China’s Yangwang U9 has smashed the world speed record at 308.4mph, but in a world where fun trumps figures, does speed still matter?
308.4mph. That’s the new production car speed record. A number so big it should make you gasp, applaud, or at least mutter “blimey” into your beer. And yet, here I am, shrugging. Because while the Yangwang U9 Extreme – an all-electric hypercar from China – has just dethroned Bugatti and become the world’s fastest car, I can’t help asking: does anyone really care anymore?
Let’s be honest. Unless you’ve got a spare airport runway and nerves of steel, you’re never going to see anything north of 150mph on public roads. And even if you could, what’s the point? I’ve been over 200mph once in my life (outside the UK, before you ask) and that was plenty, thank you very much. The road went from smooth to sketchy faster than you can say “I feel the need for speed!”.
So when Yangwang’s engineers proudly proclaim they’ve hit 308.4mph (496kph), I nod politely and go back to enjoying something far slower, clunkier, and a whole lot more entertaining.
Because here’s the rub: speed alone has lost its thrill.
EVs Are Lightning Fast… But Not Lively
Electric cars are brilliant at acceleration. Stamp on the throttle and you’re catapulted forward like a radio-controlled toy on steroids. Zero to sixty in under three seconds? Child’s play. But once you’ve felt that neck-snapping surge a couple of times, the novelty wears thin. There’s no build-up, no noise, no drama. Just silent violence.
A traditional petrol sports car, on the other hand, makes a performance of it. The revs climb, the tyres scrabble, the exhaust howls like it’s auditioning for the Royal Opera House, and your pulse climbs in sync. It’s theatre. It’s exhilarating. It’s why we love driving in the first place.
Honest Fun in Slow Cars
Which is why I maintain that a slow car, driven flat out, is infinitely more fun than a hypercar at half pace. Give me a buzzy little hatchback with a manual gearbox, skinny tyres, and an engine that screams with joy when it’s being thrashed, and I’ll show you what real grins per mile look like.
Even the lumbering Isuzu D-Max V-Cross I’ve been pottering about in recently offers more honesty and satisfaction than a supercar. It’s slow, it’s heavy, and it makes you work for every overtake – but that’s precisely what makes it engaging. You feel the steering wriggle, the gears hunt, the engine grumble. It’s alive.
So, Does 308mph Matter?
Yes, it’s impressive that a Chinese EV has stolen Bugatti’s crown. It proves China’s car industry isn’t just catching up – it’s overtaking. But in the grand scheme of things? A stat in a brochure. A bragging right for billionaires. For the rest of us, the cars that matter are the ones that make us laugh out loud on a Sunday drive, not the ones that hit 300mph on a test track.
Because true driving joy isn’t about the numbers. It’s about the sensation of speed, not the measurement of it.
So hats off to Yangwang – but I’ll stick with my noisy, wobbly, gloriously flawed machines. They might not break records, but they’ll always make me break into a smile.
If you found this useful, interesting or fun, consider supporting me via Patreon, Ko-Fi, or even grabbing a copy of one of my books on Amazon. Every bit helps me keep creating independent automotive content that actually helps people.
Support independent car journalism 🙏🏽☺️ grab my books on Amazon, take up membership to BrownCarGuy on YouTube, or join me on Ko-Fi or Patreon.
👉🏽 Channel membership: https://www.youtube.com/browncarguy/join
👉🏽 Buy me a Coffee! https://ko-fi.com/browncarguy
👉🏽 Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/BrownCarGuy
MY BOOKS ON AMAZON!
📖 Want to become an automotive journalist, content creator, or car influencer? Check out my book: How to be an Automotive Content Creator 👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/7VTs0ii
📖 Quantum Races – A collection of my best automotive sci-fi short stories! 👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/0Y93s9g
📖 The ULEZ Files – Debut novel – all-action thriller! 👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/d1GXZkO
Discover more from Brown Car Guy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
