Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is 1527bhp super-saloon with Prodrive engineering

Chinese car maker Xiaomi has revealed the SU7 Ultra, a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT rival with with Prodrive engineering and 1527bhp on tap.

Utilising a tri-motor powertrain, the four-wheel-drive super-EV can hit 62mph in 1.98sec and go all the way to 207mph.

It has already become the fastest production four-door saloon to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Initially unveiled in prototype form in March, the SU7 Ultra will go on sale before the end of 2024 priced at ¥814,900 in China – the equivalent of £87,943.

Chinese deliveries are planned to begin during the first half of next year, and exports haven’t been ruled out.

The SU7 Ultra is the first recipient of Xiaomi’s HyperEngine V8S electric motor – so named because it has been conceived to deliver power on a level similar to that of a modern-day petrol V8. It’s claimed to rev to 27,200rpm.

Each of the rear-mounted V8S motors delivers 570bhp, while the front-mounted V6S motor develops 387bhp. This gives the SU7 Ultra a combined 1527bhp, representing an 863bhp increase over the existing four-wheel-drive SU7.

By comparison, the tri-motor Taycan Turbo GT delivers a combined 1092bhp.

The SU7 Ultra is claimed to accelerate from 0-62 mph in just 1.98sec and 0-124mph in 5.86sec and reach a top speed limited to 207mph. The Taycan Turbo GT delivers respective figures of 2.3sec, 6.4sec and 172mph.

The SU7 Ultra is based on Xiaomi’s Modena EV platform and proprietary 800V electrical architecture, in combination with a CATL Qilin battery with an energy capacity of 93.7kWh.

Maximum range on the Chinese CLTC test cycle is quoted at 385 miles.

In a departure from milder versions of the SU7, the range-topping SU7 Ultra adopts Bilstein Evo T1 dampers alongside other chassis changes developed in partnership with British motorsport and automotive engineering specialist Prodrive.

Reining in the SU7 Ultra’s towering performance is an AP Racing brake system. Departing from the Brembo-developed system seen on other SU7 models, it combines 430mm front and 410mm rear carbon ceramic discs with six-pot front and single floating rear calipers.

A Prodrive-prepared prototype version of the SU7 Ultra, featuring a carbonfibre body among other unique developments, has set an officially recognised lap record for four-door saloons at the Nürburgring, achieving a time of 6min 46.874sec in the hands of British racer David Pittard.

The production version features a less extravagant aerodynamic and cooling package than the prototype, with a smaller front splitter, an altered bonnet and a milder-looking carbonfibre rear wing in combination with an active diffuser that tilts through an angle of 16deg for added downforce.

All up, Xiaomi claims 285kg of downforce at the SU7 Ultra’s 207mph top speed.

The firm hasn’t provided a definitive weight figure for its latest model but said it tips the scales at under 2400kg.