BYD will grow its Denza premium brand in the UK with a network of stand-alone dealers and an expanded range of models that will include rivals to the Land Rover Defender and Range Rover.
Denza made its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it showed the Z9 GT shooting brake, the Defender 110-sized B5 4x4 and the D9 luxury MPV – and BYD vice president Stella Li told Autocar that these three models are just the start of an ambitious plan to disrupt the European premium car market.
"We need premium," said Li. "This year [at Goodwood] we have three models from Denza as premium models which give you a new experience - really focusing on the premium area."
The first UK-bound Denza model is the Z9 GT shooting brake, due on sale in the first quarter of 2026 with the choice of EV or plug-in hybrid power. The D9 PHEV MPV will follow a few months after and the 677bhp B5 4x4 will arrive by the end of the year.
The B5 is sold in China as the Bao 5, as part of BYD's new Fangchengbao range – and Li said the company plans to bring the other Fangchengbao models here with a Denza badge.
That line-up includes the B8 – a larger 4x4 PHEV in the vein of the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender 130 – and the Tai 3, a chunky mid-sized electric crossover.
Li also marked out the BYD N9, a more "lifestyle"-themed large electric SUV, as a potential addition to the Denza ranks in Europe - emphasising the brand's premium positioning by giving it a rival to the upcoming Range Rover Electric.
She stopped short of giving more precise launch plans but said the Denza range could be expected to expand at a rate of around one model every six months.
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People who buy Range Rovers want the look and the name and, I think, will condemn Denza's cars as tacky looking.