BYD signs Daniel Craig as the face of Denza in Europe

A premium marque from Shenzhen finds its leading man

On 25 March 2026, BYD announces that Daniel Craig is fronting a new campaign for Denza, the group's premium brand devoted solely to new energy vehicles.¹ The actor appears in marketing materials and television commercials for several models launching during the year, and the campaign accompanies Denza's expansion into Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.¹ The first European model launch is set for 8 April 2026 at the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, with the Z9GT shooting brake as the flagship.¹

Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD, explains the choice in the announcement: "Daniel Craig represents a powerful combination of strength, sophistication and authenticity."¹ Bond Lifestyle, which records the clothing worn in the first promotional images, lists an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M watch, a black Brunello Cucinelli cardigan and a white Sunspel Riviera V-neck T-shirt, and notes that the pictures show the Z9GT and the B8 plug-in hybrid SUV.²

A brand with a German past

Denza did not begin as a BYD subsidiary. BYD Auto and Daimler signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint development of electric vehicles on 1 March 2010, and the equally owned joint venture was formally established in Shenzhen on 27 May 2010.³ The Denza name followed in March 2012, and the first production car, the Denza EV, went on sale in selected Chinese cities in late 2014.³

In December 2021 the venture is restructured, with Mercedes-Benz reducing its stake from 50 to 10 per cent. In September 2024 it transfers the remaining 10 per cent, and Denza becomes a wholly owned BYD subsidiary.³ Over that period the brand moves from a joint venture aimed at China's mass market to a premium label that sells only battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.⁴ Denza announces its European entry in Milan in April 2025, with the Z9GT named as the first model.³ Its first European showroom opens in Munich during the IAA in September 2025.⁴

The Paris launch

The evening at the Palais Garnier on 8 April 2026 runs under the theme "Technology Drives Elegance" and presents Denza as a worldwide brand.⁵ Alongside the Z9GT, a model first shown in China in April 2024, the D9 DM-i people carrier makes its European debut.⁴ The electric Z9GT uses three motors with a combined 850 kW, reaches 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds, offers a WLTP range of 600 km and has independent rear-wheel steering.⁴

electrive gives a German price of €115,000 for the battery electric Z9GT and €101,000 for the plug-in hybrid version, with sales starting at new Denza stores in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.⁴ BYD's Belgian press office states that Denza plans to be present in more than 30 European countries with more than 150 retail stores by the end of 2026, and lists a Devialet audio system with Dolby Atmos among the Z9GT's features.

The film

The campaign film, "Everything is Changing", goes online on 7 May 2026 and shows Craig behind the wheel of the Z9GT.⁶ Yann Demange directs for the production company Park Pictures, with Barry Radford as director of photography and Blacksmith VFX handling visual effects.⁷ MGI Entertainment facilitates and produces the partnership between Craig and Denza, and the client credits name Stella Li, chief marketing officer Jose Miranda and marketing manager Ethan Li.⁷ The campaign runs on television and digital channels in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.⁷

The story follows a man and his dog through a period of change, driving from the lights of London into the countryside while the narration reflects on how identities shift over time.⁸ Demange also writes the film, the Irish playwright Enda Walsh writes the dialogue, and a black Labrador named Noobs plays the dog.⁸ One of Craig's lines runs: "Old selves past identities, they shift, but it's so exciting don't you think?"⁸

Both sides describe the intention in plain terms. "What interested me was creating a car film with real personality and a degree of self-awareness," says Demange.⁸ Stella Li puts it from the client's side: "With this film, we wanted to create something emotional, cinematic and deeply human."⁸

How the casting is received

Industry observers quoted by the Global Times read the casting of a former James Bond actor as part of a broader push by BYD to build trust in overseas markets through recognisable European cultural symbols, and the newspaper notes that Bond carries strong associations with high technology and sporting cars.⁶ The same report records a mixed response online, ranging from surprise that a former 007 endorses a Chinese brand to praise for the commercial itself.⁶