- Denza’s entry-level Z9 sedan uses a single rear motor producing 496 hp.
- The existing Z9 GT Shooting Brake is heading to Europe and Australia soon.
- Design changes include revised lighting, door handles, and new mirror options.
In a market where rapid model updates have become the norm, even relatively new EVs are already due for mid-cycle reinvention. Just 18 months after BYD’s Denza brand unveiled its all-electric Z9 sedan as a counterpart to the Z9 GT Shooting Brake, the first images and details of a revised version have surfaced. It has a thoroughly updated design and, fittingly, is now even more powerful.
These images from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) show the updated Z9 sports all-new bodywork. Visible at the front are revised split LED daytime running lights, while the headlights have been positioned alongside the black lower grille section.
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The sides remain sleek, although there are now new optional wing mirrors similar to those used by Volvo and Polestar models. The door handles have also been redesigned, while new slim LED taillights are found at the rear. The car is 5,090 mm (200.3 inches) long, 1,980 mm (77.9 inches) wide, stands just 1,490 mm (58.6 inches) tall, and has a generous 3,025 mm (119-inch) wheelbase.
Power For All
Two distinct, all-electric versions are mentioned in the MIIT filings. The first is a single-motor version with a rear-mounted electric motor delivering 496 hp. There’s no word on how large the car’s battery pack will be, but the weight of this model will vary between 2,397 kg (5,284 lbs) and 2,438 kg (5,374 lbs), depending on the specification. The top speed is listed at 155 mph (250 km/h).
As we’ve learned from Denza, simply having almost 500 hp isn’t enough. Sitting at the top of the Z9 sedan family will be a tri-motor version with a pair of 416 hp motors and a single 362 hp motor, delivering 1,328 hp. That gives it a power advantage over the existing Z9 GT Shooting Brake that tops out at 1,274 hp. The top speed of this model will be 168 mph (270 km/h), and it’ll be a little heavier, weighing in at 2,588 kg (5,705 lbs).
Details of this new model emerged shortly after Denza announced it was taking the current Z9 GT Shooting Brake global and will start selling it in Europe and Australia. Given that an updated sedan is in the works, it seems likely a new version of the Shooting Brake is also on the cards, mimicking some of the design changes made to the sedan.
