-breaking run took place on November 1, along Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (E11), in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region. German racing driver Marc Basseng was once again behind the wheel, having also driven the same car to its previous record of 496.22 km/h (308.34 mph) at Germany's ATP Papenburg proving ground in September 2025.
The FIA confirmed the achievement on its website, adding another layer of credibility to Yangwang's remarkable accomplishment. The U9 Xtreme also secured two Guinness World Records: the highest speed achieved by a production car in a single-direction run and the highest speed achieved by an electric production car in a single-direction run.
That last detail is important. The 503.17 km/h figure comes from a one-way attempt, rather than a two-way average that accounts for differences in wind and road conditions. Nevertheless, breaking the 500 km/h barrier is a major milestone, particularly for an electric vehicle.
Unlike the previous attempt in Germany, Yangwang chose a public road in Abu Dhabi for its latest record bid. 3-mile) straight suitable for high-speed runs.
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