The rise of chinese brands has revolutionized the automobile market, and what seemed unthinkable has become a very worrying reality for the industry that has been operating in Europe for years.

First it was MG and above all, BYDand later, numerous brands followed in their wake to attack, mainly, the sports market. compact and urban SUVs, electric and hybridtaking advantage of its technological capacity and its much lower prices compared to the classic brands that ruled the old continent.

But once they have managed to carve out that niche in the market, they did not want to stop there, on the contrary, they have begun to attack other more ambitious markets, the one dominated by premium brands.

And to gain muscle, what better showcase than one of the legendary circuits where many of the best cars in history have been presented, the Nürburgring, in Germany. Xiaomi he already did it with him SU7 Ultra, BYD also with him Yangwang U9 Xtremeand now, the Chinese giant, carries its luxury brand, Denzato present a vehicle that wants to compete with, nothing more and nothing less than, the Porsche 911.

It is the Denza Zwhich premieres this Thursday in the Goodwood Festival of Speedinside the largest stand that the British event has ever had, shared by BYDDenza and Yangwang. A car with 1,582 HP, a maximum speed of 349 km/h and a “Racing” version about which almost nothing is known.

BYD and the Denza Z

He Denza Z It is a four-seater electric coupe that was already hunted a few months ago in Nurburgringas demonstrated by the images of its camouflaged prototype. This is a model whose arrival in Europe has already been confirmed by the executive vice president of BYD, Stella Li. The brand compares it with the porsche 911and he already did the same with his older brother, the Z9GTwho compared it with the porsche taycan.

The Chinese approval has already revealed its innards: a 500 kW front motor and two rear motors that add up to 680 kW, for a combined peak of 1,180 kW, 800 volt architecture with the second generation Blade and charges from 10 to 70% in about five minutes in the brand’s flash chargers. The two rear motors also rotate independently, allowing a turning radius of only 4.62 meters.

The design bears the signature of Wolfgang Egger, the German responsible for the Alfa Romeo 8C, and there will be three bodies: the coupe and the Racing that debut at Goodwood, and a convertible with a canvas roof that was already presented at the Beijing Motor Show last April under the name Z Spider.

Denza landed in Europe practically at the same time as the Z9GTa shooting brake type grand tourer that, in its most powerful version, develops 952 HP of power thanks to its three engines. In China, that same model has already surpassed the 1,100 HP barrier, reaching a combined power of no less than 1,140 HP and a maximum speed of 270 kilometers per hour. Therefore, it would not be strange if part of that technological evolution also reached the new supercar.

As for the price, there are still no official figures, but there are clues: in China it aims for the half-million yuan segment, about 60,000 euros at the exchange rate, while in Europe it will cost considerably more than the Z9GT, which was launched in April from about 115,000 euros. On paper, its other great rival, in addition to the 911, would be the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore.

The Goodwood showcase

He Denza Z will not be alone, since he will share the spotlight at the BYD with the BAO 5the brand’s plug-in hybrid SUV, which makes its European debut at Goodwood with the DM-o technology of three electric motors combined with a 2.0 turbo gasoline engine, around 680 HP and a country-style vocation to stand up to the Land Rover Defender.

Also present will be Denza D9a seven-seater minivan designed for long-distance travel, which will arrive in the United Kingdom in a DM-i plug-in hybrid version, with up to 209 kilometers of electric range in the WLTP cycle, 353 HP and heating and ventilation in all three rows of seats.

And there is still more, since the Yangwang U9 Xtremethe brand’s electric hypercar with 3,042 HP of power, will also be present and will be one of the great attractions. Last year, this model achieved the record for the fastest production car in the world after registering a maximum speed of 496 km/h, and BYD will take advantage of the event to confirm its availability for European customers.

Alongside it will be the U7, the four-engine luxury sedan, and the U8L, the four-seater all-terrain vehicle that can literally swim.

All of this will be seen in a stand of more than 2,000 square meters, neither more nor less than the largest in the 33-year history of the Goodwood Festival. It will have several floors, an off-road area and a space dedicated to technology, where ultra-charge demonstrations will be carried out, there will be simulators and even robot dogs to entertain the little ones.

Denza and Europe

Denza He has things quite clear with this vehicle, it is a clear declaration of intentions, he wants to put himself in front of the main sports manufacturers, before the reference brands, the German ones, and that is why he is betting on an idea of ​​technological elegance, instead of only offering power or a ground-breaking interior design, which be careful, he does that too.

But his arguments go much further, and that is what he hopes to conquer an audience that usually has its preferences in this segment. They want to differentiate themselves with their interior, with their technology, with their performance, but also with technology that is light years ahead.

It is not an improvised move: Denza was born in 2010 as a joint company between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, today it is 100% owned by the Chinese giant, and its European plan involves being present in more than 30 countries with 150 of its own stores before the end of 2026.

Its great technical strengths are already confirmed: the intelligent magnetorheological suspension and a cable steering that will have no physical connection with the wheels, accompanied by a folding steering wheel. What remains to be known are the battery data, the certified performance and, above all, the prices, and we won’t have to wait long, because the commercial launch in China starts this July, the same day it debuts at Goodwood.

There are only a few days left until its presentation, it will be at Goodwood, and if there is one thing that is clear, it is that it aims directly to take the place of a supercar like the Porsche 911. With that alone, the expectation it has generated is maximum.