Denza, the luxury brand of Chinese carmaker BYD, has announced its India entry by way of a recent social media post. This confirms our prior report on BYD bringing Denza to the Indian market in the coming months. The report also contained details surrounding Denza’s first pair of models for India.
BYD Denza India entry announcement
A recent social media post from Denza India shows the brand's blue-and-silver hourglass-esque logo with “Arriving soon” written above. The caption adds that Denza is set to introduce a “sophisticated, high-performance EV experience” to the Indian market, which sounds par for the course for the brand. Denza models will be positioned above those offered by BYD, particularly above the Rs 80 lakh price point.
Denza was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz Group. By 2024, Mercedes-Benz Group relinquished its shares in Denza entirely and transferred ownership to BYD. As it stands, Denza operates in markets like Southeast Asia, China, Australia, Europe, and Latin America, offering luxury and performance EVs and plug-in hybrids.
Which Denza cars are coming to India?
Z9 GT
The Denza Z9 GT is a four-door shooting brake, which will make it the only one of its kind in the Indian market. It comes with a massive 122.5kWh battery pack powering a trio of electric motors that produce 1,156hp, sent to all four wheels. 0-100kph comes up in a claimed 2.7 seconds, and the top speed is rated at 270kph. The Z9 GT delivers a WLTP-rated range of 600km, and can be charged at up to a whopping 1,500kW – at this wattage, the battery takes just nine minutes for a 10 to 97 percent charge.
Rear-wheel steering is also part of the package, and enables cool features like the ‘crab walk’, where the Z9 GT can move sideways, and ‘Compass Turn 360°’, which can perform a full rotation of the car akin to the Mercedes G-Class Electric’s G-Turn function. Inside, the Z9 GT offers a triple-screen setup on the dashboard, along with two screens that project a feed of the outside cameras. Other notable features include Level 2+ ADAS, full leather upholstery, a 20-speaker Devialet sound system, powered, heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, and more. Pricing for the Z9 GT is expected to land in the Rs 1.2 crore-1.5 crore range.
D9
Rounding off the duo is the Denza D9, a large luxury MPV that will take on the likes of the MG M9 and Toyota Vellfire. The India-spec D9 is likely to get a 103kWh battery pack with a front-mounted motor outputting 313hp and 360Nm. WLTP range for the D9 is 520km, and it can be charged at up to 200kW DC.
Inside, there's a 2+2+3 seating layout, which means you get second-row captain's chairs with electrical adjustment, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. Three-zone climate control, powered thigh extenders, a Dynaudio sound system, full leather upholstery, ambient lighting, and more are also part of the equipment list. Expect the D9 to be priced at around Rs 90 lakh, placing it between the M9 and Vellfire.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
