BYD is launching the Denza Z electric sports car as one of its highest-performance models, with a three-motor powertrain producing more than 1,500 horsepower and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in less than two seconds in its highest-performance variants. Denza has opened orders in the United Kingdom at a starting price of £142,900, placing the car in direct competition with luxury sports models from Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW.
The car appeared in a test published by the CarWow channel, where the Denza Z was entered in acceleration races against the Lamborghini Temerario. The Lamborghini won the first race, but the Denza Z overtook it in the rolling start race and then won the final two races after the tires reached operating temperature, according to the source material. This means the comparison demonstrates strong performance under specific conditions, rather than providing an overall judgment on the dynamics of the two cars or their track capabilities.
Three-Motor Powertrain
All Denza Z versions are based on the e3 platform, which BYD describes as its first platform to use a fully internally developed steer-by-wire system. The three motors produce a combined torque of 1,240 newton-meters, while the material states that total output exceeds 1,500 horsepower, citing a figure of 1,604 PS.
The car is available in three forms: Coupe, Spider, and Racing. When equipped with optional semi-slick tires, the Racing version can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 1.96 seconds. The material also gives a top speed of 250 km/h, while the figure of 217 mph appears elsewhere, representing a numerical discrepancy that requires verification from the source before it can be adopted as a final specification.
Fast Charging and Relatively Limited Range
The Denza Z uses a BYD Blade 2.0 battery with a capacity of 76 kWh, along with an 800-volt electrical architecture and Flash Charging system. BYD says that charging from 10% to 70% can take five minutes, while going from 10% to 97% takes approximately nine minutes.
The Coupe has a range of approximately 410 kilometers under the WLTP cycle, falling to 400 kilometers in the Spider and 380 kilometers in the Racing. These figures reveal a clear trade-off between high performance and range, particularly in a car that relies on three motors and acceleration-focused tires.
Control Technologies and Pricing
BYD adds the Disus-M magnetorheological suspension system, which can control bump absorption and perform movements such as raising the car or overcoming obstacles, according to the description in the material. The car is 4,780 mm long, 1,990 mm wide, and 1,350 mm high, with a 2,780 mm wheelbase, making its size close to that of the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe and slightly larger than the Porsche 911.
The Denza Z Racing starts at £172,900 in the United Kingdom, compared with approximately £310,000 for the Lamborghini Temerario and £199,100 for the Porsche 911 Turbo S. In China, the Coupe Hardtop starts at 680,000 yuan, the Spider at 780,000 yuan, and the Racing at 1.18 million yuan.
Why Does This Launch Matter?
The importance of the Denza Z lies in combining performance specifications that have typically been associated with high-priced sports cars with electric technologies such as 800-volt charging, steer-by-wire, and adaptive suspension. However, its price, range, and actual availability outside the mentioned markets, along with differences in acceleration results depending on the tires and testing conditions, remain decisive factors before considering it a direct alternative to conventional sports cars. BYD also announced more than 1,000 global preorders within five days, without the material providing details on the distribution of these orders or the delivery schedule.