DENZA, the premium technology-oriented automotive brand of the BYD Group, has announced an upgrade for its ‘God’s Eye’ intelligent driving assistance system, adding a new level of urban ability in 2027 to further extend its models’ technology advantage.
While standard systems can handle straight-lane driving on open roads, the enhanced urban ability – City Navigation on Driving Assistant (CNOA) – manages point-to-point navigation through dense urban environments, taking driver assistance to a completely new level. Vehicles equipped with the hi-tech mix of hardware and software can automatically stop at red lights, yield at roundabout entrances and obey local speed-limit signs, as well as performing left turns, negotiating junctions and changing lanes around double-parked vehicles or slow traffic. They can also detect and give way to vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, in narrow city streets.
With CNOA, the Z9GT is prepared to make urban journeys – frequently among the most stressful faced by all motorists – both more relaxing and safer. This could involve turning across traffic on a busy junction every day on the way to work, following stop-start congestion through a series of red traffic lights, or timing the entry to and exit from a roundabout through gaps in vehicle flow. The driver will always remain responsible, but they’ll enjoy the reassurance of CNOA’s guidance in many tricky or monotonous situations.
DENZA announced at its brand launch at Paris’s Palais Garnier in April that its models would be equipped with the hardware required to support CNOA. Now the company is using the French capital’s motor show to confirm that the software is at the advanced stage of calibration and adaptation required before seeking the Type Approval (based on UN regulatory standard R171) needed for market introduction. This will include monitoring of the driver’s eye gaze and head posture, along with the position of their hands on the steering wheel.
Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President, commented: “We’re excited to fulfil our promise to bring the benefits of God’s Eye, including City Navigation on Driving Assistant, to the Z9GT. This technology will help make urban driving less stressful, from traffic jams to busy junctions and roundabouts. The necessary hardware has been fitted to the Z9GT since launch, and the software is expected to be available in 2027. Alongside FLASH Charging and our e3 Platform, it will further strengthen DENZA’s leadership in innovations that put drivers first. Once again, this demonstrates our commitment not only to developing breakthrough technologies, but also to bringing their benefits to customers around the world.”
The God’s Eye features will be made available in 2027 via an over-the-air (OTA) update on the Z9GT, DENZA’s flagship grand tourer. The hardware required to support the technology is already fitted as standard – a single LiDAR sensor, 11 cameras (four side-view, four 360° surround-view, two front, one rear), three millimetre-wave radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic radar sensors.
Three Zs on Paris stand as hypercar makes European-continent debut
DENZA’s Paris stand is playing host to the brand’s new hypercar, the Z, which features the e3 Sports Car Platform, a triple-motor configuration producing 1604PS and DiSus-M magnetorheological suspension to deliver a masterclass in the integration of advanced design and cutting-edge technologies.
The line-up of Zs in Paris for the car’s EU debut reflects the breadth of its initial launch offering, with the Z Coupe, Z Spider and Z Racing all on display. Thanks to FLASH Charging, allowing 10%-97% refills in just nine minutes, the Z is the first electric supercar whose performance can be exploited and enjoyed completely, without concerns over range or how long it will take to recharge.
The shape of the Z is the latest manifestation of DENZA’s brand ethos, Technology Drives Elegance. It seamlessly blends sensuous curves with functional elements that help to deliver exceptional aerodynamic downforce for high-performance situations. It’s the perfect convergence of aesthetics and racing spirit.
The Z Coupe and Spider measure 4780mm in length, making this model the most compact DENZA yet to reach European customers. Described by BYD Global Design Director Wolfgang Egger as “a living sculpture of speed”, the overall shape plays with light and shadow, using restrained curves that glide through the flowing air yet still convey a powerful presence.
Inside, the layout is unashamedly focused on the steering wheel – the centre of control and driving pleasure with any sports car. The Z’s wheel draws inspiration from motorsport and includes six physical buttons set into its lower panel for easy access to key functions, such as the Track and Boost modes.
Elsewhere, the cabin achieves a harmonious balance between elements, with high-quality materials like carbon fibre, suede-effect fabrics and metal finishes.
Technology is neatly integrated too, including an 8.88-inch fully digital instrument panel, a 12.8-inch infotainment system and a wireless smartphone-charging pad.
Despite its compact dimensions, the Z has a wheelbase measuring 2780mm – close to those of many executive saloons. This allows all versions to have a four-seat layout, offering a unique level of flexibility for vehicles with their performance. The boot capacity in the Coupe and Racing is 250 litres – enough for light luggage – and the rear seats can be folded down to increase this to 550 litres.
DENZA-exclusive e3 Sports Car Platform brings unique features to the class
Beneath the Z’s stunning bodywork lies the e3 Sports Car Platform (pronounced ‘e-cube’), developed exclusively for the DENZA brand. It brings several class-leading and unique functions, based on these core technologies:
1) the world’s first intelligent triple-motor torque control system purpose built for the race track
2) Cell-to-Body (CTB) battery-body integration
3) DiSus-M magnetorheological suspension
4) FLASH Charging and 2nd Generation Blade Battery
Engineered from the ground up for new-energy power, the e3 Sports Car Platform is the perfect base for DENZA’s first supercar, delivering shattering performance and involving dynamics without any of the traditional compromises.
All three versions of the Z feature a triple-motor configuration, with a single front motor joined by one apiece driving each of the rear wheels. The combined maximum system output for all versions of the car is 1604PS and 1240Nm of torque. That’s enough for a 0-62mph acceleration time of just 2.25 seconds in the Coupe, faster than all but the most hardcore combustion-engined supercars, and a top speed of 186mph.
When fitted with optional semi-slick tyres, the Racing version will accelerate even more quickly, beating the two-second mark for 0-62mph, at just 1.96sec, and achieving a higher top speed of 217mph.
The twin rear motors are key components of the world’s first 15-in-1 fully integrated electric-drive unit. This self-developed technology incorporates two motors, each with its own reduction gear and Motor Control Unit, plus the Onboard Charger (OBC), DC-DC converter, Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), Battery Management Controller (BMC), Power Distribution Unit (PDU), Boost Charging, Energy Management and Charging Heating. Its maximum speed is 30,000rpm.
Vehicle Motion Control (VMC) acts as a vehicle control hub, taking command of all the controllable actuators of the car – braking, suspension and steering. It then uses an industry-leading signal-transmission time of as little as 10 milliseconds to provide faster, more accurate and more comprehensive control of the car’s motion.
The system’s high level of integration is not only space efficient; it also speeds up response times, allowing several key dynamic functions. These include a Tyre Burst Control System, where the car recognises the incident and responds in milliseconds to adjust the torque of the unaffected tyres and the dynamic distribution of power. This enhances vehicle stability, while assistance systems also intervene to reduce vehicle yawing.
The world’s first three-motor intelligent torque control system designed specifically for the race track means the Z can perform a ‘compass turn’, where the car can use its front wheels as an axis and revolve its rear wheels around it.
The Z also marks the first use of DiSus-M intelligent damping in the e3 Sports Car Platform. This active system uses a fluid in its dampers (magnetorheological) that can change viscosity in milliseconds when exposed to a magnetic field. This, in turn, allows the Z’s control system to make ultra-fast adjustments to the rebound and compression damping.
The result is that the Z’s suspension layout – double wishbones at the front, multi-link at the rear – can remain compliant on broken surfaces, while still offering assured body control in high-performance situations. The Coupe and Spider versions of the car feature air suspension, while the Racing has coil springs for a more track-focused experience.
All DENZA Z versions feature carbon-ceramic drilled brake discs for reduced unsprung mass (around 30kg saved in total), improved cooling performance and increased durability (up to 186,000 miles of service life). They’re fitted with six-piston (front) and four-piston (rear) fixed calipers that deliver even pressure distribution between pads and discs – and these can be ordered in custom colours.
Regardless of version, the Z’s 2nd Generation Blade Battery has a capacity of 76kWh, enough for 254 miles of range in the Coupe, 248 miles in the Spider, and 236 miles in the Racing. It’s integrated into the e3 Sports Car Platform using a gigacasting-based Cell-to-Body architecture (CTB), a technology pioneered by BYD that removes the additional complexity of battery packs and modules. In CTB, the Blade Battery cells are positioned directly into the chassis, with the passenger-compartment floor acting as their top cover.
This type of installation brings benefits in packaging – it’s up to 20% more space efficient than a traditional Cell-to-Pack configuration – as well as safety and strength. It also contributes to the excellent torsional stiffness of the Z’s steel-aluminium body – more than 40,000Nm per degree.
The 2nd Generation Blade Battery also allows the Z to benefit from BYD Group’s latest breakthrough: FLASH Charging, which delivers up to 1,500kW through a single connector, allowing refill times that match the refuelling speeds of conventional combustion-engined cars.
The system can take the Z from 10%-70% of battery capacity (‘ready’) in only five minutes, and from 10%-97% (‘full’) in just nine minutes. Even in -30°C, the Z can recharge from 20%-97% in only 12 minutes.
These lightning-fast times fulfil the promise of ‘Ready in 5, Full in 9, Cold Add 3’, and open the possibility, in a manner never seen before in an all-electric sports car, for the vehicle’s full performance to be enjoyed without fear of extensive downtime afterwards as the battery is refilled.
As well as premium materials, the Z’s cabin is packed with features and innovations that set it apart from other supercars. All versions feature multi-themed intelligent ambient lighting that reacts to the car’s modes, plus an 8.88-inch digital instrument panel and a 12.8-inch infotainment system, complete with Google Built-in1 for Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store.
The Z also features the latest exclusive innovation from French audio specialist Devialet: the Low Frequency Extension (LFE) Box. Derived from the iconic and patented architecture of the Devialet Phantom Ultimate speaker, this sealed enclosure is integrated at the heart of the centre console and delivers exceptional acoustics with centralised bass and zero distortion, in a more compact and lighter design that removes the need for a traditional trunk subwoofer and door woofers.
All versions of the Z come with a comprehensive standard equipment list, leaving customers to experiment with the extensive range of colour and trim options as they personalise their vehicle. Features like the digital instrument panel and infotainment screen, heated and ventilated front seats with massage function, power-assisted soft-closing doors, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), digital rear-view mirror, Devialet sound system with Dolby Atmos, wireless smartphone charging and remote access via the DENZA app are all included.
1 Google, Google Play, Google Maps and other brands are trademarks of Google LLC
BAO 5 brings DENZA into the premium SUV class
Joining the Zs on the Paris stand is DENZA’s BAO 5, the first SUV from the brand and a vehicle that showcases the performance, efficiency and flexibility of the Super Hybrid DMO (Dual Mode Off-road) powertrain.
The BAO 5’s mix of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and front and rear electric motors produces a maximum system output of 544PS, enough to take the 4.9-metre-long, five-seat SUV from 0-62mph in just 4.8 seconds. And a ladder-frame chassis and DMO’s clever control systems, plus DiSus-P intelligent hydraulic suspension, two electronic differentials and an energy centre lock, make the BAO 5 supremely versatile when the going gets tough.
DMO is the world’s first off-road-dedicated hybrid architecture. It mixes a longitudinally mounted 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with the world’s first longitudinal electric hybrid system (EHS) and incorporates front and rear intelligent electronic differential locks with millisecond-level response for better performance in slippery conditions. The rear motor assembly, optimised specifically for off-road driving, delivers up to 8000Nm of wheel-end torque.
The BAO 5’s petrol engine produces 150PS and 240Nm of torque on its own, but its primary role is to provide electricity to both the 31.8kWh Blade Battery and the electric motors. As such, the BAO 5 provides a more EV-like driving experience, focusing on the instant response and adjustability that come with all-electric power – backed up by an efficient hybrid system that ensures long range.
The front and rear electric motors produce 272PS and 388PS respectively, and the BAO 5’s maximum system output is 544PS and 760Nm of torque. Those figures – well clear of PHEV rivals’ and comfortably more than conventional diesel SUVs’ – are enough for a 0-62mph time of just 4.8 seconds in the BAO 5 Elegance, and just 5.0 seconds in the Ultimate – plus a top speed of 112mph.
The electronic differential configuration within DMO is designed to offer much more rapid responses than mechanical systems. The BAO 5 has this feature at its front and rear, along with an energy centre lock that intelligently distributes torque between both axles 30 times faster than a traditional mechanical diff.
In addition, the ladder-frame design lowers the BAO 5’s centre of gravity compared with a regular ICE SUV, and improves the lateral stability angle. The layout also reduces pitch, improving operational stability. And the overall setup delivers a minimum turning radius of just 5.9 metres – impressive for a vehicle of the BAO 5’s size, and useful in both urban streets and tighter off-road situations.
The Ultimate addition adds DiSus-P, an intelligent body-control system, for even more advanced dynamic performance. DiSus-P constantly integrates data from more than 20 sensors – everything from steering angle and the pedal position of both accelerator and brake, to the wheel speed, orientation and even pressure and temperature.
It uses this information to make centrally controlled adjustments to key elements of the car’s dynamic set-up. These parameters include continuous damping adjustment to reduce lateral displacement and body roll in cornering; two-stage chassis stiffness adjustment, reducing the impact force by 50% and capable of withstanding a drop height of 1.5 metres; up to 140mm of height adjustment (90mm up and 50mm down); four-wheel independent hydraulic pressure, ensuring optimal traction at all times; one-touch self-levelling of the body in camping situations, making it easy to park up and relax, regardless of the terrain beneath you.
DiSus-P brings notable gains in off-road dynamics through its ability to increase the ground clearance by 90mm, to 310mm. As a result, the BAO 5 Ultimate’s approach and departure angles are 39° and 34° respectively, five degrees more than the Elegance version and extremely competitive alongside far more hardcore, trail-focused SUVs.
The 31.8kWh Blade Battery in the BAO 5 can take the car 56 miles on electricity alone. And on a full tank and a full charge, the WLTP Combined range is 518 miles – and the weighted fuel consumption is just 67.2mpg, a figure far in advance of regular diesel rivals. These impressive results, and CO2 emissions of just 94g/km (Euro 6e), have the potential to slash running costs.
Inside, the BAO 5 has space for five to travel in comfort, premium-finish materials throughout and a host of driver-focused technologies. Front-seat passengers have a total of four screens, each with a distinct function. The driver has access to a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument panel and a head-up display, and both occupants can use the 15.6-inch touchscreen (the largest of any premium SUV) in the centre of the dashboard to access the infotainment and key vehicle features. The system incorporates Google built-in1 for Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Play Store, allowing hundreds of additional applications to be installed.
1 Google, Google Play, Google Maps, Waze and other brands are trademarks of Google LLC
In addition, the front passenger also gets their own widescreen, directly in front of their seat, to allow them to use the entertainment system independently. And the BAO 5 features its own voice assistant with four distinct zones of audio detection, allowing each occupant to interact personally with over 300 vehicle functions.
As with all DENZAs, the BAO 5 has a premium theatre-grade audio system from French sound specialist Devialet. Equipped with 18 speakers, the BAO 5’s setup includes headrest speakers for an unparalleled immersive experience.
Z9GT and D9 complete Paris showcase of DENZA’s European line-up
The Z and BAO 5 are joined on the DENZA Paris show stand by the Z9GT, the brand’s flagship grand tourer available as both a pure-electric and Super Hybrid, and the D9, which redefines the premium MPV with its mix of supreme comfort, fine materials and a highly efficient Super Hybrid powertrain.
