Denza Z previews electric Porsche 911 rival

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 “not too much of a challenge”, emphasising the cars’ performance, plus styling led by former Audi designer Wolfgang Egger.