"Formula Leopard" - a predator from BYD

How many Chinese brands do you know? Fang Cheng Bao and the CHINA-MOTORS portal will expand your horizons!

The Chinese automaker BYD, known for its innovative solutions in the field of electric vehicles, is actively expanding its line of premium brands. In Russia now, really, few people know about the Fang Cheng Bao brand - even the name sounds unusual, because it literally translates as “Formula Leopard”. But in China this is already a sensational sub-brand of BYD, which has become the second in the company’s premium line, right after the most luxurious and status brand YangWang. Fang Cheng Bao received its own unique logo, reminiscent of both stars and the graph of a mathematical function, which adds a certain futuristic, almost cosmic charm to it.

The Fang Cheng Bao is BYD's response to the growing demand in China for powerful and stylish hybrid SUVs that can perform both in the city and off-road. If YangWang relies on super-expensive models, Fang Cheng Bao is a little more affordable, but is also not inferior in the level of technology and design, actively competing with such giants as Tank from Great Wall.

Fang Cheng Bao is BYD's third premium division, after Denza and YangWang, and is focused on high-end SUVs and hybrids. The most prominent representative of this line is the Leopard 5 SUV. It has a power of 687 hp. and is equipped with a hybrid powertrain consisting of a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine and an electric motor. The SUV offers several ground clearance modes - from 190 to 310 mm..

The design of the Leopard 5 is a fusion of modern Chinese trends such as aggressive and geometric shapes reminiscent of the Haval, Tank and Jetour models. The size of the car is close to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which allows it to compete with well-known premium SUVs.

And the recently introduced Leopard 8 is an even more ambitious model. This 5.2-meter body-on-frame SUV is equipped with Huawei's new Qiankun ADS 3.0 autopilot system, which uses lidar data and a variety of other sensors. The Leopard 8's interior features three screens and a 50-inch head-up display, while Huawei's HiCar multimedia system allows users to control the car's functions via a smartphone.

In terms of technical characteristics, the Leopard 8 is also impressive: the total power of the hybrid installation is 748 hp, acceleration to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. An electric range of 100 kilometers and a total range of 1,200 kilometers make it suitable for long trips.

Despite the popularity of BYD and its premium brands in China, the company does not yet plan to introduce Fang Cheng Bao to the Russian market. This is primarily due to the brand’s focus on the domestic Chinese market and potential difficulties in adapting products to the standards and requirements of other countries. BYD is currently focused on strengthening its position in China and possibly expanding into more mature markets such as Europe.