A car priced around $112,000 may not seem out of the ordinary. However, if its prototype manages to complete a lap at the Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes, it's likely to pique the interest of performance - loving individuals. And when you find out that this car is a Xiaomi, it's bound to be quite astonishing. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is set to be officially launched today, February 27th. Can Xiaomi, a brand that was once "born for enthusiasts", make a big splash in the automotive world again? Let's explore why it carries a price tag of approximately $110,000 before its release.
 

Key Points

1. The reason for the high price of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra lies in its remarkable speed.

2. It comes equipped with all the necessary performance - enhancing features such as aerodynamic kits, suspension systems, and braking systems.

3. Although its competitors have different price ranges, none of them can match its speed.

4. Behind its high - performance capabilities is likely its strong brand influence and marketing reach.
 

1. Speed: The Reason for Its High Cost

 
Generally, there are three main reasons why a car can be expensive. It could be a super - luxury brand like Rolls - Royce or Bentley, known for its opulence; a rugged off - roader like the Mercedes G - Wagon, valued for its durability; or a supercar like a Lamborghini or Ferrari, famous for its speed. Clearly, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra falls into the third category. Before its launch, it has already become a dominant force on race tracks around the world.
   
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra's speed can be attributed to its super triple - motor system, which is the same as that of the prototype. Consisting of two V8s motors and one V6s motor, this system delivers a combined maximum power of 1,548 horsepower. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.98 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 5.86 seconds, with a designed top speed of 350 km/h. Additionally, it uses a high - power battery pack similar to the prototype's track version. With a maximum discharge rate of 16C and a maximum discharge power of 1,330kW (1,808 horsepower), which is greater than the motor power of 1,548 horsepower, the battery can be completely discharged in 3 minutes and 45 seconds, providing sufficient power for the vehicle.
 
The combination of the super triple - motor system and the track - version high - power battery pack enables the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which has a curb weight of 2,360kg and isn't the lightest, to achieve a "power - over - weight" performance. Of course, Xiaomi doesn't want the SU7 Ultra to actually "fly low" in a "Soviet - style" manner. Therefore, it has innovated in body posture control. The triple - motor system can achieve torque vectoring, dynamically distributing torque independently and adjusting the motor torque at a frequency of 500 times per second. When cornering, the system allocates more torque to the outer wheels of the corner, similar to the tank - turning principle, known as "differential steering". If the torque output of the left and right drive wheels is inconsistent, the vehicle will turn towards the side with less torque. Combined with traditional steering, this significantly improves the vehicle's steering response and Controllability.
 

2. All the Necessary Performance Kits

The powerful three - electric system provides the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra with strong performance, and features such as aerodynamic kits, high - performance brakes, and suspensions are also essential. These not only further enhance the vehicle's handling but also create the atmosphere of a high - performance model.
 
Specifically, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra comes standard with 17 carbon fiber components inside and out. The roof is made of an extra - large 1.7m² carbon fiber, reducing the weight by 12kg. A large front splitter and air dam are added to the front of the vehicle, along with a "U - shaped" air blade, effectively increasing the downforce on the front of the vehicle. The intake grille opening is further enlarged, increasing the heat dissipation area by 10%. The entire cooling system has been upgraded, with significant improvements in the performance of the compressor, water pump, cooling fan, and radiator. The maximum heat dissipation per minute reaches 2.7 million joules, and the official claims that it can achieve three times the cooling capacity of ordinary electric vehicles.
 
The new car is also equipped with an active rear diffuser. Its design helps to accelerate the air flowing out from the rear of the vehicle. The higher the air velocity, the lower the pressure, which further increases the vehicle's stability. The diffuser can be adjusted in two adaptive modes to balance the drag coefficient and downforce. The new car is equipped with a fixed carbon fiber rear spoiler, which can provide more than 400kg of downforce when the vehicle is traveling at a high speed of 350 km/h.
At the same time, Xiaomi has announced some of the standard and optional configurations for the entire series. These include a 24K gold carbon fiber car logo, 5m² of Alcantara microfiber fabric, 21 - inch U - shaped forged wheels, 21 carbon fiber components, and a carbon fiber dual - air duct front hood. According to previous filing information, the new car will also offer a variety of optional configurations, such as exterior mirrors, the roof, a fixed large spoiler, side decorative parts, decals, and wheel arch decorative parts.
   

In addition, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is equipped with a high - performance braking system with racing - grade carbon - ceramic brake discs. The front brake discs have a diameter of 430mm, which is more heat - resistant, wear - resistant, and lighter than ordinary steel brake discs, reducing the overall vehicle weight by 57kg. It is also equipped with Akebono high - performance brake calipers, with a front six - piston and rear four - piston design, and uses ENDLESS high - performance brake pads for endurance racing.
   
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is fitted with Pirelli P ZERO 5 tires, with a width of 265mm at the front and 305mm at the rear. The tire pattern, formula, and structure are all specially customized by Xiaomi to provide stronger grip.
 
In terms of suspension, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra users can choose between dual - chamber air springs or coilover shock absorbers according to their needs. The dual - chamber air springs are paired with high - performance variable - damping shock absorbers. The standard mode offers more comfort, while the sport mode provides better support. For track enthusiasts, the new car offers a professional BILSTEIN EVO T1 coilover shock absorber kit, which supports 10 - stage compression and rebound damping adjustment, comprehensively improving the vehicle's handling limits and providing strong support during cornering.
   
It's worth noting that in addition to the carbon fiber and Alcantara fabric that are common in high - performance cars to add a sporty look, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has also developed an exclusive Track Master App for track users. This app can display racing - related information, including real - time lap times, vehicle status, and driving mode adjustments.
 

3. Competitors with Different Price Ranges

After looking at the many high - performance parameters and configurations listed above, it might seem that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is almost "invincible". However, after its launch, it will face competition from many other manufacturers. The first is Porsche, which has a mutual admiration with Xiaomi on social media. The Taycan has always been the goal that Xiaomi SU7 has been striving for. With a pre - sale price of $112,000, it is already in the same price range as the entry - level Taycan models. It's hard to say how much overlap there will be between the two consumer groups, but as a latecomer, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra still has much to learn from Porsche in terms of chassis and steering system tuning.
 
As a high - performance electric vehicle from a Chinese brand, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will also face the Zeekr 001FR, which its competitors claim "can't be produced in five years". Priced at $108,000, this model has a lap time of 2 minutes, 16 seconds, and 39 milliseconds at the Shanghai International Circuit, which is about 7 seconds slower than the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Its four - motor system has a maximum power of 1,265 horsepower, 283 horsepower less than the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Although it is slightly inferior in performance, it is also a predecessor of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.
 
In addition, models such as the Tesla Model S Plaid and the BMW M3 also have price ranges that overlap with the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra in the electric and fuel - powered vehicle segments respectively. The former has gradually lost its popularity since the domestic production of the Model Y and Model 3. As for the latter, although its price and positioning overlap significantly with the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, it's believed that the overlap in the target audience is not very large.
   

4. The Secret Behind High Performance: Brand Influence and Marketing

Based on the above analysis, Xiaomi has sufficient confidence in the product strength of the SU7 Ultra. Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, has set an annual sales target of 10,000 units for this car and said that he is 90% confident of achieving it. What is the logic behind this confidence? We can get a glimpse from the Xiaomi SU7.

The Xiaomi SU7, which was launched on March 28, 2024, has achieved a cumulative sales volume of 139,487 units in just 8 months, surpassing the annual sales volume of many car companies' entire models. Behind this success, in addition to the product's own strength, the addition brought by Xiaomi's brand influence is also significant. Indeed, brand influence is as essential to Xiaomi as air. A single Weibo post by Lei Jun can easily become a trending topic. Xiaomi's mobile phones, various smart devices, and offline Xiaomi Home stores have made Xiaomi a ubiquitous brand in consumers' lives.
 
It can be said that the high popularity of the brand and its leader has enabled the Xiaomi SU7 to fully benefit from brand influence. Lei Jun's product launches attract a large amount of attention, with millions of viewers in live - streams and continuous trending topics on short - video platforms. Even the first batch of car owners can potentially recoup their car purchase costs through brand - related activities or by renting out their cars. Xiaomi's approach to leveraging its existing brand influence is something that traditional car companies cannot easily replicate in a short period.
 
What about the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra? It seems to be continuing and replicating the success of the Xiaomi SU7. From the prototype challenging the Nürburgring and becoming the fastest four - door car in history, to the production version dominating the lap time rankings at domestic race tracks, and recent events such as the 24K gold - plated car logo and interactions with the Lixiang i8, these all contribute to increasing the exposure of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. This is also the key to achieving the annual sales target of 10,000 units.
 

Conclusion

What makes the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra so expensive? It is, of course, its high - performance capabilities and the strong product it offers. It is also due to Xiaomi's systematic approach in the automotive field, using various product designs, marketing strategies, and brand influence to build a unique impression and emotional connection with consumers. Whether it's the product, users, brand influence, or marketing, they all essentially support the brand and sales. In the niche market of high - performance vehicles, we have reason to believe that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will achieve surprising market results. With the launch of the SU7 Ultra, we also look forward to the introduction of subsequent models such as the Xiaomi YU7.