China's automotive industry has developed at an astonishing rate in recent years. From virtual unknowns over a decade ago, Chinese car brands are now making their mark not just domestically, but globally as well.

One of the biggest Chinese brands right now is BYD, and they have certainly made a huge impact on the car market here in Singapore. For the first half of this year, BYD sold 2,587 cars, putting it at the top of the sales charts among all cars sold by authorised distributors here.

Gone are the days when Chinese car brands get perceived as low-quality products. Their overwhelming popularity proves that they have now received greater acceptance from the masses. But having embedded themselves in the mainstream, what is the next step to bring them to another level?

 

 

 

 

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Many mainstream carmakers end up creating a luxury division once they've reached a certain level of success, a trend started by Toyota in the 1980s when they launched the Lexus brand. BYD now feels that it wants to be a part of the luxury car circle as well, and so it is preparing its assault with the Denza brand, which is set to arrive in Singapore this October.

What is Denza?

Denza's birth is an interesting one. It started as a 50-50 joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz in 2010 to produce electric vehicles (EVs) for the Chinese market. However, the project underwent a major restructuring during the troubled pandemic times, and Mercedes-Benz reduced its share to 10 per cent in 2021. Thus, Denza is now majority-owned by BYD and has shifted its focus towards the higher-end luxury market.

What will be Denza's first car to be launched in Singapore?

The first Denza model that will arrive here is the D9 - an electric luxury MPV that will compete against the likes of the Toyota Alphard.

It's an interesting choice, as this particular segment seems to be heating up intensely of late. Fellow Chinese brand Zeekr will launch its competitor to the D9, called the 009, towards the end of this year. Another Chinese carmaker, Maxus, also has two electric luxury vans on sale here, the Mifa 9 and Mifa 7.

So the D9 will certainly have no shortage of competition when it arrives, and Denza will have to ensure that it stands out from the crowd.

What is the Denza D9 like?

AsiaOne was invited to a preview of the D9 in Changsha, China, where BYD held a ceremony to mark the official start of right-hand-drive production for the car. We got a closer look at the D9, and took part in a very short drive for a quick first impression.

The car does look quite imposing at first glance, which is no surprise given its large size. The car measures 5.2 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and 1.9 metres tall, and the large grille in front, with its vertical chrome slats, gives it plenty of presence.

It's probably the kind of car that you'll give way to if you see it barrelling down on you in your rear-view mirror.

The real highlight of the car is the interior - it is filled with all sorts of luxuries that will make travelling in it feel like you're flying in first class.

The second-row passengers in particular have fancy touchscreens in the armrests to control various functions, as well as an actual fridge that slides out from between the seats.

The rest of the interior too is decked out in high-quality premium materials, such as Nappa leather, real wood veneers, and a suede-textured ceiling. There's also a huge glass roof, and an optional 14-speaker premium sound system

A spokesperson from BYD also added that there's enough space to accommodate seven 180cm-tall adults, seven carry-on suitcases, and seven business backpacks.

Our driving experience with the D9 was limited to just a two-minute jaunt around a carpark in BYD's Changsha factory, but initial impressions revealed that the car is remarkably quiet, with great insulation shielding occupants from outside noise.

As with almost all EVs, the D9 accelerates off the line briskly, but it also does it incredibly smoothly, which is pretty much in line with its character as a large luxury people carrier. One can imagine this to be an incredibly comfortable car to travel in for long journeys, perhaps to Malaysia or even Thailand for a road trip.

We will probably get a more well-rounded impression of the car once we get to do a full test drive when the car arrives in Singapore. BYD Singapore will announce pricing details closer to the car's launch date, but it is rumoured that the D9 will have a starting price of under $300,000 inclusive of COE, which would undercut many of the other large luxury MPVs on the market.

Whether Denza can conquer the luxury market in the same way BYD has for the mainstream segment remains to be seen, but on this evidence, it looks like they may have a serious contender on their hands with the Denza D9.

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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

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