Is BYD Making A Cutprice Electric Porsche 911 Rival?

Remember when Chinese automakers were known for making knockoff versions of Western cars with all the structural integrity of a soda can? Well, those days are officially dead. BYD, the company that’s already entered the world of supercars with the YangWang U9 capable of jumping (literally) and doing zero-to-sixty in sub-two seconds has now decided to give the world one more reason to side-eye Stuttgart: a Denza-branded electric sports car rumored to launch in 2025.

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The teaser comes in the form of a camouflaged prototype that was spotted in China on a flatbed truck. The blurry Weibo snapshot shows a coupe with classic sports car proportions but missing vital bits like the headlights and rear bumper, which either weren’t ready or BYD decided to keep them a surprise. Think of it as a sneak peek at your dream car before it puts its pants on.

A BYD Sports Car? Blame Wolfgang Egger

Now, if you’re wondering who’s responsible for BYD’s glow-up from “budget EVs” to “supercar contender,” point your finger squarely at Wolfgang Egger. This is the guy who’s worked at Audi, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, and basically every design studio with a leather couch and espresso machine.

Egger reportedly put his stamp on the concept car that inspired this prototype: the Fang Cheng Bao Super 9, a two-door coupe unveiled in April 2024. Think of it as the sports car you’d design if you had a portfolio full of Italian exotics and a mandate to beat Tesla. And yes, BYD seriously needs to rethink its naming strategy, as “Fang Cheng Bao Super 9” sounds less like a sports car and more like the combo platter you regret ordering at 3 am.

Of course, BYD isn’t stopping at just one version. Rumor has it a roadster variant is also on the way, that’ll look more similar to the speedster concept.

BYD didn’t reveal much in the way of technical details during the concept’s presentation, aside from confirming its fully electric nature. However, Car News China speculates that the production version could borrow the tri-motor powertrain from the Denza Z9. With a combined output of 952 hp (710 kW / 965 PS), this setup promises some seriously impressive performance.

Europe, You’re Next

What makes things more interesting is that the Denza-badged sports car won’t be exclusively available in China, as it could also be offered in Europe. Denza will make its debut in the Old Continent with the Z9 GT in 2025, and the electric sports car sounds like a great option for expanding its lineup.

The EV is expected to debut at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show in April, exactly one year after the concept. As reported by local media Autohome, pricing could start from around ¥300,000 (equal to around $41,200) in China, making it significantly more affordable than any variant of the Porsche 911 despite offering high levels of performance.