12This is the new Denza Z, a four-seat GT with more than 1,000bhp from BYD’s premium, technology-focused sister brand that Auto Express has confirmed will be coming to the UK to rival the Porsche 911 and Maserati GranTurismo. Revealed at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, the design of the Denza Z stays true to the concept model we saw exactly one year ago and features clean surfacing, an elegant silhouette, a long bonnet and striking details that remind us of front-engined GTs from Maserati and Ferrari. Perhaps that’s not too surprising when the man styling Denza’s products and ensuring they have a European flavour is former chief designer at SEAT, Alfa Romeo, Audi and Lamborghini, Wolfgang Egger, who penned the timeless Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Denza says the newcomer will offer three body styles: a hard-top coupé, convertible and a ‘track’ version. Exactly what upgrades the track version will get is currently unclear, but we assume it’ll feature an enormous rear wing like we saw on the original concept. While the Denza Z is inspired by the design of European sports cars and grand tourers, there’s no V12, V8 or even a six-cylinder hiding in the nose – it’s electric. In fact, the company calls it “the world's first intelligent electric supercar,” although we think the 258mph Rimac Nevera may disagree. And the chassis features DiSus-M, an intelligent magnetorheological (electro-magnetic) body-control system, similar to that found on the latest Chevrolet Corvette, engineered specifically to cope with shattering high performance and keep body movement in check through corners. The car is based on the same e3 platform that underpins the Denza Z9GT shooting brake estate and may also use its tri-motor powertrain. All we know at the moment is it produces more than 1,000bhp and, supposedly, can do 0-62mph in less than two seconds. If true, that would make it as quick as the 2,078bhp Rimac Nevera R. 12While technical details on the Denza Z remain sparse, BYD’s executive vice-president Stella Li told Auto Express it will have drifting, autonomous driving and even ‘tank turn’ abilities just like another Chinese supercar, the Yangwang U9. However, there was no mention of the Denza ‘bunny hopping’, a talent that the U9 showcased at Goodwood in 2024. We don’t yet know how big the battery in the Denza Z is, but it will utilise BYD’s ‘Flash Charging’ system. This technology can deliver up to 1,500kW of power, which for the Z9GT means charging its huge 122.4kWh battery from 10 to 97 per cent takes just nine minutes. We’ve been told around 200 of BYD’s lightning-fast flash chargers will be operational in the UK by the end of this year. We expect to learn more about what the Denza Z is capable of when it makes its European debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
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