You’ve in all probability by no means heard of the Denza model, however which will change quickly. Denza is a premium outfit below Chinese language auto large BYD, an organization that offered extra electrical autos globally than Tesla final 12 months. Initially a three way partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Denza is now majority-owned by BYD, with a rising concentrate on luxurious and efficiency automobiles. Their newest creation is the Denza Z, showcased on the 2025 Shanghai Auto Present. Designed by former Audi design boss Wolfgang Egger and introduced as an idea, this low-slung all-electric sports activities automobile appears to be like production-ready.
Set to tackle the likes of the 911, the Denza Z, similar to the Porsche, is a 4-seater with carbon bucket seats and four-point harnesses, conveying its sporting intentions. Nonetheless, not like its European modern, the general kind and profile evoke traditional proportions of a mid-engine sports activities automobile, owing to its cab-forward stance. The practical fins on the entrance fenders, mixed with the extensive rear wing, scream high-speed stability.
Talking of pace, whereas Denza hasn’t formally revealed any efficiency figures, expectations are excessive. The four-door Denza Z9 GT, which has already made its European debut, places out 952 horsepower from its tri-motor setup. So there’s little doubt the Z’s numbers ought to hover close to that mark, inserting it in the identical league because the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid. Nonetheless, energy is simply half the story as Denza is betting huge on tech for its efficiency flagship.
The Z skips the mechanical steering rack for a steer-by-wire system, one thing that we’ve seen on the Tesla Cybertruck. This implies there’s no bodily hyperlink between the steering and the entrance wheels. The advantages of such a system lengthen effectively past a sharper response. The shortage of a steering rack helps enhance security in case of a collision, and the flat-bottom models seen within the Denza Z idea can retract into the dashboard, liberating up extra space for the motive force, which is right for charging stops. It additionally permits variable steering ratios, tuned on the fly by the car’s AI.
The DiSus-M magnetorheological suspension system manages the trip by reacting to highway situations in milliseconds, offering each consolation and razor-sharp dynamics. This tech has been utilized by high-end manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini of their autos.
At the moment, there are solely a handful of all-electric sports activities coupes within the West; suppose Rimac Nevera, Lotus Evija, and Pininfarina Battista, that are all on the larger finish of the worth spectrum, and the Tesla Roadster is nowhere to be discovered. Chinese language automakers possess the flexibility to undercut the competitors and disrupt markets, making such efficiency accessible to a a lot bigger viewers. All-electric fashions just like the 1000 hp+ Nio EP9 and Yangwang U9 are good examples. You do have the £59,995 (~$80k) 500 horsepower MG Cyberster, however MG is additionally Chinese language-owned.
So, to sum it up, if priced aggressively, fashions just like the Denza Z, even when import tariffs are imposed, may very well be one among China’s most critical makes an attempt to reshape the worldwide sports activities automobile hierarchy. Maybe, the extremely anticipated upcoming Porsche Boxster EV is a mannequin that might come near the Z when it comes to market positioning.
Picture Supply: Denza
