2026 BYD Denza Z Convertible steps out as 1000hp Porsche 911 Cabriolet rival

The Denza Z Convertible has been unveiled at today’s Beijing motor show opening as a sleek 1000hp (746kW) drop-top version of the Z Coupe concept revealed in 2025, capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in less than 2.0 seconds (claimed).

Denza is the luxury arm of BYD and was launched in New Zealand in 2025, spearheaded by the large B5 and B8 plug-in hybrid off-road SUVs. Its recently announced Z9 GT electric sports car marks its first move into the premium performance car segment.

Due to make its dynamic public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, the Z Convertible has not been confirmed for New Zealand, where it could rival the slightly larger Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, provide an electric alternative to the similarly sized Porsche 911 Cabriolet, and look right at home on Melbourne’s Chapel Street or at Sydney’s Bondi Junction.

The open-top 911 is currently offered in hybrid form as the GTS Cabriolet priced from $428,400 before on-road costs, while the first topless 911 GT3 was also recently revealed.

Pricing and specific model grades for the Denza Z Convertible have yet to be announced.

The Z Convertible takes the sleek lines of the Z Coupe – penned by former Audi designer Wolfgang Egger, now BYD’s global design director – and adds a folding soft-top roof while retaining a four-seat (2+2) layout.

The large rear wing seen on test mules of the coupe has been removed, along with some other body appendages, with a more subtle integrated rear spoiler now part of the design. Elongated diamond-shaped tail-lights and a diffuser-style rear-end treatment have been carried over.

Shown in a ‘Fiorentine’ paint finish – rather than the flat colours of the coupe – and featuring a bold green, white and yellow cabin, the Z Convertible retains the same buttressed side sills as the coupe, with few other exterior changes.

Under the skin, the Z is powered by an electric drivetrain which the automaker said will produce “more than 1000hp” (746kW) and feature all-wheel drive, though further details have yet to be revealed.

Denza has confirmed steer-by-wire steering and magnetorheological suspension – seen on Ferrari, Chevrolet Corvette and, previously, Holden Special Vehicles models in Australia – along with “predictive road-sensing”, suggesting adaptive dampers with camera-based surface detection.

Denza is set to launch the 850kW Z9 GT EV in New Zealand in 2026 as its first performance-focused model, with a claimed driving range of up to 820km (WLTP). It will also debut the BYD Blade 2 battery with a new ‘flash charging’ functionality.

Although the fastest EV chargers in New Zealand are typically capable of around 350kW, BYD’s new battery is claimed to support charging speeds of up to 1500kW, enabling an 80 per cent charge in as little as nine minutes.

BYD and Denza will begin rolling out their own fast-charging stations in New Zealand to support this capability from the final quarter of 2026.