Get Million-Yuan Chassis Tech for 300,000 Yuan: IM LS9 Hyper Means Business

Gasgoo Munich- IM LS9 Hyper hit the market on July 16. The official guide price stands at 379,800 yuan, with a promotional launch price of 349,800 yuan. Joining it is the LS9 52 Ultra Steer-by-Wire Edition, priced at 319,800 yuan. Both models share a defining feature: standard steer-by-wire across the lineup.

This is no ordinary launch. On July 1, 2026, the national steer-by-wire standard GB17675-2025—drafted under SAIC Motor's leadership—officially takes effect. Just half a month later, IM has integrated this technology into a vehicle priced just over 300,000 yuan. From leading the standard-setting process to being the first to make it standard across the lineup, SAIC is moving rapidly.

Million-Yuan Chassis Tech in a 300,000 Yuan Car

First, the exterior. The IM LS9 Hyper measures 5,279mm long, 2,000mm wide, with a 3,160mm wheelbase. The front features a 2.4-meter integrated LED light strip supporting iridescent smart light language interaction. The most noticeable difference between the Hyper and standard versions lies in the exclusive badging—identifiable by "HYPER" lettering on the front fenders, the rear of the side windows, and the tailgate.

Inside, there's a 2+2+2 six-seat layout with an 86% space utilization rate. The interior features IM Nappa Deluxe full-grain leather, a soft microfiber suede headliner, and Royal Tribute art wood trim. The screen configuration is extensive: a 27.1-inch Mini LED display for the driver, a 15.6-inch entertainment screen for the front passenger, and a 21.5-inch 4K screen in the second row. The infotainment system is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8295P chip and the IM AIOS smart cockpit.

The vehicle is fully equipped with comfort features: a 25-speaker B&O audio system, a 12.3L double-door hot and cold refrigerator, and 50W wireless fast charging. Every seat offers ventilation, heating, and massage functions, while the driver's seat and the right-side second-row seat get 4D mechanical massage.

The chassis, however, is the real highlight. The IM LS9 Hyper comes standard with a full steer-by-wire four-wheel steering system. Response time is 20 milliseconds—four times faster than traditional steering. The steering ratio ranges from 4.5:1 to 14.2:1, with three preset driving styles. Paired with bidirectional 24-degree smart four-wheel steering, this 5.2-meter giant boasts a turning radius of just 4.77 meters—making it more agile than many A0-segment city cars.

On the safety front, steer-by-wire eliminates the mechanical connection, eliminating the risk of steering column intrusion during a collision. It also achieves aviation-grade triple safety redundancy with a reliability of 10 FIT. More critically, a full steer-by-wire chassis is the hardware foundation for reaching L3 and even L4 autonomous driving. In other words, purchasing this car essentially ensures the capability for intelligent driving upgrades in the years to come.

In terms of power, the Hyper version features SAIC's first mass-produced tri-motor vector all-wheel-drive system: a 160kW front motor and two 195kW rear motors. Maximum system output hits 550kW with a peak torque of 730 Nm, propelling the car from 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Paired with a full-domain 800V Stellar Super EREV platform and a 66kWh Xiaoyao MAX battery, it offers a CLTC pure electric range of 390km and a comprehensive range of 1,460km.

For intelligent driving, it is equipped with a 520-line ultra-vision LiDAR (equivalent to 1,040 lines in intelligent gaze mode) with a maximum detection distance of 300 meters. The chip is the Nvidia Thor, paired with 64GB of LPDDR5X memory. The IM AD system, co-developed with Momenta, supports map-free NOA and can handle complex scenarios like narrow construction zones, roundabouts, and ETC lanes. The hardware also reserves the capacity for upgrading to the IM AD ZETA platform, potentially boosting computing power by 20 times.

After 100 Million Cars, IM Plays Its Strongest Hand

The launch of the IM LS9 Hyper coincides precisely with the moment SAIC Motor rolled off its 100 millionth vehicle. Defined as SAIC's "100 Millionth Milestone Model," its significance is self-evident.

Momenta founder and CEO Cao Xudong became the owner of SAIC's 100 millionth vehicle—and the first owner of the LS9 Hyper (No. 001). When the founder of a top-tier autonomous driving company purchases with his own funds, it serves as the most direct validation of IM's technological strategy.

Since its inception nearly six years ago, IM has been at the forefront of SAIC Motor's expansion into the high-end market. Backed by SAIC's 70-plus years of automotive heritage and a complete industrial chain, IM holds intrinsic advantages in core technology R&D, supply chain integration, manufacturing, and quality control.

The steer-by-wire chassis, full-domain 800V platform, high-line-count LiDAR, and high-computing chips in the LS9 Hyper are not merely standard off-the-shelf components. They are the result of deep independent R&D or joint customization within the SAIC system. This capability in systematic vehicle development gives IM the confidence to take technologies once reserved for million-yuan luxury cars and make them standard equipment across the board in the 300,000 yuan class.

From a brand strategy perspective, the LS9 Hyper serves as a technological anchor. It uses a new "Big Three"—full steer-by-wire chassis, advanced intelligent driving hardware, and a full-domain 800V platform—to draw a clear line: luxury in new energy vehicles no longer depends on mere comfort and entertainment features, but on the generational advantage in underlying electronic-electrical architecture and chassis execution systems. Once this perception takes root among users, IM can extract itself from the price war and enter a virtuous cycle of tech-driven premium.

More importantly, the launch of the LS9 Hyper signals a shift in IM's product matrix from a follower to a leader. Previously, IM's lineup covered the mainstream sedan and SUV segments, but it lacked a flagship model that could establish a definitive leadership position in technological discourse. The LS9 Hyper completes this puzzle: tri-motor power, steer-by-wire, L3-ready hardware, and long range with both fuel and electric options. Combined, these tags give IM a genuinely competitive, robust product in the 300,000 to 400,000 yuan price band—the segment that tests brand power the most.

At the market level, demand from quality Chinese families for six-seat SUVs is shifting from "good enough" to "excellent" with no compromises. The solution offered by the LS9 Hyper is straightforward: impressive for business occasions, flexible and easy to drive for daily school commutes, worry-free range for weekend getaways, and immersive private space with 4D massage and B&O audio. One car covering career, family, and self—without requiring trade-offs from the user. This capability in product definition is the result of IM's deep insight into its target audience.

Returning to the core question: Starting at 319,800 yuan, is it worth buying a six-seat flagship SUV with standard steer-by-wire, top-tier advanced intelligent driving hardware, and a range exceeding 1,400 kilometers? Two years ago, this combination of specs would have cost at least double. What the IM LS9 Hyper has done is simple: it has turned "technology democratization" from a slogan into reality, significantly lowering the entry barrier for the next generation of smart vehicles.