Ferrari has already bought a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, according to a report in the German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport, and this is no mere curiosity. The Italian carmaker has gone out of its way to buy the phone in order to benchmark it as it develops its next-generation electric supercar.
The news leaked after CarNewsChina posted photos of a Weibo user who photographed the blisteringly fast SU7 Ultra leaving the legendary Ferrari factory in Maranello. A Chinese blogger known as ???????? (“Sago Dessert in Bologna”) confirmed the car was officially bought by Ferrari for internal testing. This is not just a PR stunt; this is serious research and development.
The other reputable Chinese auto blogger, ??????, stated that Ferrari engineers even came to Xiaomi HQ last year to talk about co-development of high-performance EV motors. Although neither company has made a formal statement, such insider reports indicate that Ferrari does not view Xiaomi as a long-distance rival but as a possible partner and technological leader.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which was introduced last year, burst onto the EV scene with outrageous specs: 1,548 horsepower, 0-60 mph in less than two seconds, and a top speed of more than 200 mph. With a base price of less than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, the sheer fact that the car sold out immediately with more than 50,000 preorders in a single night speaks to the demand that it has.
The SU7 Ultra has even been seen testing at the Ferrari Fiorano circuit, suggesting a thorough investigation of its ride, handling, component design, and construction methods, as well as the fundamental aspects of the benchmarking process that the best automakers employ to evaluate competitors and improve their own products.
The fact that Ferrari is interested in the SU7 implies that there is more than just adoration. It is a paradigm shift—China is becoming a source of innovation in electric performance, not just the traditional Western sources. When, and only when, the Xiaomi EV can actually drive Ferrari to reconsider its next electric step, it can become a part of the history of hypercars turning eastward.
