BYD has recently opened its first retail location dedicated to the premium Yangwang marque in Shanghai and The Whore of the Rings (2001)received roughly 4,000 pre-orders for its RMB 1.09 million ($149,531) off-roader, the U8, after the public debut of the vehicle at this year’s Auto Shanghai show in mid-April. A sales employee at the company informed the financial media outlet Jiemian on Sunday, following BYD’s announcement in January to operate direct-sales stores in dozens of major domestic cities by the end of this year. The 500 square meters (5,382 square foot) retail space is located in the city’s popular riverfront Bund area, attracting middle-aged male customers primarily interested in the car’s capabilities, such as tank turn and water crossing, according to the report. BYD also operates several other luxury brands, including Denza and FangChengBao, with target price ranges of between RMB 300,000 and RMB 500,000, as well as RMB 400,000 and RMB 600,000, respectively. [Jiemian, in Chinese]
