Can a 1,200hp Chinese SUV beat a Ferrari in a drag race? I’m going to find out

Back in late 2025 I reviewed the Yangwang U8, and there’s no denying that this massive Chinese off-roader is hugely impressive. It’s packed with tech, has a uber-posh interior and it can even float in water.

It’s also very powerful, with more than 1,000hp on tap. Having a four-digit horsepower figure gives you huge bragging rights, but can it humiliate a proper supercar in a drag race? I’m going to find out by pitting it against a Ferrari Purosangue down the quarter-mile.

Let’s start by taking a look at the stats…

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Yangwang U8

Under that massive bonnet the Yangwang U8 is packing a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That doesn’t sound all that impressive, but don’t worry – it’s actually driven by four electric motors.

This means it puts out a combined 1,200hp and 1,280Nm of torque, but it needs a lot of power because it weighs a colossal 3,460kg. It’s so heavy that you’d need an HGV licence to drive it in the UK. Still, it looks cool and offers a huge amount of luxury for £130,000.

Ferrari Purosangue

The thing is, saying you drive a Yangwang just isn’t as cool as saying you own a Ferrari. The Purosangue has a screaming 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine with 725hp and 716Nm of torque, and it also has all-wheel drive.

It may be almost 500hp down on the Yangwang, but it’s also well over a tonne lighter – tipping the scales at 2,150kg. The prancing horse shield doesn’t come cheap though, because the Ferrari Purosangue costs from £313,000.

So what will happen?

I reckon this is going to be a close race, because these two cars are closer-matched than the stats would suggest.

The U8 may be massively up on power, but that colossal weight means it has a power-to-weight ratio of 347hp per tonne, while the Ferrari has 337hp per tonne – so not a huge gap.

The Yangwang’s electric motors could also make it quicker off the line, but you’ll have to check out this week’s video to see how the race pans out.

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