Chinese manufacturers are perhaps best known for competing at the value end of the market, but Huawei’s latest entry into the automotive realm is taking the fight straight to prestigious manufacturers such as Rolls Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach.
The Maextro S800 was developed in conjunction with Chinese automaker JAC, and it aims to redefine the luxury segment.
The styling is certainly interesting, featuring a fastback sloping roof design that’s unusual in the prestige sedan market, albeit certainly with more than a hint of Porsche’s Panamera. Boasting an overall length of 5,480mm, it will be one of the largest cars on the road in China, its maker says.
Maextro, which is the most upmarket of four brands developed through Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), has yet to release full technical details on its new S800, but it is expected to have an all-electric powertrain as well as advanced Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capability.
The cabin looks as luxurious as you’d expect from a Maybach or Rolls Royce competitor, and it also mimics the latter with a ‘starlit’ roof lining. In fact, the starry sky effect can even be found on the exterior door handles and in the headlight units.
The rear cabin, as you’d expect, has just two luxurious chairs with diamond stitching and multiple reclining options, but other details remain under wraps for now. At this level you can surely expect an advanced massage function and prominent entertainment screens.
The massive luxury sedan is expected to debut in China during the second quarter of 2025, with pricing reportedly starting around the 1 million yuan mark (around R2.5 million), with more details set to be released at launch.
IOL