- Denza showed a shot brake based on the Panamera before the Beijing Motor Show. It will be made later this year.
- Denza is a name for cars made by Mercedes-Benz and the Chinese company BYD. It has both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
- BYD is currently exporting a lot of battery-electric goods around the world at very low prices, hoping to get a big share of many famous EV segments.
People in China know more about BYD’s top name, Denza than people in the US do. Since its start as a joint venture in 2012, Mercedes-Benz has been one of the two companies that owns the name.
A few weeks before the Beijing Motor Show, Denza showed off a new model in Europe. The company has also made it clear which popular Porsche model it wants.
When the bright camouflage is removed, the Denza Z9 GT looks a lot like either the Panamera longroof or the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. And that’s the main idea.
But it’s not even close to a look inside Porsche’s sketchbook: Wolfgang Egger, who used to be Audi’s head of design, worked on the shot brakes outside. Eger has been in charge of designing the BYD since 2017. Audi and Porsche are both, of course, part of the Volkswagen Group. To put it another way, BYD hired a design director from Porsche’s sister business.
When the Denza model comes out later this year, there will still be enough changes to the outside to make it stand out. This is what Egger said about the Z9 GT: “The design is simultaneously spirited and deluxe.”
Denza didn’t say for sure that the next model would have an all-electric engine, though. Denza already offers two SUVs and a minivan in plug-in hybrid and battery-electric versions. The company’s flagship car is unlikely to change this. In China, Denza is known for making “new energy” cars like BEVs, PHEVs, and hybrids.
The focus has been on very cheap EVs with the BYD name, but the automaker’s PR campaign fits with the company’s rapidly rising goals for major export markets, such as Europe. Denza, on the other hand, wants to grow into Europe and will probably compete with high-end names in China.
The sneak peek of Denza’s high-end electric car, which is clearly aimed at Porsche, is the latest move by a company that is making news and gaining ground against well-known European brands. Chinese people can still buy an “original” Porsche model, but it doesn’t really matter.
Meanwhile, cheaper electric cars that could significantly undercut the products of European competitors are still seen as very important to BYD’s success in that market. Because of this, a Panamera copy would not be the best car to get people to buy a Porsche instead. When it comes to sales, European brands should be worried about their smaller electric cars.
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