Introduction by BYD of the plush Denza brand starts with three cars, including a sizzler quasi station wagon, with more to follow.

PRESTIGE plush with plenty of punch - that’s the gameplay for BYD’s premium brand as it begins export push, with a tri-motor 720kW electric shooting brake - think station wagon with more extreme styling - spearheading its challenge.

Heavily focussed on style and technology, the Denza brand is chasing customers who might otherwise be looking at Audi, Lexus and possibly even Porsche.

The brand has a five-model range in China and three of those have been signed off for international sale, although BYD's executive vice-president, Stella Li, said the range will eventually grow to “six or seven models.”

All eyes are foremost on the Z9GT, which at 5.2 metres is similar in size to the Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon and a little bigger than the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. In addition to coming in full electric, this model will also represent in plug-in hybrid.

The electric version gets three electric motors, with a single 233kW motor at the front and two 243kW motors at the rear, for a total 720kW. These feed off a 100kWh battery offering an official range of 630km on a single charge, though that’s according to the Chinese-market efficiency test which generally looks rather optimistic. In this part of the world, the WLTP-3 tool is the judge.

The PHEV has a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 154kW and a 202kW front electric motor, as well as two 222kW motors at the rear. The total appears to come to 803kW. The 38.5kWh battery provides a claimed 201km of zero-emission range.

Both cars come with similar performance, with the electric car managing 0-100kmh in 3.4 seconds and the plug-in hybrid taking 3.6 seconds.

The Z9GT's styling is supposedly influenced by silk. To many eyes it’s more like a facsimile of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo. The sleek body is punctuated by split lights at the front and rear, while there's an active air intake in the grille.

Inside, Denza has wrapped the cabin in wood and leather, but the modern vibe is promoted by an ambient lighting system - with a choice of 128 colours - and three infotainment screens. The central display measures 17.3 inches across the diagonal and is flanked by a digital instrument cluster and a dedicated passenger display, both of which measure 13.2 inches.

The Z9GT also gets electrically adjustable seats, a panoramic glass roof and a 20-speaker sound system from a French firm.

The Z9GT’s tech features include air suspension and Vehicle Motion Control (VMC), which acts to control the car’s attitude in cornering by adjusting the suspension, brakes and steering.

BYD claims it can even manage the torque in the event of a high-speed tyre blowout, preventing the car from spinning out. Also included is a rear-wheel steering system that allows the rear wheels to steer independently at up to 10 degrees, minimising the turning circle. The car can also 'crab walk' diagonally to squeeze through spaces, and it can pivot around its front wheels, allowing it to turn almost in its own length, or slide sideways into parking spaces.

So how much and when? That’s the catch For now, the effort to establish Denza internationally in right hand drive is occurring purely in the northern hemisphere, with the United Kingdom and Ireland locked off for deliveries from later this year.

BYD New Zealand, which after a horror 2024 appears in recovery mode - mainly with a push to establish its Shark 6 petrol-electric utility - has said nothing about Denza.