Australian businessman Nick Politis has custom-ordered one of 30 Yangwang U9 Xtremes, with the world's fastest production car set to arrive next year.
The chairman of the Sydney Roosters NRL team and board member of Eagers Automotive – the majority owner of BYD's largest dealer network in Australia – has become one-of-30 customers to order the world's fastest production car.
At the 2026 Beijing motor show, a Yangwang U9 Xtreme – which surpassed the Bugatti Chiron's top speed record last year – was sold to Australian businessman Nick Politis, who attended the event to meet with Yangwang's parent-company BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu.
Speaking with Australian automotive media at the motor show, including Drive, Politis said he has yet to discuss a price, but "it doesn't matter how much it costs, because it will be a collector's item" and "worth a lot of money".
The standard Yangway U9 costs 1,800,000 yuan ($AU368,000) in China, however, the U9 Xtreme is believed to be closer to $AU1,000,000.
"We were here [in China]… about eight weeks ago," Politis said.
"We had lunch with Stella [Li, executive vice-president of BYD], and she told me – we were looking at the Yangwang range – about the U9.
"She said, 'We're building a U9 Xtreme, which is only 30', and I said, 'Well, can we have one for Australia?', and she said, 'You want one?'
"I said 'yes'. We shook hands, and that's how it started."
The U9 Xtreme sold to Politis will remain left-hand drive, however, the businessman said he intends to drive it on Australian roads by obtaining the appropriate permits.
"It's going to be left-hand drive, but we'll see," Politis added. "Hopefully, we can register it."
A 496.22km/h top speed was recorded for the Yangwang U9 Xtreme in September 2025, becoming the world's fastest production car, ahead of the 490.48km/h set by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in 2019.
It has also set a Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 6:59.157, making it the world's quickest electric car around the famous German racetrack.
The U9 ordered by Politis will match the red-and-black colour theme of the record-breaking vehicle, he said.
Specifications include four electric motors for a combined 2220kW, GitiSport e.GTR2 Pro semi-slick tyres rated to 500km/h, a carbon-fibre chassis, and a 1200-volt electrical architecture.
Yangwang vehicles were confirmed for Australia in October 2025, however, they will be badged as Denza models, which also sells cars from BYD's Fangchengbao sub-brand.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
