China's Electric Wannabe Takes on the Mighty 911…
Image Credit: Denza.
Right then, a new electric contraption has dared to show its face, and wouldn't you know it, it's got its beady little headlights fixed squarely on the legendary Porsche 911. Honestly, the audacity! Every time I hear some brand out there challenging Porsche, I wince a bit. In the power output? Maybe. But once you put all those theoretical numbers onto the tarmac, all those challengers usually fall apart. The only one that has ever succeeded - in my mind - is the Everrati. I know, I know... A lot of Porsche purists are throwing tantrums right now, but guess what? Everrati makes classic Porsches better. There, I said it.
But I digress, and so - back to this new Chinese "challenger." It's called the Denza Z, and it's the latest electric offspring of BYD's posh division. BYD, as you might recall, is the Chinese giant that's been busy churning out more electric vehicles than you can shake a stick at. And Denza? They fancy themselves as a proper rival to the big boys – Mercedes, Porsche, the lot. Ten times better, their boss lady reckons. Brave woman.
Image Credit: Denza.
The Denza Z, this… "electric 911 rival" (as they're calling it, bless their optimistic hearts), has just been unveiled in Shanghai. And what a sight it is. This blue demon is roughly the same size as the aforementioned Stuttgart icon, a sleek two-door coupe that's clearly been hitting the gym. There are hints of Lamborghini in that sharp nose and a dash of Lotus in the overall silhouette. Then you've got a front bumper that looks like it could double as a snowplow, a rear diffuser that could probably generate its own weather system, and a rear wing that's less 'subtle spoiler' and more 'aircraft carrier landing strip.' One imagines the top-spec version will be "visually arresting." Though, once it enters production, the sensible models will probably ditch the boy-racer bits for something a tad more discreet.
The real party trick hides under this wild body - steer-by-wire technology. Yes, no more clunky mechanical bits connecting the steering wheel to the front wheels. It's all done by clever electronics. And because of this wizardry, the steering wheel can actually fold away under the dashboard when you don't need it. Now, for us petrolheads, the idea of not having that direct connection, that feel of the road coursing through the wheel sounds about as appealing as a lukewarm cup of tea on a rainy Monday. But I suppose for the modern driver, the one who sees their car as an extension of their office, it might just be the thing. Imagine catching up on emails while the car steers itself… I really don't like where this new world is heading.
Image Credit: Denza.
Underneath this rather dramatic exterior, we're told there's a fancy double-wishbone suspension setup at the front. And magnetorheological shocks. Apparently, these clever dampers can change their firmness in a mere ten milliseconds depending on the road surface. So, in theory, it should ride like a cloud when you want it to and handle like it's on rails when you need it to. We shall see about that.
When it comes to what actually makes this thing go, Denza has been keeping the spec sheet close to its corporate chest. No official figures on power outputs or battery capacity just yet. However, they've hinted that it'll likely borrow heavily from its big brother, the Z9 GT. And that beast, in its top-spec guise, boasts a frankly ludicrous three-motor setup with a combined output of 952 horsepower (that's 710 kW for you techy types). So, while we don't have concrete numbers for the Z coupe, it's probably safe to assume it'll be brisk. Acceleration times? Well, if it's aiming for the 911, we'd expect something in the region of a blink of an eye to get to sixty. Maybe even quicker in the really bonkers versions.
Image Credit: Denza.
Battery capacity is another mystery. But given the likely performance aspirations, we'd expect a battery pack large enough to offer a decent range – maybe something in the region of 80 to 100 kilowatt-hours. That should be enough for a few hundred miles of (presumably rapid) motoring before you need to plug it in. And knowing BYD, they'll probably have some clever battery technology up their sleeves to make it charge quickly too.
Dimensions? They've said it's roughly 911-sized. The current Porsche 911 Carrera is about 178 inches long, around 72 inches wide, and stands about 51 inches tall. Wheelbase is roughly 96.5 inches. So, we can expect the Denza Z to be in that ballpark. It also has two rear seats, which, much like the ones in a 911, are probably best reserved for very understanding luggage.
Denza hasn't breathed a word about how much this electric fancy will cost. But if they're serious about taking on the likes of Porsche, they'll need to be competitive. A base Porsche 911 starts at around $120,000 these days, and the really spicy ones can easily climb north of $200,000. So, expect the Denza Z to slot somewhere in that vicinity, perhaps slightly undercut them to tempt buyers away from the established German royalty.
Image Credit: Denza.
With all the tech stuff out of the way, let's talk about this whole "ten times better" claim. That's a bold statement, even by my standards. Better in what way? Faster? Perhaps. More technologically advanced with its fold-away steering wheel? Possibly. But better in terms of driver engagement, that intangible something that makes a Porsche a Porsche? That's a much tougher nut to crack. You can throw all the clever electronics and fancy suspension at a car, but capturing the soul of a legend is a different ballgame altogether.
It suggests that Denza's engineers never actually drove a 911, let alone owned one. There's so much more to it than just specs, numbers, and tech. The way 911 starts cold in the morning, each iteration with its own rasp. How it loads the front tires when you stamp on the brakes going into a tight left-hander, and how its rear tries to overtake you if you stomp on that throttle a tad too early, making every bend a life-threatening adventure. Swimming with sharks is for snowflakes…
But that era is coming to an end, and I fully understand that. I admire Denza's ambition. BYD is clearly playing for keeps in the European market, and they're not afraid to ruffle a few feathers. This Denza Z is certainly a statement of intent. A stylish, potentially rapid, and technologically intriguing electric coupe that dares to park its tires on Porsche's lawn. Whether it can actually steal sales from established premium brands is an entirely different book. Maybe one day I'll get behind the wheel of this electric upstart and see if it really is ten times better. I'll believe it when I see it… and feel it. And then I'll tell you all about it.
