BYD has introduced the Denza premium brand in Europe and the Z9GT model, which turns around on the spot
China's BYD Group has officially launched its premium Denza brand in Europe. The presentation of the flagship model Z9GT took place at the "Brera Design Week" in Milan.
Here's What We Know
Two DENZA models will be available at launch - the aforementioned Z9GT as well as the D9 business class minivan.
The Z9GT was designed by Wolfgang Egger, former chief designer of Audi. With its body proportions, this car slightly resembles the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo, while its performance is closer to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.
The combined output of the three engines is 710 kW (965 hp). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.4 seconds. The range on the Chinese CLTC cycle is 630 kilometres. In the European WLTP cycle this parameter will obviously be less, but there is no official figure yet.
In addition to the all-electric Z9GT, Denza also plans to bring a plug-in hybrid version of the Z9GT Super DM to the European market. It combines a 2.0-litre 200 kW (271 hp) petrol engine on the front axle with two electric motors on the rear axle, each rated at 220 kW (300 hp). The battery capacity is 38.5 kWh. The CLTC is expected to have an electric range of 201 kilometres and a total range of 1,101 kilometres.
A distinctive feature of the Denza Z9GT is the "crabbing" function - if necessary, the rear wheels turn at an angle of up to 15 degrees and rotate while the front wheels remain locked. This allows the car to park spectacularly in tight spaces without additional manoeuvres.
BYD has not yet announced which European countries the Denza Z9 GT will be available in and when exactly. The Denza will be able to rely on BYD's existing sales network and won't have to start from scratch. Officially, the company says it plans for the Denza Z9GT to "appear in European showrooms" in the fourth quarter of 2025. Until then, the vehicle will be optimised for the European market in terms of powertrain, performance, range, and payload.
The timeline for the seven-seat Denza D9 minivan is also yet to be announced. In China, this model was introduced in 2022.
Source: Electrive
