Xiaomi is working on a faster SU7 Ultra
A yellow SU7 Ultra prototype has been spotted with a reworked front bumper, heavy aero down the sides, carbon-fiber parts and a diffuser that looks pulled from racing. The target is the Nürburgring record Porsche took back in May.
Xiaomi seems to be working on three things at once. The chassis has to be quick enough to beat the Taycan Turbo GT with the Manthey Kit. The aero has to give real downforce without making the car useless on the road. And the car needs to lose weight, probably including unsprung mass.
Front end
The splitter is bigger and the bumper intakes are wider. Two openings in the hood work as air ducts. They push air upward, which presses the nose down and keeps the car steadier in fast corners.
The lower bumper also pushes air around the front wheels. There seem to be extractors in the wheel arches too, the sort of thing you’d expect on a 911 GT3 RS. They let out high-pressure air trapped in the wheel wells, which reduces lift.
Sides and rear wing
The front fenders curve inward ahead of the doors, the rear quarters are cut away behind the wheels, and the side skirts are big. The dual-element rear wing is the part you notice first. It sits high enough to work in clean air, and its lower element adds more downforce.
The swan-neck pylons might hide electric actuators for a drag reduction system. That would help on long straights, where you want less downforce. The flap could also move on its own, depending on drive mode, software and sensor data. This is a guess based on photos, not something Xiaomi has confirmed.
Wheels, roof and seats
The prototype has double-spoke wheels, large brakes, and a carbon-fiber roof with a front-facing lidar sensor. The bucket seats have a Nürburgring motif on the backs, which tells you who Xiaomi is chasing.
Lap times
| Car | Time |
|---|---|
| Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, Manthey Kit (Lars Kern) | 6:55.553 |
| Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, production, Track Package | 7:04.957 |
| Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype (not a production car) | 6:22.091 |
Porsche is about nine seconds ahead of the production SU7 Ultra. The 6:22 prototype run doesn’t count as a production record, but it shows how much Xiaomi has in reserve. Vincent Radermecker has driven most of Xiaomi’s Nürburgring runs.
How it fits with Xiaomi’s other products
The SU7 line runs on HyperOS, which Xiaomi uses to link its cars to its phones, tablets, watches and Xiaomi Home devices. If a track-focused Ultra reaches production, it should work with the same ecosystem as the regular SU7. Xiaomi hasn’t confirmed which features a track version would carry.
