Chinese car manufacturer BYD has confirmed its premium Denza brand is coming to Europe at the end of this year. With a focus on style and technology, the brand is expected to compete with the likes of Audi, Lexus and possibly even Porsche, although the company's pricing strategy is currently unclear. It's largely expected that Motor Distributors Limited (MDL) - custodians of the BYD marque among others - will be responsible for Denza importation and distribution in Ireland.
Which Denza models are coming?
Although the brand has a five-model range in China, it will launch in Europe at the end of 2025 with a three-model line-up, although BYD's executive vice-president, Stella Li, said the range would eventually grow to “six or seven models.” Quite how that range will look remains to be seen, but we know it will be spearheaded by the Z9GT.
A 5.2-metre-long estate car, the Z9GT is similar in size to the Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon and a little bigger than the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. However, it will be offered in both electric and plug-in hybrid forms.
The electric version gets three electric motors, with a single 313hp motor at the front and two 326hp motors at the rear (yes, that's 965hp in total). There's a 100kWh battery offering an official range of 630km on a single charge, well, according to the Chinese-market efficiency test.
In contrast, the plug-in hybrid has a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 207hp and a 272hp front electric motor, as well as two 299hp motors at the rear for what seems to be a total of up to 1,077hp. However, the 38.5kWh battery provides a claimed 201km of zero-emission range.
Both cars come with similar performance, with the electric car managing 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds and the plug-in hybrid taking 3.6 seconds.
Talk us through the design
The Z9GT's styling is supposedly influenced by silk, but to our eyes it looks like a facsimile of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. A shooting brake-style body is punctuated by split lights at the front and rear, while there's an active air intake in the grille.
Inside, Denza has wrapped the cabin in wood and leather, but the modern vibe is promoted by an ambient lighting system - with a choice of 128 colours - and three infotainment screens. The central display measures 17.3 inches across the diagonal and is flanked by a digital instrument cluster and a dedicated passenger display, both of which measure 13.2 inches.
The Z9GT also gets electrically adjustable seats, a panoramic glass roof and a 20-speaker sound system from French firm Devialet.
Any neat technology?
Tech features strongly under the skin, with the Z9GT getting air suspension and something called Vehicle Motion Control (VMC). That actuates the suspension, brakes and steering to control the car's attitude in corners, as well as keeping it from understeering or oversteering. It can even manage the torque in the event of a high-speed tyre blowout, preventing the car from spinning out.
What's more, the Z9GT also gets a rear-wheel steering system that allows the rear wheels to steer independently at up to 10 degrees, minimising the turning circle. The car can also 'crab walk' diagonally to squeeze through spaces, and it can pivot around its front wheels, allowing it to turn almost in its own length, or slide sideways into parking spaces.
When does Denza arrive in Ireland?
The first examples of the Z9GT to arrive in Europe will be all-electric cars, which are expected to turn up in November 2025. The plug-in hybrid examples will follow in February 2026, although there's no official word on when these will make it to Ireland.
If and when it does arrive in right-hand-drive European markets, Denza has said it will create bespoke dealers for its products, despite the BYD network already being established. There's no word on pricing, either.