Cupra Born VZ on sale now
326hp, rear-drive VZ starts at less than £45k - is it the Born we've been waiting for?
Not the most exciting car in the world, the Cupra Born. Perhaps understandable as an electric hatch that shares its fundamentals with the VW ID 3, though still a tad disappointing given Cupra’s supposed billing as the sporty brand in the empire. From what’s been written already, the 326hp VZ certainly sounds like an improvement on what’s come before, and now it’s on sale in the UK - the price is £44,625.
As a reminder, the VZ is powered by a 79kWh battery, so a teeny bit bigger than the 77kWh lump in other models. It’s the power that’s the important gain, however, adding nearly 100hp to the 231hp that was the previous maximum score. A torque gain of 75 per cent, from 229lb ft to 402lb ft, ought to give the Cupra a welcome shot in the arm. It should reach 62mph in 5.6 seconds, and 124mph. Charging is up to 185kW and range is rated at 372 miles. Divide that by the battery size and you’re looking at 4.7 miles per kilowatt hour, officially at least.
Pleasingly, the configuring of a 326hp Born looks very simple. There’s one model, the VZ, that comes with the snazzy bucket seats and Sennheiser sound system as standard. These 20-inch wheels are also included. Options include the Dark Forest paint at £930, Dynamic Chassis Control for £835 (which also comes with a different wheel design) and a set of very smart ‘Tornado’ rims for £1,145. But it’s not quite clear yet whether those wheels can be had with the DCC. What was that about simple? A pano roof and heat pump are also extras, so it’s reasonably easy to push the price towards £50k.
Cupra UK’s director Marcus Gossen said: “The Cupra Born is an incredibly popular model, and we’re thrilled with the impact it has made as our first all-electric offering. At Cupra, we continuously strive to exceed expectations, and the Born VZ does exactly that. More power, enhanced refinement, and builds upon the strengths of an already exceptional car.” We’ll endeavour to get behind the wheel of one as soon as possible.
I think the most recent car that wasn't named after a location was the Exeo.
As an ex SEAT/Cupra enthusiast. A Cupra born would suit me perfectly for my usage, but the price of these electric cars no thanks, I've purchased a used Alfa instead.
It's a shame as I really do want to feel enthusiasm for an electric car, but this isn't it, it's certainly no hot hatch. MG seem to have more the enthusiast in mind these days, strange given Cupra is supposed to be the enthusiasts brand, it's just another box fest and badge unfortunately.
What's not to like?
To the poster talking about LSDs, EVs can and do monitor and adjust drive on a per wheel basis hundreds of times per second. There's no bead to introduce mechanical compromises to resolve problems because those problems can be solved at the motor.
What's not to like?
To the poster talking about LSDs, EVs can and do monitor and adjust drive on a per wheel basis hundreds of times per second. There's no bead to introduce mechanical compromises to resolve problems because those problems can be solved at the motor.
What's not to like?
To the poster talking about LSDs, EVs can and do monitor and adjust drive on a per wheel basis hundreds of times per second. There's no bead to introduce mechanical compromises to resolve problems because those problems can be solved at the motor.
What's not to like?
To the poster talking about LSDs, EVs can and do monitor and adjust drive on a per wheel basis hundreds of times per second. There's no bead to introduce mechanical compromises to resolve problems because those problems can be solved at the motor.
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