The BYD S8 is a convertible sports car made by the Chinese company BYD. It was first shown as a prototype at the 2006 Shanghai motor show under the name F8, and it reached production with a steel roof and front-wheel drive.
BYD S8 at a glance
| Maker | BYD, China |
|---|---|
| Class | convertible sports car |
| First shown | 2006 Shanghai motor show, as the F8 |
| Roof | steel |
| Design | rear similar to the Renault Mégane CC, front reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz CLK |
| Drive | front-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0-litre four-cylinder |
| Main market | China |
| Sales 2009 | 96 |
| Sales 2010 | 7 |
| Total built | 103 |
The article is based on the English Wikipedia page on the BYD S8.
History of the BYD S8
The S8 was first shown as a prototype at the Shanghai motor show in 2006 under the name BYD F8. The production car has a steel roof, and its design shares similarities at the rear with the conceptually similar Renault Mégane CC, while the front is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz CLK.
Sales
The S8 is front-wheel drive and is powered by a four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine. It was mainly sold in China. In 2009 the car sold in 96 units, and only seven cars were sold in the full 2010 fiscal year. Production has now ceased, and in all the car sold in only 103 units.
The S8 was an unusual model for BYD, whose range at the time was built around the compact F3 and the F0 city car. It showed that the young company could build a low-volume convertible, but the tiny sales total kept it a footnote in BYD’s history.
Design and features
- Steel roof: a convertible with a fixed steel roof rather than a fabric one.
- Familiar cues: a rear resembling the Renault Mégane CC and a front reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz CLK.
- Front-wheel drive: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels.
- Rare: only 103 cars sold in total.
BYD S8 versions
- F8 prototype (2006): the show car shown at Shanghai.
- S8 production car (2009): the version that reached buyers, with 96 sold that year.
- 2010 cars: the final seven cars sold before production ended.
The S8 was a niche model beside the volume F3 and the M6 MPV. More cars are in the BYD collection.
Sources
- BYD S8, English Wikipedia: design, engine, sales
