Denza – A new Chinese brand coming to Europe with an almost 1,000 hp electric car
This is the new Denza Z9 GT, the first car to come from BYD's luxury offshoot to Europe and Germany.
- The Denza brand comes to Europe and Germany
- Luxury offshoot of BYD
- The Denza Z9 GT will be the first car to be offered here
- Electric car with almost 1,000 hp
- Crazy rear wheel steering system
- November 2025 as the start date
A new Chinese car brand is making its way to Germany and Europe. Denza was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes, but is now wholly owned by BYD.
The first car that BYD is bringing to Germany is the Z9 GT, a low-built shooting brake that will be available either as an electric car or as a plug-in hybrid. Sales in Europe for the new brand are scheduled to begin as early as November.
The new Denza Z9 GT – Design
The Denza Z9 GT is difficult to pigeonhole. It's kind of a mix of SUV, station wagon and coupe, but no matter what you'd classify it as, it's definitely eye-catching. No wonder, as it was designed by the same designer who designed the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, Wolfgang Egger.
The long, sloping bonnet gives the Z9 GT a really sporty look, and the massive, split headlights dominate the design of the front end. The side profile is similarly deep, and the wide arches give it a muscular stance.
The rear is similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 6 – the taillights have a similar shape. However, thanks to the massive fender and aggressive lower diffuser, it looks much sportier than this car.
New Denza Z9 GT – engines and performance
The new Denza Z9 GT will be available either as a pure electric car or as a plug-in hybrid. The former uses three electric motors, and while the exact specifications are yet to be confirmed, it's expected to produce close to 1,000bhp.
It also manages the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, making it one of the fastest in its class.
The all-electric Z9 GT is equipped with a 100 kWh battery, which is said to be enough for a range of 630 km, but according to Chinese test standards that differ from European procedures.
The plug-in hybrid has a 2.0-liter gasoline engine that is still coupled to three electric motors, two in the rear and one in the front. The hybrid produces around 870 hp and manages the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.
More impressive, however, is the range in pure electric mode. With a 39 kWh battery, you can drive 200 km emission-free. With a full charge and a full tank of fuel, the Z9 GT plug-in hybrid can cover over 1,100 kilometres.
Why do both the PHEV and EV have two motors on the back? That's because the Z9 GT has very clever technology on board that makes parking easier. It can lock the front wheels and then rotate each rear wheel in the opposite direction to swing the rear in. This means that you can simply drive your nose into a parallel gap and the car will then turn in on its own axis.
New Denza Z9 GT interior and infotainment
When you get into the Denza Z9 GT, you are immediately greeted by the usual screen front that you have come to expect from luxury electric cars.
In the middle is a huge 17.3-inch screen, which is one of the largest in a car, as well as a 13.2-inch display for the passenger, which they can use to operate the navigation system and media controls.
The design of the dashboard is chic, but nothing out of the ordinary. There are clean lines and lots of leather, as well as some shiny metal trim.
When can you buy the new Denza Z9 GT?
The Denza Z9 GT will be launched in Europe in November this year. Nothing is known about the price yet, but in China it costs the equivalent of about €42,000. However, it is unlikely that it will be that cheap when it comes to Germany. So far, all Chinese cars are more expensive than in their home market.
Who or what is Denza?
Denza is a Chinese luxury brand owned by BYD. Denza was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes, but is now owned only by BYD and has been selling cars in China for a few years. The Denza Z9 GT is the first model to be sold in Europe.