BYD unveils YANGWANG ALTIOR luxury car to rival Rolls-Royce and it has a stunning jewelry masterpiece of a front grille
Published on Nov 07, 2026 at 12:01 PM (UTC-5)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Nov 07, 2026 at 1:25 PM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Rolls-Royce is going to have some competition now that BYD has unveiled the YANGWANG ALTIOR luxury car.
Just how luxurious is this vehicle? It’s got a jewelry masterpiece for a front grille.
ALTIOR may take its name from a Latin word, but its design borrows from Chinese culture.
Let’s take a look at the car that could be making other luxury brands very nervous sometime soon.
YANGWANG has been on its A-game recently
If one car brand has become synonymous with spectacle in recent years, it’s certainly BYD’s flagship YANGWANG brand.
These cars have been pushing the boundaries in more ways than one.
The BYD YANGWANG U9 Xtreme recently became the fastest production car in the world with a speed of 500km/h, topping its own record of 496km/h from the previous year.
Alex Hirschi, aka Supercar Blondie, managed to see the record-breaking vehicle up close and meet BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li.
And now comes along a car which is grabbing our interest in a whole different way.
Let’s take a closer look at the YANGWANG ALTIOR
The YANGWANG ALTIOR was unveiled at its global premiere in Abu Dhabi.
Developed over a three-year period, the ALTIOR takes inspiration from the ding, an ancient Chinese ceremonial bronze vessel.
Its name is Latin, meaning ‘higher’.
That’s fitting, because this car raises the bar in practically every way.
But don’t get it wrong – this car may be fancy, but it’s no dainty thing either.
It measures out 5,600mm in length, 2,030mm in width and 1,590mm in height, with a 3,500mm wheelbase to boot.
That leaves a lot of interior space too.
But the absolute crowning jewel – no pun intended – is the front grille.
This arrangement of jewels is nothing short of spectacular, giving the front of the car a ‘distinctive visual rhythm’.
These elements were all hand-polished, placed individually to interact with ambient light.
It even has its own lighting sequence, where 12 elements rotate and illuminate inward from the edges.
Talk about going one step beyond.
And the luxury continues on the inside, with 48 individual decorate controls across 11 interior touchpoints intended to catch and reflect light like gems.
You’ll think you’ve entered a diamond mine with all these shimmering jewels.
What has BYD said about the ALTIOR?
“ALTIOR brings together the depth of Chinese culture and our ambition to create something extraordinary for the people who will experience it,” BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said.
“Our engineers, designers and craftspeople have worked together to give that heritage a contemporary expression through design, craftsmanship and technology.
“The result is a vehicle with luxury in every fiber and power in its soul. ALTIOR represents our vision for the future of Chinese luxury.”
The Second-Generation Blade Battery inside will provide a range of more than 1,000km (621 miles).
It’s got the range, it’s got the look – what’s not to like?
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Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
