New Denza Z to rival Audi E-tron GT and Porsche Taycan
On sale late 2026 | Price from £70,000 (est)
As far as statements go, the Denza Z is making a big one. It's the first car to launch in the UK from the Chinese brand, which is an upmarket arm of the now-big-selling BYD. And to help it make a splash, consider this – in its range-topping form, it is one of the fastest-accelerating cars on the planet.
That figure is just 1.96sec, and applies to the Race version of the Z. That's not to say the other two models are slow, though – the Z Coupé manages the same feat in 2.25sec, with the Z Spider taking 2.3sec. That's faster than all versions of the Audi E-tron GT, and faster than a Porsche Taycan in Turbo S form.
Set to be sold only in electric form, the Z uses three motors which, combined, put out 1582bhp. No, you didn't read that wrong – it really is a power output measured in four figures. Little wonder that any version of the Z will reach 124mph in less time than it's taken you to read this sentence. And all three models will keep going on to a top speed of 186mph.
The Z is powered by a 76kWh BYD Blade battery, which is designed to have fewer toxic ingredients and no cobalt, improved safety and a longer shelf life. That battery is good for an official range of up to 254 miles depending on which version you choose. That means most versions of the E-tron GT and Taycan can take you further between charges.
The Z can charge up quicker than both cars, though. Thanks to Denza's flash charging technology, the Z can acheive charging speeds of up to 1500kw, meaning a 10-70% charge takes just five minutes. There is a pretty heavy caveat there, however – to get that speed, you'll need to use one of Denza's own flash charging units. There are currently three of those in development, but the brand plans to have 300 chargers operational by the end of 2027.
Inside, you'll find an 8.8in digital instrument cluster and 12.8in infotainment touchscreen. The latter comes with Google built in, meaning Google Maps, Google Play and Google Gemini AI assistance come as standard. Other features include a camera-based rear-view mirror, Nappa leather upholstery, and heated and ventilated seats.
With a 250-litre boot on the Coupé – less than that of a Volkswagen Polo – a couple of suitcases will basically fill the space. And if you're travelling in the Spider, which gets a 191-litre boot, you might need to be prepared to pack light. And while all three models are five-seaters, Race versions get the option of stripping out the back row to make the car lighter.
Prices for the Z start from £142,900, which is more than you'd pay for an Audi E-tron but less than the Taycan in Turbo S form.
Denza eventually aims to offer a lineup of four to six models in Europe, including SUVs and off-roaders. Alongside the Z and D9, Denza currently sells two SUVs in the Chinese market – the N7 and N9 – but it’s unclear whether these will come to Europe.
It’s likely that when Denza launches in the UK, it will operate its own dealerships separate from those of BYD.
Former Audi designer Wolfgang Egger leads Denza’s styling – something that the brand believes will be a key selling point in the European market.
Originally, the Denza brand was founded by both BYD and Daimler (the parent company of Mercedes) in 2010. It’s now solely owned by BYD, after it bought out Mercedes’ share in September last year.
What's the Denza Z like to drive?
For full disclosure, our experience of driving the Z in the UK is so far limited to three tightly controlled laps of the Goodwood motor circuit in West Sussex in the Coupé model. We were given a warm-up lap, a flying lap and a cooldown lap, all under the watchful eye of a Denza racing instructor.
Still, even in that brief stint, we were impressed at the sheer power on offer from the Z. Point it towards the horizon and you're thrust back into the driver's seat as the car accelerates.
I was impressed at how that power is delivered, which is to say very smoothly. This isn't the kind of car which scares you a little when you put your foot down. The power just keeps on going, and would have kept arriving long after we were forced to brake for the next corner. Speaking of the brakes, they're very effective, but you're also aware of just how much the Z weighs. That comes across in the steering, too, where the Z doesn't have the same willingness to turn in as, say, a Taycan.
From what we could tell, the driver's seat felt comfortable, if perhaps short on the kind of padding you'd expect for doing track driving. We were rocked about in the seat a little more than we'd like. The small digital dashboard readout does a good job of putting the most pressing driving information in front of you. And while our hands didn't roam about too much, the materials on show looked reasonably plush.
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