As reported earlier, BYD’s luxury brand Denza has officially arrived in India, and it has not started quietly. The brand has launched two very different electric vehicles – the Denza D9 luxury MPV for chauffeur-driven families and the striking Z9 GT for buyers who want serious electric performance.

The Denza India debut puts the D9 at Rs. 90 lakh and the Z9 GT at around Rs. 1.568 crore, both ex-showroom. They are premium imports, aimed at customers who want something beyond the usual luxury-car choices.

A quick look at Denza’s story

Denza was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Daimler. Its first vehicle reached the market in 2014. Today, it operates as BYD Group’s luxury brand and focuses on upmarket electric vehicles with bold design, high-end interiors and advanced driving technology.

For India, Denza has chosen a people-focused MPV and a performance-oriented shooting brake. A shooting brake is simply a sporty car with a coupe-like roofline and extra rear practicality.

Denza D9 – built for comfort on long journeys

The Denza D9 is a seven-seat electric MPV with a 2+2+3 seating layout. Its second-row captain seats are the real highlight. They offer functions such as power adjustment, ventilation, massage and ottoman-style leg support. In simple terms, the middle row is designed to feel more like a business-class seat than a normal car seat.

The D9 also gets powered sliding doors, a 15.6-inch touchscreen, a 16-speaker Devialet audio system, three-zone climate control, dual sunroofs and a small refrigerator in the centre armrest. Such features will appeal to families, corporate users and buyers who travel with a driver.

It uses a 115.07 kWh Blade battery and a front-mounted electric motor producing 462 hp and 365 Nm. Denza claims a 730 km range under the NEDC test cycle and a 0-100 kmph time of 8.5 seconds. Real-world range will naturally be lower, especially with full air-conditioning, heavy traffic and a full cabin.

The D9 measures 5.25 metres long, so it is a large vehicle. That size helps it offer three usable rows and a claimed 689-litre boot.

Denza Z9 GT – the attention-grabbing flagship

If the D9 is about quiet luxury, the Z9 GT is about making an entrance. It is an all-electric shooting brake with three motors and all-wheel drive. Together, those motors produce a huge 1,156 hp and 1,210 Nm.

Denza says the Z9 GT can sprint from 0-100 kmph in 2.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 270 kmph. Its 122.49 kWh battery has a claimed NEDC range of up to 670 km.

The Z9 GT also brings unusual parking-friendly moves, including sideways “crab walk” movement and a near-on-the-spot turning feature. These may sound like party tricks, but they can be useful when handling such a large car in tight spaces.

Price and rivals in India

The Denza D9 costs Rs. 90 lakh, while the Z9 GT is priced at about Rs. 1.568 crore. Bookings have opened with a reported token amount of Rs. 10 lakh.

The D9 will compete with the MG M9, Toyota Vellfire and Mercedes-Benz V-Class. The D9’s biggest advantage is its fully electric powertrain and a feature-rich second row. The Z9 GT does not have a direct like-for-like rival, but it enters a space occupied by expensive performance EVs from Porsche, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.