Huawei’s car alliance has made a strong start in China’s high-end sedan market, with the Maextro S800 taking the April sales lead among ultra-luxury sedans priced above 700,000 yuan (about RM406,000).
The S800 recorded 1,142 sales in April, according to ECC Intelligence tracking data shared via IT Home. That kept it ahead of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class at 736 units and the Porsche Panamera at 616 units, while the BMW 7 Series and i7 fell to fifth with 436 units.
That stands out because this is not a normal premium segment. Cars above 700,000 yuan in China compete heavily on brand cachet, status and buyer trust, not just screen size, power output or driver-assistance hardware.
The S800’s April result suggests some wealthy Chinese buyers are now willing to consider a domestic luxury sedan in territory long dominated by established German nameplates.
Maextro, known as Zunjie in China, is the luxury brand developed by Huawei and JAC under the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance model. The S800 is its first model, priced from 708,000 yuan to 1.018 million yuan (about RM410,000 to RM590,000).
The sedan also carries Huawei’s latest assisted-driving technology. IT Home said the S800 was the first model to use Huawei Qiankun ADS 4, with four lidars and a wide set of front, rear and side sensors.
Huawei’s own S800 information also lists HUAWEI ADS 4, along with both range-extender and full-electric versions. Depending on variant, the car gets an 800 V range-extender system, 5C or 6C charging capability, and up to 702km CLTC range for the full EV model.
Huawei and JAC are already aiming higher. IT Home said the S800 Grand Design custom model and the V800, Maextro’s first MPV, had completed regulatory filings in China. Huawei executive director Richard Yu has also said the Grand Design version would move into the two-million-yuan class, or around RM1.16 million.
The April number indicates Chinese carmakers are no longer trying only to beat old luxury brands on price or gadget count. With the S800, Huawei and JAC are trying to sell a Chinese flagship on prestige, software, cabin experience and confidence in the badge.
The real test is whether the S800 can keep pulling in buyers after the early rush. For now, it has given China’s ultra-luxury sedan class a serious domestic challenger.
