Monster 750kW Chinese sports car starts at just $70,000! This Porsche Taycan and Panamera destroying super wagon from BYD might end up coming to Australia

BYD, via its performance luxury subsidiary Denza, has announced specification details and domestic market pricing for its new Z9 sedan and Z9 GT wagon with the likes of Porsche’s Taycan EV and Panamera squarely in its sights.

Offered in pure-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form, the Z9 will pack around 750kW (1000hp+) and 3.0-second 0-100km/h acceleration in top-spec trim.

Denza, which kicked off in 2010 as a 50-50 joint-venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, has more recently morphed into BYD subsidiary with the German giant reducing its investment to 10 per cent in 2021.

The Z9 joins an existing three-model Denza line-up consisting of the N7 and N8 crossovers as well as the D9 premium people mover.

With a design led by former Audi stalwart Wolfgang Egger and measuring close to 5.2 metres long with a 3125mm wheelbase, the Z9 PHEV is powered by a 2.0 turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine and three electric motors, two at the rear and one on the front axle.

The internal-combustion engine tips in 150kW, the front drive motor contributes 200kW and each of the rears produces 220 kW. Combined maximum power for the motors is 640kW with the system's overall output hitting the 750kW mark.

The Z9 PHEV is equipped with a 38.5kWh battery pack, with an impressive (WLTP) EV-only range of 161km and 6.6L/100km fuel consumption (when the battery is depleted).

BEV Z9s again feature a tri-motor set-up - one 230kW/430Nm AC synchronous unit at the front and two 240kW/360Nm permanent magnet synchronous motors at the rear. Total system power is 710kW (966hp), claimed range is 630km and maximum velocity is 240 km/h. 

Underpinned by the brand’s ‘3.0 Evo’ platform the Z9’s signature party trick is an independent rear steering system, turning up to a maximum of 20 degrees, depending on mode and working in three ways.

Co-directional rotation sees the rear wheels steering in the same direction, in unison with the front wheels to improve the car’s turning ability. 

Inward facing rotation sees the rear wheels pointing towards the centre (a subtle element of toe-in) to improve straight line stability. And ‘Outward eight-character’ rotation sees the two rear wheels rotate away from the centre of the rear axle at slow speeds.

The latter allows the Z9 to make a tight ‘compass U-turn’ with the centre of the front axle being the pivot point. In this mode the car’s turning circle is reduced to just 8.5m.

Standard equipment includes full LCD instrument and media displays, a head-up display, a panoramic roof, 128-colour ambient lighting, a ‘streaming media’ rear view mirror, electrically-adjustable seats front and rear (with heating, ventilation and 10-point massage function at the front) as well as a 4.0-litre (cold and warm) refrigerator front and back. 

Standard rims are 21-inch shod with Continental PremiumContact C rubber - 255/45 front / 275/40 rear - and the Z9 GT wagon rides on air suspension, with cameras instead of rear view mirror optional.

Domestic pricing ranges from 339,800 yuan ($70,660) for the entry-level Pro grade PHEV to 419,800 yuan ($87,300) for the Ultra PHEV. The top-spec BEV Max sits at 389,800 yuan ($81,000).

When asked if the Denza Z9 and Z9 GT are on the radar for the Australian market a BYD spokesperson told CarsGuide, “BYD is committed to extending its new energy range in Australia, offering its customers more choice across all key segments. 

“While there is no definitive timeline for the Denza Z9 or Z9 GT in Australia, BYD will continue to explore bringing more vehicles to disrupt the Australian automotive industry,” he said.