New Denza Z9 GT costs £105k in UK
Thought the Chinese EV disruptor would undercut the starting price of a Porsche Taycan? Wrong
Well, it took a bit longer than expected - we reported on the arrival of the new Denza Z9 GT back in April - but now, finally, we know what the Chinese Taycan rival will cost in the UK. Predictions that it would undercut the entry-level Porsche EV proved wide of the mark: if you want the 1,156hp all-electric version, it will set you back £105,000. Much less than you'd pay for a 952hp Turbo S, perhaps - but still an amount that might end up making it about as numerous on UK roads as stranded jumbo jets, given the market's reluctance to embrace big-money EVs.
Granted, Denza’s first model to go on sale in this country (it is considered the spearhead for the premium brand), will not arrive poorly equipped. You get a three-motor layout for one thing, backed by a 373-mile range courtesy of a 122kWh battery. Moreover, the car arrives with BYD’s Flash charging technology aboard, meaning you can charge up 1,500kW - or from 10 to 97 per cent in just nine minutes. Of course, you won’t be able to do that immediately given the dearth of chargers with anywhere near that much grunt, but the manufacturer is promising a roll-out of those, too.
Not being born yesterday (BYD has been around since 2003), and impressively vertically integrated, the firm is likely aware that its flagship Z9 might not spark a buying frenzy - so anyone partial to its shooting brake styling will be pleased to learn that the plug-in hybrid version will offer UK buyers a significant saving, courtesy of its £95,000 starting price. Again, this dramatically exceeds the amount you’ll pay for, say, a top spec BMW i5 eDrive40 - but Denza would likely point out a number of advantages claimed by the Z9 GT DM.
For one thing, you get another tri-motor configuration capable of generating 776hp and 763lb ft of torque, which means that only a Taycan Turbo (and above) eclipses it for outright power. For another, the DM adds a 2.0-litre petrol engine as an onboard generator, meaning the 126 miles of range you get from its 63.82kWh battery can be increased to 500 miles with a full tank of fuel. Plus the battery will be compatible with Flash charging, making it replenish-able in half the time. Intrigued? Well, Denza says you can register your interest now. No word when UK customer deliveries might kick off, but with the new Bao 5 and Z supercar waiting in the wings, there can’t be long to wait...
Anyway.... the Z9 sure looked nice, all the doors open and with caramel interior. Whether anybody will buy one... living in town, I might see one or two.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff