Denza: the new Chinese brand which is coming to the UK with a 1,000hp electric car
April 09, 2025 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Denza Z9 GT, the first car coming to the UK from BYD’s luxury spin-off brand.
- Denza brand coming to the UK
- Luxury spin-off from BYD
- Denza Z9 GT will be the first car offered here
- 1,000hp electric car
- Insane rear-wheel steering system
- On sale in early 2026
A new Chinese car brand is making its way over to the UK. Denza started out as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes back in 2010, however it’s now wholly owned by BYD.
The first car it’s bringing to our shores is the Z9 GT, a low-slung shooting brake which will be available as either an electric car or a plug-in hybrid. Sales are due to begin in Europe in November, with order books opening in the UK shortly after.
New Denza Z9 GT design
The Denza Z9 GT is a difficult car to pigeonhole. It’s a sort of mash-up between an SUV, an estate car and a coupe, but whatever you’d class it as, it’s certainly striking. This is no surprise seeing as it was designed by the same designer who penned the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.
The long bonnet slopes down to give the Z9 GT a really sporty look, and the massive split headlights dominate the front-end design. The side profile is similarly low-slung, and the wide arches give it a muscular stance.
The rear resembles Hyundai Ioniq 6 – the taillights have a similar shape. It does look much more sporty than that car though thanks to the massive wing and aggressive lower diffuser.
New Denza Z9 GT motors, engines and performance
The new Denza Z9 GT will be available as either a pure EV or as a plug-in hybrid. The former uses three electric motors and, although exact UK specs are yet to be confirmed, it’s expected to have close to 1,000hp.
It’ll also do 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds, making it half a second quicker than a BMW i5 Touring M60 and just as fast as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
The Z9 GT EV is fitted with a 100kWh battery which is good for a claimed 391 miles of range, although this is according to Chinese testing standards which differ slightly from the European procedures.
As for the plug-in hybrid, it has a 2.0-litre petrol engine which is still paired with three electric motors, two at the back and one at the front. The reason for this will become clear shortly. The hybrid will get around 920hp, and it’s good for 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds.
What’s more impressive is the EV-only range. It uses a 39kWh battery which gives you 125 miles of emission-free driving. With a full charge and a full tank of fuel, the Z9 GT plug-in hybrid can cover over 1,000 miles.
So why do both the PHEV and the EV have two motors on the rear? Well it’s because the Z9 GT has some very clever tech on board to make parking easier. It can lock the front wheels and then spin each rear wheel in opposite directions to swing the rear end in. This means you can just drive nose-in to a parallel space, then the car can turn in on its own axis.
New Denza Z9 GT interior and infotainment
Step inside the Denza Z9 GT and you’re immediately greeted by the usual bank of screens you’ve come to expect from luxury electric cars.
You get a massive 17.3-inch screen in the centre, which is among the largest you’ll find in a car, as well as a 13.2-inch passenger display which allows them to operate the sat nav and media controls.
The overall dashboard design is smart, but nothing really to write home about. You get clean lines and plenty of leather, as well as some shiny metal trim.
When can I buy the new Denza Z9 GT?
The Denza Z9 GT will go on sale in Europe in November this year, and it’ll arrive in the UK shortly after. Expect to see these cars on our roads in early 2026. There’s no word on pricing just yet, but in China it costs the equivalent of around £40,000. It’s unlikely to be this cheap by the time it’s imported to the UK though, so expect it to cost closer to £50,000.
What is Denza?
Denza is a Chinese luxury brand which is owned by BYD, the maker which sells a handful of electric cars in the UK at the moment. It was launched back in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes, however it is now owned by just BYD and has been selling cars in China for a few years. The Denza Z9 GT is the first model it’ll be selling in Europe.
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