Aston Martin to Denza Z: A Chinese car could be James Bond actor’s next ride
This is a bit odd, but BYD’s luxury arm, Denza, has started teasing its first sports car with Daniel Craig as the lure.
BYD’s upmarket arm, Denza, has begun a teaser campaign for its rival to cars like the Aston Martin Vantage and Porsche 911.
And their choice of spokesperson couldn’t be a clearer shot at those established sports car rivals.
The Denza Z is set to make its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but before that happens, former James Bond actor Daniel Craig is being used in an unusual teaser campaign.
Celebrity endorsements for cars are nothing new, but for Craig, who played the iconic role of British spy James Bond from 2006 until 2021, the association feels like a massive betrayal of his character’s preferred ride over the same period.
MORE: BYD’s Denza Z electric sports coupe hits the Nurburgring for testing
Bond’s rides have varied from Lotuses to BMWs to Aston Martins and more on film over the years, and were originally Bentleys in Ian Fleming’s original books.
To be clear, Denza hasn’t licensed the Bond character, nor is it trying to represent Craig as Bond. In fact, the company is playing an incredibly straight bat here.
The teaser image depicts an orange Denza Z, obscured from full view by Craig and BYD vice president Stella Li, posed side-by-side.
Li has previously confirmed that the production version of the Denza Z would make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, 2026, before being added to Denza’s UK line-up.
MORE: Denza says Australians are ready for Chinese luxury cars
Unlike Australia’s current Denza line-up, comprised of the B5 and B8 body-on-frame SUVs, Denza UK will launch with the much sportier Z9 GT five-door fastback, and will later add the D9 people-mover (also set for an Australian launch) and B5 SUV.
Final production specifications, and indeed the production name for the Denza Z sports car, are yet to be revealed.
In concept guise, the Z was promised as the most powerful BYD or Denza model yet, suggesting that it will exceed the three-motor 710kW Z9GT.
Other concept features that are likely to make their way to the production model include adaptive magnetorheological suspension control and a steer-by-wire steering system.
MORE: Denza aims for up to five new models, 20 dealers by the end of 2026
Rather than falling back on its engineering heritage in the way rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GT, Lotus Emira, or Porsche 911 can, Denza looks set to use its technological sophistication as a major marketing anchor.
Despite this, a track-ready version is likely to enter production alongside a ‘regular’ version, and has been seen undergoing testing at the Nürburgring.
While the production version of the Denza Z is set for a UK debut, an Australian future is not assured. However, with right-hand-drive production now confirmed, a major hurdle to getting the car here has been overcome.
The post Aston Martin to Denza Z: A Chinese car could be James Bond actor’s next ride appeared first on Drive.
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