China's BYD muscles in on Mayfair

EV giant opens flagship showroom on same road as Rolls, Ferrari, Porsche and more

BYD's UK launch plan has entered a key phase with the opening of a flagship showroom in the heart of Mayfair - the likes of which are usually reserved for the most prestigious brands around.

The Chinese EV specialist's new flagship site is a former JLR boutique on Berkeley Street. A Rolls-Royce dealer is opposite, there are Ferrari and Bentley showrooms on the same road and McLaren, Aston Martin and Porsche are among the other luxury brands with flagship retail spaces nearby.

BYD Mayfair is operated by Stratstone, itself owned by Pendragon - one of the UK's largest car retail groups, with more than 160 dealerships.

Asked how newcomer BYD which sells three models in the UK, priced between around £26,000 and £49,000 - merits a presence in such close proximity to these revered marques and a position in the Stratstone portfolio, Kim Costello, Pendragon's chief marketing officer, told Autocar "it was a no-brainer" to open a Mayfair outlet.