Mat Watson tests the new Denza Z: this Chinese supercar is like a lightsabre
Car changing is a big deal
Mat Watson has been behind the wheel of the new Denza Z – a 1,600hp electric supercar from China with some seriously impressive stats. Is it better than a Porsche 911 GT3? He’s going to find out.
This is the new Denza Z, and it reminds me of a lightsabre. That’s because it has an insane amount of power at the touch of a button.
Denza is the luxury-focussed sub brand of Chinese giant BYD, and the Z is an electric supercar with enough power to frighten any European exotica which dares challenge it. I’ve spent a day driving the Denza Z, and this is what I think of it.
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New Denza Z review: power and performance
The Denza Z has 1,604hp from its three electric motors, and this Racing version I have here should be able to do 0-60mph in under 2.0 seconds with slick tyres and a smooth surface. On our less-than-perfect runway with normal tyres I managed to complete the sprint in 2.4 seconds, which is exactly the same as I got from the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric – which is much heavier than the Denza and is over 400hp down.
In trying to get the Denza closer to its claimed time, I uncovered one of its biggest drawbacks: the range. It has a rather average 76kWh battery, and that means the claimed range is just 250 miles. Flat-out, this car will drain its battery completely in six minutes.
Still, at least it charges very quickly. You can top up at 1,500kW using one of BYD’s new Flash chargers, adding 150 miles of range in just five minutes.
New Denza Z review: design
I’ve shown the Denza Z to a few people now, and it’s gone down pretty well. That’s no surprise when you realise that the person in charge designing it also used to be head of design for Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini and Audi.
It’s a really smart-looking car. The rear lights look a bit like a Bentley from the future, and the massive carbon fibre diffuser makes it look purposeful. You can’t ignore the massive rear wing on this car either, which is exclusive to this top-spec Racing version.
Thankfully, there are no fake vents in sight. The duct over the rear wheels channels air towards the diffuser, and there’s another vent behind the front wheels to let air out of the wheel arches.
The huge front splitter is another giveaway that this is the Racing model, with the normal coupe getting a slightly more restrained look. I reckon the Denza Z is a really good-looking car, but what’s it like inside?
New Denza Z review: interior
In some ways, I reckon the Denza Z’s interior is nicer than my Porsche 911. It just feels more dense and solid, and the materials are all lovely as well. There’s no real leather in this car, but the fake stuff they’ve used could fool most people.
Everything which looks like metal, is metal – including the window switches, steering wheel paddles and air vents.
Like with most Chinese cars, everything is controlled through the central touchscreen. I prefer to have physical buttons, but the Denza’s infotainment system is super quick and responsive, so I can forgive it.
There’s even a decent amount of space in the back seats. It’s not exactly a limo, but it’s roomier than my Porsche and adults can get by on short journeys. The 250-litre boot isn’t great in a car of this size, but it’s still big enough for a weekend away.
Denza Z review: how does it drive?
It’s all well and good being ballistically fast in a straight line, but how does the Denza Z feel through the corners?
In short – it’s very impressive, but there are some problems.
It has loads of grip through the bends, and the steering is the best I’ve ever felt in a Chinese car. It’s perfectly weighted, responsive and gives you a good idea of what’s going on beneath you. It gives you the confidence to really get a shift on.
The issue I had was with the stability control, because no matter what mode I was in it seemed to be cutting in too much. I was driving on a closed circuit and wanted to get the tail out a bit, but the Denza just kept cutting the power.
However, that’s a software thing. The chassis and suspension setup are superb, the stability control just needs some fine-tuning.
There’s another feature I really loved as well, and it’s one I’ve dreamt of having on a car for as long as I’ve been driving.
It’s called compass turn, and what it does is rotate the rear wheels on each side in different directions to spin the car in and out of parking spaces. You just stick the nose into a parallel space, push a button and it can turn on the spot to get you in neatly.
It’s an impressive bit of technology, but I did manage to make a bit of a hash of it. I was parked next to a curb which was covered by grass, and the car scraped its rear wheel pretty much all the way around getting over it. Whoops.
But there is an upside. After my embarrassing mistake, Denza is going to look into updating the software and use the car’s sensors to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.
Denza Z review: price and Mat’s final verdict
So the Denza Z is fast, luxurious and really good to drive, but how much does it cost?
A lot, is the short answer.
The standard coupe starts from £143,000, and you’ll pay an extra £17,000 for the convertible. The Racing model I’m testing, which is lighter, has a higher top speed and the aerodynamic upgrades, costs £173,000.
For that sort of money, I’ve found a used Porsche 911 GT3 with 8,000 miles on the clock. If you’re after the most engaging car to drive for the money, I’d avoid the Denza Z and buy that instead.
But if you’re after the most powerful car for the money, and want something which is luxurious and good fun to drive, I’d go right ahead and buy the Denza Z. It’s one of the most impressive cars I’ve tested in a long time.
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