BYD, the fastest growing NEV brand in the world, earlier this year showcased a prototype of a sleek new electric two-door sports car under its premium Denza brand, calling it the Z.
Then, in June, a photo of the black prototype emerged, showcasing a few new details about this model. Footage of this model has surfaced, this time testing at the iconic Nürburgring test track in Germany.
A video of the upcoming Z was shared on X by Thinkercar where the car is seen from both the front and the rear, as it drives around a bend on the 20.8 km track.
The variant spotted is wrapped in camouflage material with a large wing mounted to the boot lid of the car.
At the front, European number plates can be seen along with an air scoop on the front bonnet of the car. This aerodynamic styling is also seen on the sides of the two-door car with air scoops spotted along the sides behind the doors.
This vehicle is undertaking drive and handling testing at the track in Germany in the lead up to the cars unveiling in the months ahead.
In June, the photos showed a convertible with triangular headlights, previously seen on ICE hypercars like the Lamborghini Huracán.
At that time, we got a close-up of a parked vehicle where, through the black wrap of that car, a roundish Denza badge could be seen, as is the case on the brand’s other vehicles.
That particular car also featured a softtop convertible-like roof, which was the first time this car was seen with one, hinting at possibly two versions of the model that could be in the works. That would include both a hard-top and a soft-top version.
At the latest sighting, a hard-top version is seen testing in Germany. This also provides hints of possibly two powertrain configurations.
One would be focused more towards a racey sports car, while the soft-top could be more like a grand-tourer for those wanting a convertible-like experience.
The company first revealed the Denza Z concept at the Shanghai auto show in April 2025. The unveiling of the concept car included a showcase of a few new technologies, such as the DiSus-M suspension system, a foldable steering wheel, and a steer-by-wire system for the Denza brand.
The Denza Z is not going to be the company’s first sports car. That car is the Yangwang U9, which made its debut at the Shanghai auto show in 2023.
That two-door sports car has since gone on sale and features a quad-motor drivetrain, capable of achieving speeds of almost 500 km/h as tested in Germany in its Xtreme variant.
The U9 Xtreme also set a lap time of 6 minutes and 59 seconds on the Nürburgring track in Germany, making it one of the fastest cars around the ring. For comparison, the previous fastest production electric car was the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which recorded a lap in just under 7 minutes and 5 seconds.
With Denza set to launch the new Z, we can expect to see similar sightings and specs in the coming months. From everything we have seen so far, it’s going to be a model to keep an eye on.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.