Why BYD Made James Bond the Face of its New Luxury EV

Is there anyone better suited to marketing luxury cars than James Bond?

BYD certainly doesn’t think so, having turned to Daniel Craig to help promote the DENZA Z9GT, which makes its European debut in April. 

Stella Li, Executive Vice President at BYD, says of the campaign: “Daniel Craig represents a powerful combination of strength, sophistication and authenticity. Those qualities resonate deeply with what DENZA stands for.”

The campaign comes as DENZA – BYD’s luxury brand – looks to break into the UK market, with sales of its models set to come to the UK in early to mid-2026. 

Stella shared in an interview with Auto Express that she believes the Z9GT is “10 times better than any competition” as it looks to set itself against luxury European automakers such as BMW and Mercedes. 

A growing European market

According to BYD, Daniel Craig is set to lend his image to several key DENZA vehicles being launched in 2026 – including marketing materials and television advertisements. 

The brand says it is looking to find new customers through this strategy, using European-inspired luxury design and new technological innovations in its vehicles. 

It will launch the DENZA Z9GT on 8 April in Paris, at the Palais Garnier opera house.

The partnership with one of the world's most recognisable actors represents significant worldwide recognition for DENZA, which is building up to its first European model launch, for its flagship Z9GT shooting brake.

“As we bring the brand to the world – across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa – we are proud to welcome an actor whose presence and character reflect the spirit of DENZA,” says Stella

“Together, we want to show how technology, design and emotion can come together to create a new vision of premium mobility.”

Improving the EV offering

The DENZA Z9GT will include new innovations such as ‘Flash Charging’ for its European rollout, which was a development introduced by Wang Chuanfu, CEO and Chairman of BYD at an event in China. 

Designed to make EV charging as fast as filling up a car with petrol, BYD’s Flash Charging stations offer up 1,500kW of charging power – making it possible for EVs to recharge from 10% to 70% in just five minutes. 

Going from 10% to 97% takes nine minutes, and recharging at -30°C takes only a little longer, needing 12 minutes to recharge from 20% to 97%. 

The Z9GT also reportedly offers 644 miles of range under China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) conditions, which BYD claims makes it “the world’s longest pure electric driving range vehicle.”

Stella says: “The introduction of the DENZA Z9 GT in Europe marks a very important milestone for our brand. 

“The Z9GT represents the true spirit of DENZA – where advanced technology, beautiful design and emotional driving come together.”

The UK’s leading EV manufacturer

The launch of DENZA in the UK follows a successful year for BYDs European growth. 

In 2025, BYD had an 880% sales surge in the UK – selling 11,271 vehicles in the country in September alone.

The UK is BYD’s largest market outside of China, and the company is looking to continue its growth as it becomes a global EV powerhouse. 

This has been a goal for Wang for some time, stating in 2008: “For new-energy cars, we believe we can become the global leader.

“From the technology standpoint, 10 years should be enough. I believe Chinese companies can become leaders in the alternative car business because we make good batteries.”