A new Chinese sports car is on the way, and it’s aiming straight at one of the most recognizable nameplates in the business. Denza, BYD’s premium offshoot that began as a joint venture with Mercedes before it sold its stake in 2024, is preparing to unveil its long-anticipated Porsche 911 rival, and it has enlisted a certain former secret agent to attract eyeballs.

Read: What Looks Like A DIY Disaster Is China’s Answer To Porsche

Denza’s flagship sports car was previewed with the eye-catching Z Concept in April last year, and now we’re getting an early look at the production version ahead of its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The preview image puts a bright orange Z front and center, sitting just behind BYD executive vice president Stella Li and former James Bond actor Daniel Craig, and from what’s visible, it clearly sticks true to the concept.

This new model is set to crown Denza’s lineup, positioned above the Z9 GT, D9 MPV, and B5 SUV as the brand’s top-tier performance offering.

Partially visible at the front are the sharp, diamond-shaped headlights and an aggressive front bumper, not dissimilar to what you’ll find on the Lotus Emira. Notably, the production model ditches the concept’s sharp splitter, though that may be present on a higher-performance version of the car.

Little else of the car can be seen, though you will notice it has silver-and-black wheels and does without the concept’s large fixed rear wing. Earlier prototypes have already been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, suggesting serious performance intent and perhaps even a push for a headline lap time.

Near Four-Digit Horsepower

Denza Z Concept

Powertrain details have yet to be confirmed, and Denza never actually said what was powering the concept. However, all signs point towards the Z getting the same powertrain as the all-electric Z9 GT. That car uses a 100-kWh Blade battery and a trio of electric motors that combine to deliver more than 952 hp. Obviously, this would easily outmuscle the Porsche 911, which isn’t available in an all-electric configuration.

Beyond raw output, Denza has also pointed to a suite of advanced hardware, including magnetorheological suspension and steer-by-wire. It’s also likely to inherit some trick features from the brand’s Z9 GT, such as crab-walk, slow-motion drifting into parking spaces, and tighter turning capability.

According to Stella Li, BYD has partnered with Daniel Craig for a promotional campaign for Denza, helping to expand its presence across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The firm already has Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado rivals with the B8 and B5 off-roaders, and is now targeting the pinnacle of sports cars.

Baldauf

Don’t look now, but Tesla might actually be on schedule, if not slightly ahead, at least for now, with its Cybercab program. The automaker says the first production example rolled off the line on Tuesday, more than a month earlier than Elon Musk previously suggested. Its CEO also confirmed pricing.

Read: Tesla Spent Big On Cybercab Branding, Now Someone Else Owns It

Of course, plenty of hurdles remain if Tesla plans to sell one before the end of the decade. And yes, at least one major YouTuber could end up shaving his head if Musk’s team pulls it off.

Tesla posted a photo on February 17 showing the team at Gigafactory Texas surrounding the first production Cybercab. While there’s still no clear timetable for full-scale production, Musk previously indicated that manufacturing wouldn’t even begin until April. I double-checked my calendar, and it still says February.

Importantly, this is almost certainly a pilot build and not a car destined for a customer. That said, it’s a significant step forward for a brand often associated with shifting timelines.

Public Bets And Pricing

That reputation likely played a role in Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) saying in 2024 that if Tesla launched the car before 2027 at a price below $30,000, he’d shave his head on camera.

https://t.co/0nls5D9FX8 pic.twitter.com/NEGKdfmQOL

— Whole Mars Catalog (@wholemars) February 17, 2026

After Tesla announced the milestone, meme versions of a bald MKBHD quickly spread across X. Musk joined in, replying “Gonna happen 😂” to one such post. In a separate exchange, he also confirmed that Tesla still plans to sell a consumer version of the Cybercab before 2027 for “$30,000 or less”.

Hurdles Ahead

That all sounds promising, but Tesla has to do more than simply build the car. The Cybercab is meant to be the brand’s first true autonomous vehicle sold without a steering wheel or pedals. Since unveiling it, however, Tesla has hinted that those controls could return if regulations require them.

And that’s where the real challenge begins. Federal vehicle safety standards assume a human driver is present, and insurance frameworks do too. The NHTSA may need to grant exemptions for certain rules, while individual states could impose their own restrictions on autonomous vehicles operating on public roads.

In other words, building the Cybercab might prove easier than getting it legally approved. Whether Tesla can clear those hurdles before 2027 remains an open question.