DENZA, the premium electric car brand from the BYD Group, has revealed a unique version of its Z9GT grand tourer at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Built in collaboration with Chopard, the Swiss jewellery and watchmaking house founded in 1860, the car is a one-off creation. There is no order book and no waiting list. The entire package, car and watches included, has been donated to the 32nd amfAR Gala Cannes, the annual black-tie fundraiser held during the Cannes fortnight to raise money for AIDS research.
DENZA had only just made its European debut weeks earlier, at the Palais Garnier in Paris. Cannes was the follow-up act, and it arrived with Chopard alongside as Official Partner of the Cannes Film Festival. The two brands share a focus on precision and craftsmanship, which made the partnership a natural fit.
The Z9GT is already a flagship product with serious performance credentials. What Chopard brought to this project was a level of hand-finished detail that takes the car into a different category altogether.
Real gemstone Interior
The standout cabin feature is real amethyst stones set into the cockpit controls. These are not printed patterns or synthetic materials. They are violet gemstones taken directly from Chopard’s jewellery collections, fitted into the car’s switchgear. The effect is striking, and there is nothing else quite like it in any production or concept car on the market today.
Chopard’s signature runs throughout the rest of the interior too. The ‘C’ monogram is embroidered into the headrests and stitched into the light carpet. The wireless charging pad carries the Chopard logo, and the Z9GT’s large 17.3-inch infotainment screen runs a custom Chopard-themed interface. Every detail has been considered and finished by hand.
“At Chopard, we believe that true luxury lies in emotion and detail. With this exceptional collaboration, we have transformed the DENZA Z9GT into a moving piece of jewellery, where every element reflects our passion for craftsmanship and our pursuit of beauty.”
Caroline Scheufele, Artistic Director and Co-President, Chopard
The Full Package
The donated lot includes two Chopard timepieces, presented as an elegant his-and-hers pairing. The first is the Happy Sport 36mm in warm 18-carat Ethical rose gold, its dial snow-set with brilliant diamonds and finished with a personalised DENZA charm. The second is the Alpine Eagle 41mm, equally refined, also crafted in 18-carat Ethical rose gold with bespoke DENZA personalisation engraved on the case back. Chopard has sourced 100 per cent Ethical gold across its entire watch and jewellery collection since July 2018, giving both pieces a provenance as considered as their finish.
Completing the ensemble is a set of hand-stitched luggage by Shiro, crafted exclusively for the Z9GT and finished to the same exacting standard as the car itself. The cabin it accompanies is already richly appointed, with supple premium leathers, warm wood finishes and a 20-speaker Devialet audio system delivering concert-hall sound on the move. The Chopard layer adds to all of that without disturbing a single detail of the original specification.
Power and Pace
The Z9GT is powered by three electric motors producing a combined 1,150 horsepower, launching it from 0-100km/h in under three seconds. The performance credentials are supercar-grade, yet the figure that arguably matters most in everyday use is nine. That is the number of minutes DENZA’s FLASH Charging system needs to deliver a full charge.
Each of those three motors operates independently, constantly adjusting to keep the car stable and planted under hard acceleration. It is a grand tourer that feels as assured at high speed as it does effortless at a cruise. Rapid, refined and ready to cover serious distances without compromise, the Z9GT makes a compelling case for what a modern electric grand tourer can be.
“Our DENZA brand made its full debut in Europe at the Palais Garnier in Paris only a few weeks ago, so our collaboration here with Chopard feels entirely appropriate and natural. The DENZA Chopard tailor-made Z9GT is the perfect example of how the finest technology becomes natural, almost invisible — but more than that, it shows how a refined house of luxury can take the finest details and raise them to another level altogether. We’re so proud of this collaboration and delighted that it can play a key role in the amfAR Gala Cannes and its fund-raising efforts.”
Stella Li, Executive Vice President, BYD
The reveal
The car was revealed at Cannes beneath a large, scarf-like cover designed to echo a fashion house runway moment. It was theatrical and deliberate, and it suited the occasion. DENZA’s brand philosophy is ‘Technology Drives Elegance’, and the Cannes unveiling was a clear demonstration of that idea in practice.
DENZA was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Daimler and launched its first car in 2014. The Z9GT now leads its European launch in 2026, joined by two further models. The Chopard collaboration gave the brand an arresting introduction to the European market, and the car itself makes a strong case for why it deserves attention.