BYD targets Toyota GR, Hyundai N, Nismo and more

BYD’s local arm wants to work with its global parent in China to develop a tyre-shredding performance sub-brand to challenge Toyota GR, Mitsubishi Ralliart and many others.

It’s still early days for BYD Australia’s ambitious high performance vehicle plan, but the appetite to get it done is genuine. As the brand expands into more and more market segments here, a performance spin-off brand makes sense.

BYD is already involved at the extreme end of auto performance with its Yangwang luxury brand’s 496km/h quad motor EV supercar.

But it has not delved into mainstream performance as many of its global rivals have with businesses such as the aforementioned Gazoo Racing (GR), Hyundai N, Ford Performance and Mitsubishi Ralliart to name just a few.

In fact the performance side of the automotive business appears under-developed in China.

Geely has Cyan Racing as a road performance and racing partner, while MG has dabbled with the MG4 XPower. But there’s not much else.

Here, of course, both on- and off-road performance is a big deal, producing both marketing and sales upsides.

Especially when an eye-catching halo model takes pride of place at the front of the showroom, bathing all other models in its heroic glow.

BYD Australia Chief Product Officer Sajid Hasan says the local business would like to get involved in performance models and is keen to motivate head office in China to set up a division to develop them.

“It is one of my to-do lists to work with HQ on a performance brand strategy,” he said.

Hasan stressed there was no interest in BYD Australia going it alone with a local partner as Nissan has done with Premcar for the Warrior program, or how Volkswagen has partnered on the Amarok Walkinshaw.

“This is a really big topic, but it's not something that we should just do in isolation in Australia,” he stressed.

“It's something that has to be done at a global level. All successful OEM performance brands are led by the home market.

“I don't think it would be a good use of our time to try and do something for Australia that was only for Australia and didn't reflect in other markets.

“It wouldn't have the proper product [depth] if it was just done locally.”

Hasan said critical to a BYD performance sub-brand would be bonafide upgrades and modifications that would be beyond local scope.

“We're not about sticker packs and wheels. If we do a performance grade, it's going to be credible and authentic,” he insisted.

One car in the current BYD line-up that would seem an obvious candidate for a BYD performance brand and sale in Australia would be the Seal 06 GT hot hatch.

“I actually think that would be a fantastic addition to the line-up,” said Hasan.

“It is something that I've tried pushing, but it's only available in left-hand drive at the moment.

“So if that does get developed in right-hand drive, you can be assured I'll be putting our names down for that.”

Another obvious candidate would be a Shark 6 ‘MEG’ as a full-blown rival to the Ford Performance-developed Ranger Raptor.

With a 2.0-litre upgrade of the Shark 6 on the way, Hasan was coy on the subject: “Not to sound arrogant or anything, but some aspects of our vehicle already do rival the Raptor,” he said referring to its e-motor-aided acceleration.

Hasan also suggested motorsport involvement would make sense for a BYD performance business.

“It probably should be tied back to some motorsport or competitive racing,” he said.

“So that technology that's innovative and pushing boundaries is flowing down to the road car.”

BYD F1? You read it here first!

But all this is clearly at a very early stage with no guarantee Australia’s lobbying efforts will be successful.

“It becomes a very big discussion, a global corporate strategy direction,” Hasan said.

“It’s a big issue.”

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au