New Denza B5 confirmed for the UK: Land Rover Defender rival part of 3-pronged attack on Mercedes and BMW

Denza, the premium technology-focused sister brand of BYD, is set to land in the UK early next year. Its detailed invasion plans involve a nearly 1,000bhp shooting brake estate, a luxury MPV and a big brutish off-roader to challenge the Land Rover Defender. 

In an exclusive interview with Auto Express, BYD’s UK country manager Bono Ge outlined how Denza is hoping to land a blow on premium European brands like Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover and even Porsche with its selection of cars. Plus a network of hyperspeed-fast chargers that will be affordable and open to all. 

While we wait for the first Denzas to arrive on our shores, BYD now has a diverse range of seven cars to choose from and they’re all available through the Auto Express Buy A Service. From the sub-£20k Dolphin Surf to the sleek Seal saloon.

Three Denza models on the way

The first car to arrive here will be the Denza Z9GT which we drove in Italy earlier this year. It features both plug-in hybrid and all-electric powertrains, with the EV able to deliver 952bhp and 1,150 Nm of torque. That’s nearly 100bhp more than the Ferrari 296 Speciale. Meanwhile, the PHEV should offer an enormous driving range of around 700 miles. Rivals will include cars like the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes E-Class.

Ge tells us that the Denza D9 luxury seven-seat MPV will be introduced in the UK at the same time as the Z9GT. The company says it has “a cabin honed to deliver business-class comfort,” and will be available exclusively as a plug-in hybrid here. The Lexus LM is likely to be this car’s closest rival, but there is also the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and seven-seat SUVs like Volvo XC90 to consider. 

An MPV might seem like an unusual choice considering the overwhelming popularity of SUVs these days. But Ge is confident a market is there: “Although the MPV in general is not a big market segment in the UK, my personal observation is I see more and more MPVs available in the UK, and we see there is still a market need. 

“It was the same story in China. They’ve just become more and more popular, and before MPVs were only used for business purposes, but now they're actually used more and more by families.”

Finally, in the summer of 2026, the Denza B5 will rock up to throw down with Britain’s beloved Land Rover Defender, as well as the Toyota Land Cruiser. It’s powered by a DMO (Dual Mode Off-Road) Super Hybrid set-up, which consists of a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and one electric motor on each axle. 

The nearly three-tonne behemoth pumps out 677bhp and 761Nm of torque, which is more than any Defender, including the almighty V8-powered Octa. It has locking differentials and modes for various terrains for going off-road, yet thanks to a 31.8kWh battery, it should also boast a pure-electric driving range of around 50 miles.

“The off-road capability is incredible,” Ge tells us, and apparently the B5 has been proving incredibly popular in China partly because of that. “I’ve met with a lot of owners of B5 in China, and those people are really big lovers of the outdoors.

“They're using the B5 for the desert, because in China we have a lot of desert, and owners are just using the car to tackle the hills and dunes out there.”

What other models could Denza bring to the UK? 

Interestingly, the B5 isn’t a Denza product in China. It’s sold by another member of the BYD family called Fangchengbao. This leaves the door open for more of that brand’s off-road-oriented premium SUVs to make it over here and into the Denza line-up.

The Denza Z concept revealed back in April also previewed a potential Porsche 911 rival for the brand. However, there’s been no word yet on whether the electrified 2+2 sports car will be going into production any time soon.

Denza will bring ‘flash charging’ technology to the UK

Earlier this year, BYD unveiled its potentially game-changing new ‘flash charging battery’ technology that allows cars to charge at up to 1,000kW (one megawatt) and add roughly 250 miles of range in just five minutes. “Exactly the same time as you refuel a petrol car,” as Ge put it.

According to Ge, BYD is planning to offer it in one of its own models at some point, but Denza will be the brand that introduces it to UK motorists with the Z9GT. 

The company’s specially designed all-liquid-cooled charging points can deliver speeds of up to 1,360kW, meaning they’re nearly four times as powerful as the 350kW units found at most UK service stations now. 

Ge says the first of these lightning-fast chargers will go live next year. “I'm working really hard on that, and hopefully by the end of Q1 2026 we’ll have a few set up, including here at our headquarters in Uxbridge.” Meanwhile Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice president, told Auto Express recently at least 200 to 300 of these will be installed in the UK by the end of next year.

But rather than only allowing Denza customers to use its chargers – as was the case with the Tesla Supercharger network until a few years ago – Ge wants them to be open to all electric car owners. 

And because its chargers are apparently faster and cheaper to install than the competition, this will enable Denza to charge less for customers to use them. Potentially as little as 60p per kWh. 

Which customers is Denza hoping to attract?

We asked Ge what types of customers Denza wants to attract. “Maybe some young engineers and entrepreneurs,” he replies, “Then brand-wise, I think we will attract some people from BMW and Mercedes, probably Porsche and Nio as well.” 

Rather than the usual forecourt-style car dealerships, Ge tells us Denza’s first dealership will open around March or April next year in Knightsbridge, London – the home of Harrods and flagship stores for numerous high-end fashion brands. High traffic areas near other premium brands are what Denza is after, in order to build brand awareness with its target clientele. 

But Denza isn’t waiting until next spring to start getting its name out there. Recently the brand presented all three of its models at the Concours of Elegance at London’s Hampton Court Palace, and before that the Z9GT and B5 took on the hillclimb at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

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