The biggest trend in motoring circles over the past few years has been the rapid influx of Chinese cars into world markets.
While there was some initial chin-scratching about these new arrivals – trust doesn't come easily when shelling out for a product that is considerably more expensive than a supermarket sandwich – attitudes seem to be changing. There has been a noticeable warming to the newbies, not least because of the wallet-friendly price of many of the cars now on offer.
There is one manufacturer that stands out as making a particularly bold bid to get the attention of the planet’s car buyers, though, and that brand is BYD.
The company celebrated its 30th anniversary late last year, which, when you consider the age of history’s most prominent car manufacturers, makes it something of an automotive babe-in-arms.
The range it now offers, though, is replete with sophisticated electric or plug-in hybrids. The National witnessed BYD's wares first-hand at its headquarters in Shenzhen, a city in south-east China.
So prevalent is BYD in these environs (the manufacturer employs more than a million people there, for instance), you might think there would be moves afoot to adopt the company name as part of the region’s official moniker.
The brand already has a decent range available for buyers in the Middle East, including the fully electric Han and Seal, both sedans, and the Atto 3, a compact crossover. These sit alongside plug-in hybrids Song and Qin, an SUV and a coupe respectively.
There are three vehicles spearheading BYD’s foray into the future, though, one of which we can expect to see in the region imminently.
Fans of budget vehicles will be especially happy with the BYD Dolphin, though this is not one destined for the Middle East yet. It does, however, represent something of a milestone. This is a zippy little electric town car that will appeal to urban commuters with a penchant for vehicles like the Fiat 500.
It has a good straight-line performance and is an amusing car to move about in. The Dolphin is notable as its price lays down a marker in the field of affordable electric motoring, given that finding ways to offer inexpensive fossil fuel-free rides is a goal the entire automotive industry is chasing.
The car’s current international base price starts at US$30,000, which is hard to beat.
The import we can expect to see in the UAE comes from Yangwang, an upmarket offshoot of BYD (think Lexus by way of Toyota). Since its inception in 2023, it has already unveiled a number of vehicles.
The first of these the fledgling brand introduced was the U8, a full-sized plug-in hybrid SUV.
Words such as robust and capable are often used to describe muscular vehicles, but the term is entirely apt here – the U8 is powered by a two-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with four electric motors. This gives it a mighty 1,180hp, 1,280Nm of torque and a 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds.
Not only does the car float should the need arise, but it can also crabwalk, allowing you to get out of sticky situations in the wild as well as nudge in and out of narrow parking spaces. U8s are currently on sale for about US$215,000, but evidently regional pricing will vary.
While there is a question mark (for now) about the third latest BYD making it to our shores, the performance figures make it worth a mention. We’re moving into supercar territory now, with BYD’s Yangwang U9, a name that gives little clue as to the true nature of this vehicle, particularly bearing in mind the U8 is an SUV.
This one can rub bumpers with the most blistering road-going cars on the planet. The U9 is another one with four electric motors, here delivering a combined output of 1,287hp and 1,680Nm of torque.
This is enough grunt to get it up to 100kph in about two seconds and deliver a top speed north of 300kph.
While regional availability and pricing remain unconfirmed, at the moment the U9 is on sale for US$230,000. Put in context, that is about a quarter of the price of some of its supercar rivals with similar performance figures.
BELGIUM%20SQUAD
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WE%20NO%20LONGER%20PREFER%20MOUNTAINS
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West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULT
Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Company%20profile%20
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
