New Denza Z9 GT 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 Z9 GT 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 Z9 GT. That's not to say the other two models are slow, though – the Z9 GT Coupé manages the same feat in 2.25sec, with the Z9 GT 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 Z9 GT 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 Z9 GT 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 Z9 GT 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 Z9 can charge up quicker than both cars, though. Thanks to Denza's flash charging technology, the Z9 GT 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.
Among the Z9 GT's features is a crab-like parking system which helps the car to squeeze into tight spaces by pivoting around its own axis, much like a tank. In a demonstration, What Car? observed the car do a full 180-degree turn using this setup, although the impact on the car's tyres after multiple uses is unknown at this stage. For more regular parking jobs, there's an autonomous parking system, including the ability to summon your car using Denza's mobile phone app.
Prices for the Z9 GT have yet to be announced, but if Denza follows the lead of BYD in under-cutting key rivals, a starting price of around £70,000 is likely.
What Car? has already driven the Z9 GT in China, where the car felt very fast, but also rather heavy. After our drive, we noted that "to stop this three-tonne missile, you need serious stopping power, and the brakes are indeed strong. However, there is simply too much pedal travel before the brakes actually bite and even after more than an hour behind the wheel, the pedal remains more difficult to modulate smoothly than those in the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan."
Denza eventually aims to offer a lineup of four to six models in Europe, including SUVs and off-roaders. Alongside the Z9 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.
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