1,582 horsepower, a 350 km/h top speed, Nürburgring testing already done, and a Goodwood debut booked. The Denza Z is no longer a concept.
The Denza Z has appeared in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology regulatory catalog, the standard pre-launch step for any new vehicle sold in China. CnEVPost first reported the filing on 10 June. Three variants are listed: a hardtop, a soft-top convertible, and a performance version. All three are full battery electric vehicles and with the MIIT hurdle cleared, a launch date is close.
Three Motors, 1,180 kW Combined
Every variant of the Denza Z runs a tri-motor setup. One front motor produces 500 kW paired with two rear motors that add 340 kW each. Combined peak output is 1,180 kW, or 1,582 hp. The hardtop and convertible variants are rated to 300 km/h whereas a third performance version goes up to 350 km/h, reflecting its explicit track positioning.
BYD has also claimed a 0 to 100 km/h sprint of under two seconds, though no validated third-party benchmark has confirmed that figure yet. If it stands, that puts the Z in Rimac Nevera territory.
Specifications
| Spec | Denza Z |
|---|---|
| Price (AUD MSRP) | TBC |
| Power (Combined Peak) | 1,180 kW (1,582 hp) |
| Motor Layout | 1x front (500 kW), 2x rear (340 kW each) |
| Top Speed | 300 km/h (hardtop and convertible); 300 or 350 km/h (performance) |
| 0–100 km/h | Under 2 sec (claimed, unverified) |
| EV Range (WLTP) | TBC |
| Battery | BYD Blade Battery (LFP) |
| Platform | e3 |
| Length | 4,780–4,870 mm |
| Width | 1,990 mm |
| Height | 1,330–1,350 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,780 mm |
| Curb Weight | 2,220 kg (hardtop); 2,240 kg (convertible); 2,290 kg (performance) |
| Seating | 4 |
| Roof | Carbon fibre standard (hardtop and performance); retractable soft top (convertible) |
| Charging | Flash Charging 2.0 (up to 1,500 kW) |
| Standard Inclusions | Steer-by-wire, DiSus-M magnetorheological suspension, independent rear-wheel steering, God’s Eye 5.0 ADAS, foldable steering wheel |
e3 Platform and Independent Rear Steering
The Z sits on BYD’s e3 architecture, a tri-electric motor platform developed specifically for the Denza brand. The rear axle carries two separate motors, one per wheel, enabling continuous side-to-side torque vectoring without mechanical differential intervention. The platform also incorporates independent rear-wheel steering which comes into play at the speeds this car is targeting.
The Z sits on BYD’s e3 architecture, the platform underpinning Denza’s premium lineup alongside the Z9 GT and N9. The rear axle carries two separate motors, one per wheel, enabling continuous side-to-side torque vectoring without mechanical differential intervention. The platform also incorporates independent rear-wheel steering, which comes into play at the speeds this car is targeting.
Steer-by-wire eliminates the mechanical steering column and enables the foldable steering wheel seen on the concept. Whether that carries to production unchanged will become clear at launch.
DiSus-M Suspension
Denza has confirmed the DiSus-M body control system for the Z, described as the first magnetorheological damping system designed specifically for new energy vehicles. The system replaces conventional hydraulic oil with a fluid containing magnetically responsive iron particles. Apply an electrical current and the fluid stiffens in under 10 milliseconds. Pair that with predictive road-scanning cameras that feed surface data to the suspension ahead of each wheel hitting a change in road condition, and you have a chassis that is preparing for bumps before it hits them.
It is worth separating DiSus-M from the DiSus-Z system fitted to the Yangwang U7. DiSus-Z uses fully electromagnetic linear-motor actuators and can generate active forces outward into the suspension travel. DiSus-M adjusts resistance within that travel. Both are sophisticated but they are different tools.
Blade Battery and Flash Charging
Battery chemistry is lithium iron phosphate via BYD’s Blade Battery. The Z is confirmed compatible with BYD’s Flash Charging 2.0 system which delivers up to 1,500 kW and can recover roughly 400 km of range in five minutes on a compatible station. The caveat: BYD’s Flash Charging network is almost entirely in China right now, with around 4,200 stations operational as of early 2026 and a European rollout underway but not yet complete.
Dimensions and Body Options
The Z sits on a 2,780 mm wheelbase across all variants. Length runs from 4,780 mm to 4,870 mm depending on variant and whether the optional rear wing is fitted. Width is 1,990 mm, height between 1,330 mm and 1,350 mm. Curb weights are 2,220 kg, 2,240 kg, and 2,290 kg for the hardtop, convertible, and performance variants. Four seats across all three.
The hardtop and performance variants include a carbon fibre roof as standard. Options include a rear wing, hood trim panels, and brake calipers in various colours. The convertible was officially unveiled at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show in April, showing a retractable soft-top configuration with the same elongated doors and frameless windows as the hardtop. Final trim names are yet to be confirmed, with Denza running a public naming competition.
Design and Global Launch Strategy
The Z was designed under Wolfgang Egger who led design at Audi, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo before becoming BYD’s Global Design Director. Production photos that surfaced earlier this month show the car has arrived largely unchanged from the concept shown at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The headlights have drawn comparisons to the Lamborghini Aventador.
In a notable shift from BYD’s usual market sequencing, the Denza Z will launch globally before it hits Chinese showrooms. The car is scheduled for its dynamic world debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, running 9 to 12 July. The UK has been confirmed as the first right-hand-drive export market. Daniel Craig, who became Denza’s global brand ambassador in March 2026 and fronted the Z9 GT European launch at the Palais Garnier in Paris, is part of the positioning campaign for the Z as well.
The Competition
Denza has been explicit about the Porsche 911 as the primary benchmark. The footprint is comparable, the two-door layout is deliberate, and the performance variant is track-focused. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra sits in the same domestic high-performance EV segment. Pricing has not been confirmed but estimates based on the 300,000 yuan starting point widely reported in Chinese media would put the Z below a base 911 Carrera at current exchange rates. Where the Z lands on pricing for international markets remains to be seen.
The Denza Z is not BYD’s first performance two-door. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme, BYD’s four-motor hypercar, set a production EV Nürburgring record of 6:59.157 in August 2025. The Z is pitched below that in terms of outright extremity, but above everything else BYD sells in terms of driver focus. The Z has been lapping the full 20.8 km Nordschleife on semi-slicks since late 2025, though no official lap time has been published.
