Denza Z9 GT PHEV shown in Malaysia – 3 e-motors, 2.0T generator, 870 PS, crab walk, 201 km EV range

Surprise, surprise – at today’s Denza D9 launch, the company also showed the Denza Z9 GT plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which performed a tank turn on stage. This is a fastback-hatchback-shooting-brake of sorts in the same vein as the Zeekr 001 and Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo.

Denza has made performance PHEVs before, utilising BYD’s already-potent 490 PS DM-p setup, but the Z9 GT takes it to a whole other level entirely. A 2.0 litre turbo four-cylinder engine functions as a generator to juice the three electric motors – including two at the rear for proper torque vectoring – for an impressive 870 PS total system output that catapults the car to 100 km/h from rest in 3.6 seconds.

Despite this level of performance, the company is claiming an astounding 201 km of pure electric range, leading to a total range of 1,100 km. And even after the battery is depleted, the car is still able to deliver a fuel consumption figure of 5.6 litres per 100 km.

This isn’t the EV version, which is actually even more impressive – the same three motors sans the petrol mill have been boosted to a whopping 963 PS/710 Nm – dropping the century sprint time to 3.4 seconds – while its 100 kWh battery enables a range of 630 km. This is on the CLTC cycle, so expect a real-world range of around 500 km.

To keep all that performance on the road, the Z9 GT comes with dual-chamber air suspension as standard – varying the ground clearance from 105 to 155 mm – along with rear-wheel steering with up to 20 degrees of angle, shortening the turning radius to just 4.62 m. The car can even ‘crab walk’ at up to 15 degrees, similar to the GMC Hummer EV.

It’s a good job the Z9 GT has the level of performance it has, because it’s a big car. It measures 5,180 mm long and 1,990 mm wide, making it 217 mm longer and 24 mm wider than the Taycan Sport Turismo, while its 3,125 mm wheelbase is 225 mm longer.

The dimensions give the Denza a stretched, low-slung look, as do the sweeping roofline, fast rear windscreen rake and scalloped side surfacing emanating from the front fender vents. Meanwhile, the car’s substantial width is emphasised by the broad dual-tier headlights and the nearly full-width taillights, the latter incorporating hourglass graphics reminiscent of the Denza logo.

Inside, the Z9 GT certainly looks luxurious, with an expansive dashboard design, a floating centre console and masses of expensive-looking Nappa leather. The cabin is awash with screens, including widescreen instrument and front passenger displays and a massive floating centre touchscreen, plus two more displays for the optional side-view cameras.

Also available is a ‘zero-gravity’ lie-flat front passenger seat, a Devialet sound system with rising speakers and no less than two fridges – one underneath the front armrest, another between the rear seat backrests. There’s a panoramic glass roof as well, replete with separate front and rear sliding sunshades.

This sexy thing could come to Malaysia in the future, once the right-hand drive version comes out. The EV versions cost RMB359,800-385,800 (RM219k-235k) in China, and even a hefty markup would allow the Denza to heavily undercut the circa-RM700,000 BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS. Click here for more on the Z9 GT (including briefly how it drives) as well as other Denza models that could hit Malaysia soon.

Denza Z9 GT PHEV at Malaysian Denza D9 launch

Denza Z9 GT PHEV in Shenzhen, China

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