BYD-owned premium brand Denza has lifted the covers off a new concept previewing a Porsche 911 and Maserati Granturismo rival.
Named the Denza Z, it's an electric coupé with a cab-forward design typical of midship sports cars. However, it can also seat two small rear passengers, in similar fashion to the 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT.
Detailed specifications have yet to be revealed, but its low-set, wide-hipped design and large rear wing clearly signal a performance-focused intent.
For reference, the Denza Z9 GT, a Porsche Taycan rival, offers a tri-motor powertrain with a combined output of 952bhp, suggesting the Z could nudge the 1000bhp mark.
No doubt the Z will also replicate some of the Z9 GT’s more novel features, such as its ability to ‘crab walk’, effectively sliding sideways by sending power to individual wheels.
Notably, the Z does away with a traditional steering rack for a new steer-by-wire system, which has no physical link between the front end and the interior. The electronic set-up is claimed to provide a better balance between a smooth feel when cruising and responsiveness in more spirited driving. It also allows the racing-inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel to fold away when not in use.
The Z rides on new magnetorheological dampers that are said to be capable of adapting to changes in the road surface in less than 10ms.
`The new car comes just after Denza kicked off its expansion into Europe, targeting Porsche and similar upmarket performance brands.
BYD executive vice-president Stella Li told Autocar that entering this market would be ` emphasising the cars’ performance, plus styling led by former Audi designer Wolfgang Egger.
