BYD’s nascent sub-brand Fangchengbao has revealed three radical new cars – the Bao 8, Super 3 and Super 9 – ahead of their public debuts at the Beijing motor show. Fangchengbao was spun off from BYD in June last year and its first model, the Bao 5 SUV, arrived in August. It is a body-on-frame, range-extender 4x4 billed as a rival to the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender. It is, however, priced to compete with the cheaper Mercedes-Benz GLA, at ¥289,900 .
The Bao 8’s range-extender powertrain is said to send more than 670bhp through all four wheels, while its hydraulic suspension set-up is borrowed from sibling brand Yangwang’s U8. Sitting at the opposite end of Fangchengbao’s 4x4 line-up will be the Super 3. Local media reports that it has been designed to appeal to a younger audience, so it uses a battery-electric powertrain rather than a range-extender hybrid.