Is it the most serious competitor to the Porsche Taycan?

Denza has confirmed its arrival in Europe with the sporty sedan Z9 GT in its pocket and an eye on a market dear to Porsche.

Even before challenging the Porsche Taycan on its home turf, Denza already has a small history with Germany as Mercedes created the brand with BYD. However, the star-studded brand has recently sold its shares in the young automotive company to BYD. Let’s hope for the European automotive industry that the car manufacturer does not end up regretting this decision! At the beginning of April, prototypes of the Denza Z9 GT, barely camouflaged, were spotted in Germany near Stuttgart. A little dig at the German manufacturers, including of course Porsche, which had already made quite a stir.

The Denza Z9 GT measures 5,180 mm long, 1,990 mm wide, and 1,500 mm tall. It is smaller than a Mercedes EQS but slightly larger than a Taycan. With such dimensions, it will need to find customers who do not necessarily want to use their beautiful car in the city every day. However, for long journeys, it will be an absolute joy.

With a wheelbase of 3,125 mm, a large panoramic glass roof, and an intelligent electric rear spoiler, there’s still some Porsche in this Chinese vehicle… but there are also three electric motors! One 230 kW motor at the front and two 240 kW motors at the rear, for a combined power of 710 kW (950 hp). If electric vehicles scare you, there is a plug-in hybrid version offering 1,100 km of range, including 200 km in 100% electric mode!

Unfortunately, the Denza Z9 GT does not perform any miracles on the scales, weighing in at 2,900 kg. Therefore, it is completely pointless to label it a pure sports car. Rather, it can be viewed as a sporty and dynamic shooting brake, which is already very good. This weight, however, is not necessarily beneficial for range, with 630 km announced in the Chinese cycle, meaning less than 500 km in WLTP. This is the true Achilles’ heel of the beautiful vehicle.

The Z9 GT will arrive in Europe in 2025. While its selling price in China of $47,000 might drive all European manufacturers crazy, it will be significantly increased for its debut in Europe. However, not by that much, as BYD is the top student in the Chinese class and avoids a hefty customs penalty from the European Commission. So, around 70,000 Euros, can you find it a competitor?

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