The Denza Z isn’t just trying to catch up. It wants to obliterate the status quo.
BYD’s premium sister brand has dropped an electric GT that makes the Porsche 911 look timid. It has 1,583bhp. Yes, you read that right. It is China’s answer to Mercedes, AMG, and Maserati, but the numbers suggest it might just be their boss.
Auto Express confirms the car is coming to the UK. This is part of a broader assault on European luxury marques.
Raw Numbers
Denza debuted the car at the 202 Goodwood Festival of Speed. It will launch in three bodies. A hardtop Coupe. A Spider. And a Racing version.
All of them share the same heart. A tri-motor setup. One motor in the front, two in the rear.
1,583 horsepower. That puts it squarely in hypercar territory. Think Bugatti Chiron levels of output. 1,240Nm of torque follows closely behind.
0 to 62mph happens in 2.25 seconds. 124mph arrives by second six. The coupe hits a governed 186mph top speed.
The Spider and base Racing models are nearly as fast. But wait. There’s more.
If you opt for semi-slick tyres on the GT3-inspired Racing trim?
1.96 seconds. To 62mph. Top speed jumps to 217mph.
Is this actually sane? Probably not.
There’s even a hardcore special edition brewing. Aimed at breaking lap records at the Nürburgring NordsChleife.
It’s rumored to have over 2,000bhp.
Denza claims it will do 0–62 in under 1.7 seconds. That would make it arguably the quickest car in existence.
The Denza Z has been tuned specifically for European roads.
Daniel Cabanillas, head of product in Europe for Denza, says so. It’s set up for road and track alike. The chassis uses DiSus-M. An intelligent magnetorheumatic body control system. It sounds sci-fi but functions similarly to tech found in the latest Corvette.
Air suspension comes standard on the Coupe and Spider. Coil springs are reserved for the Racing variant. Carbon-ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers do the stopping.
Charging anxiety? Not really.
Range is a sticking point. The 76kWh battery yields roughly 254 miles.
Sounds low until you factor in charging speed.
10% to 97% in nine minutes.
Caveat. You need BYD’s 1,500kW Flash Charging stations. Finding one isn’t currently trivial. But the tech is there.
Style over substance?
Look at the Denza Z and tell me it doesn’t steal designs.
It looks less like a grand tourer and more like a supercar. The nose is sharp. The hood short. The cab sits far forward.
Hints of Lotus? Yes. McLaren? Absolutely. Maserati? Sure. Even Lamborghini shows up in the mirror.
That shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Wolfgang Egger designed it. Former chief designer at SEAT. Alfa Romeo. Audi. Lamborghini. He penned the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. He brings that European flavor home.
The front features an ‘S-Duct’. Similar to the Ferrari F80. Air flows through the nose. Exits through the bonnet. Increases downforce.
At top speed? 1,060kg of downforce.
The special edition Nürburgringer gets carbon fibre panels. Aggressive aero tweaks. 2,000+kg of downforce claimed at 186mph.
Inside the Cabin
Let’s be honest. The interior doesn’t scream old-money luxury. It doesn’t compete with Porsche on fit and finish.
But it is sharp.
8.8-inch driver display. 12.8-inch central touchscreen. Google Maps built-in.
The audio is handled by Devialet. French specialists. Theatre-grade sound. It plays a virtual engine noise. We haven’t heard it yet. Hopefully, it sounds angry.
Rear seats? Tiny. Suitable for small children. Or weekend bags.
The boot though?
250 liters. Roughly twice what a 911 gives you. Fold the seats down and it’s 550 liters. The Spider sacrifices some space, landing between 131-171 liters. Roughly equal to the Maserati GranCabrio.
Practicality obviously vanishes on the Racing model. Replace the rear seat with a roll cage. Add carbon fibre trim. Done.
The Price Tag
This is where the rub lies.
Prices start at £142,90 for the Coupe.
£159,90 for the Spider.
£172,9 for the Racing version.
Sales begin in the UK this year when dealerships open.
You are paying for twice the power of a Porsche 911 Turbo S.
And you’re saving up to £56,00.
Will European brands panic? Maybe.
