- The Denza Z9 GT has just been launched in China where it starts at around $47,500.
- Denza owner BYD has announced its plan to bring the Z9 GT to Europe.
- The Z9 GT is a large, luxurious electric wagon that will rival the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and the BMW i5 Touring.
Performance electric wagons are a rarity, so the arrival of a brand new one whose three electric motors make nearly 1,000 horsepower is a big deal. BYD-owned Denza just pulled the wraps off its Z9 GT, a Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo competitor from China, which will be available with either pure electric and plug-in hybrid power (so it will also rival the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo).
The pure electric version of the Z9 GT has three electric motors (one for each rear wheel and one for the front axle) that together produce 952 horsepower. Its acceleration time from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) is 3.4 seconds, which means it’s nowhere near as quick as the most powerful Taycan variants. It's about on par with the lower-power wagon version of the BMW i5 M60 that we reviewed earlier this year.
The plug-in hybrid variant relies on a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is also paired with three electric motors. It has a slightly higher power output compared to the EV, but the final number hasn’t been released yet. It’s probably in excess of 1,000 horsepower, although the PHEV variant is two-tenths slower to sprint to 62 mph with a time of 3.6 seconds.
Gallery: Denza Z9 GT
Thanks to its 38.5 kilowatt-hour battery pack, the Z9 GT PHEV has an electric range of 125 miles (200 km) and a combined range of 683 miles (1,100 km). The Z9 GT EV has a much larger 100.1 kWh battery that allows it to travel up to 391 miles (630 km) on one charge, although all these numbers are based on the optimistic Chinese test cycle, whose estimates are usually over 30% higher than EPA ratings.
The Z9 GT is slightly larger than both the Taycan and Panamera wagons, so it should have a roomier interior than either of them. From the side, it looks like its body shape is halfway between a wagon and a fastback, and you can see just how long its wheelbase is. Step aboard, and your eye will be drawn to a massive central screen flanked by smaller displays in front of the driver and passenger.
It also has cameras instead of side rear view mirrors, which show their feed on two additional smaller screens placed at the edges of the dashboard. In the photos, it looks quite premium and the available purple theme makes it feel properly fancy and special, especially given the surprisingly low price. You can get a better look at its interior in the video below made by Wheelsboy.
In China, the Z9 GT costs the equivalent of between $47,500 and $59,000 depending on the variant and options, which makes it very keenly priced compared to its rivals from Porsche. Denza plans to bring this car to Europe, where its price will be considerably higher in part due to the newly imposed import duties, but it should still be competitively priced to attract buyers. The question is: will European buyers choose it over a Porsche, or would they pay more to own a car from an established and prestigious local brand?
Denza does have a connection to Europe, having started in 2010 as a joint venture between China’s BYD and Mercedes. The German automaker reduced its stake to 10% in 2021, and BYD acquired Mercedes’ remaining shares earlier this month, taking full control over the former joint venture with plans to turn it into a luxury car brand with an international scope.
