Gasgoo Munich- The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed opened on July 9 in the UK, with BYD returning to the event for a third consecutive year. The Chinese automaker brought together its three core brands—BYD, DENZA, and YANGWANG—for its largest-ever presence at the festival, occupying a 2,016-square-meter exhibition area. According to the company, the display is the largest single-brand stand in the 33-year history of the event, underscoring BYD's growing ambitions in the European market.
Image source: BYD
Founded in 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has evolved into one of the world's most influential automotive events, serving as a showcase for cutting-edge technologies, high-performance vehicles and brand innovation. The annual gathering attracts leading automakers, industry executives, media organizations and automotive enthusiasts from around the globe.
The highlight of BYD's showcase was the global debut of the DENZA Z, unveiled by BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li alongside 2009 Formula One World Drivers' Champion Jenson Button. The all-electric performance model will be offered in three variants: a coupe priced at £142,900, a convertible at £159,900, and a track-focused version at £172,900. BYD also revealed plans for a special edition that will attempt to set a production EV lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife later this autumn.
The launch also marks DENZA's official entry into the UK market, representing another step in the brand's expansion into Europe's premium vehicle segment.
Image source: BYD
First previewed in convertible form at the Auto China 2026 in Beijing, the DENZA Z blends supercar styling with everyday usability. The model features a streamlined aerodynamic design, a 2+2 seating configuration and a practical luggage compartment, aiming to combine high-performance driving with greater daily versatility. Buyers will also be able to choose from up to ten bespoke exterior and interior color combinations, reinforcing the model's premium positioning.
Image source: BYD
The DENZA Z is built on BYD's dedicated e³ sports car platform and features a tri-motor powertrain producing 1,605 hp and 1,260 Nm of peak torque. It is also the first sports car on the platform to adopt BYD's DiSus-M suspension system. BYD says the coupe accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.25 seconds and reaches a top speed of 300 km/h, while the track edition cuts the sprint time to 1.96 seconds and raises the top speed to 350 km/h. Every DENZA Z model is equipped with BYD's second-generation Blade Battery.
BYD also used the festival to demonstrate its latest charging technology. According to the company, its second-generation Blade Battery can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes and from 10% to 97% in nine minutes under suitable conditions, highlighting the fast-charging capabilities that underpin its next-generation EV platform.
Beyond the DENZA Z, BYD presented eight vehicle models making their European debut, spanning mainstream passenger cars, pickup trucks, luxury MPVs, performance EVs and off-road models. The lineup included the BYD Dolphin G, SHARK pickup, DENZA Z9GT, DENZA D9, and YANGWANG's flagship U9 Xtreme, U9, U8L and U7, reflecting the breadth of the group's expanding global product portfolio.
Stella Li said its multi-brand showcase at Goodwood represents more than a product exhibition. By presenting differentiated offerings from BYD, DENZA and YANGWANG across mainstream, luxury and high-performance segments, the company aims to demonstrate the depth of its technology portfolio and reinforce its long-term global expansion strategy. The exhibition also reflects BYD's ambition to strengthen its presence in Europe by leveraging advances in electrification, intelligent technologies, vehicle performance and sustainable mobility.
