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The world’s newest ultra-luxury car has been unveiled.
And it destroys the longtime aspirational mantra, “Wear Italian, kiss French, but drive German.”
China has now entered the super luxe car market, with its answer to the world famous Rolls Royce — but for a fraction of the price.
The Maextro S800, an 18-foot luxury sedan with two-tone color and soft leather, costs a relatively bargain $172,000 — compared to a British made and designed Rolls Royce, which can ring it at up to $750,000 with all bells and whistles.
The Chinese equivalent is built in Hefei, China, by Huawei and assembled with over 1,000 robots.
Designed to rival and even upstage ultra-premium models with a legacy of prestige like Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce, the Maextro S800 claims to be the “embodiment of perfection” and “a manifesto of refined taste.”
The four-door vehicle boasts features like self-parking, gesture-controlled doors, reclining massage seats, and a “starry sky” interior inspired by Rolls-Royce.
The sprawling entertainment system includes 43 speakers and 40-inch rear screens, creating a private watch studio.
The electric hybrid car, which asserts itself in a competitive luxury market through its futuristic intelligence, has a price tag that remains lower than some other iconic models.
The S800 ranges from roughly $100,000 to $170,000, depending on how souped-up your design is, which is half the price of a starter Mercedes-Maybach sedan and a quarter of what a basic Rolls-Royce costs in the U.S, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Huawei executive Richard Yu also hinted at even more ambitious plans in the months ahead, with an ultra-premium model hovering around $300,000.
“This is a maxed-out car for a very affordable price,” said car expert Thomas Luk, who added that the Maextro is definitely challenging the Maybach and the 7-series BMW.
For purists, the idea of China making a top luxury vehicle seems sacrilegious and implausible.
Yet, China is steadily reshaping the auto industry. In 2025, China exported 8.32 million units, up 29.9% from the previous year.
This growth highlights Chinese automakers’ rising competitiveness. Huawei says over 17,000 Maextro vehicles have been delivered since launch.
And the response online indicates that people are responding favorably to their designs, with many calling the design “sleek” with “insane features,” while some more staunch car lovers are calling it a “chinese rolex” on Reddit.
Despite its popularity, manufacturers and buyers seem to have different ideas of what luxury is.
The Maextro focuses on high-tech and automation, while traditional brands like Rolls-Royce value craftsmanship and subtlety. It’s a contrast of modern spectacle and quiet luxury.
As one Rolls-Royce executive told The Wall Street Journal, wealthy buyers often view their vehicles as a “sanctuary” and don’t necessarily want to be surrounded by gadgets.
But for a younger generation of wealthy consumers raised on smartphones, AI, and hyper-connectivity, China’s vision of luxury may increasingly become the future.
