Cupra powers up Born with sharper VZ grade

JUST as night follows day, Spanish VW Group subsidiary Cupra has announced a performance-enhanced version of the battery electric Born hatchback denoted by its VZ nomenclature, a contraction of the word ‘veloz’ which means ‘fast’ in the brand’s native tongue.

A Cupra Australia spokesperson told GoAuto that the Born VZ is being considered “very closely” for this market and hinted that right-hand drive examples will enter production later this year, suggesting the Born VZ could arrive Down Under in the first half of 2025.

The single motor Born VZ’s power output is listed at 240kW (+40 per cent on standard model) and 545Nm (+75 per cent) applied to the rear wheels, putting the small Spaniard on the performance radar despite weighing around two tonnes.

It is enough extra mambo to shave 1.3 seconds off the regular Born’s seven-second 0-100km/h sprint time but remains in the shade of MG’s dual-motor MG4 XPower.

The Chinese car’s 320kW/600Nm and all-wheel-drive traction deliver a claimed 3.8-second dash to comprehensively outpace the VZ – while matching a base variant Born’s $59,990 excluding on-road costs opening price.

By leaving dual motors and all-wheel drive off the menu so far, Cupra no doubt has an ace up its sleeve in the battery electric hot hatch stakes but, for now, is positioning itself against the likes of MG as “European-sourced” and not out of China.

Improvements have been made to the VZ’s suspension geometry, steering and braking feel that combine to give the car what Cupra describes as “the ultimate performance in the Born line-up and making it one of the most dynamic cars in its segment”.

With the extra grunt feeding through the rear axle, Cupra has seen fit to equip the model with new dampers and springs that combine with the front’s updated damper valve settings and spring design as well as updated anti-roll bars to create adaptive sports suspension that it says delivers better vehicle body control.

Steering revisions are via new hardware and software to make it more responsive while the brakes are a step up on the standard Born variants.

Balanced against the “go” department is the VZ’s efficiency bolstered by an improved battery pack that now offers 79kWh of net capacity (+2kWh).

Cupra says the technology remains practical as it can be recharged at home using an 11kW AC system or at a DC 170kW fast-charging point, meaning a fast charge from 10 to 80 per cent would take within 30 minutes to give a claimed range of up to 570km.

Paddle shifters on the steering wheel enable drivers to choose between three different levels of regenerative braking; when the accelerator is released the motor acts as a generator to feed energy back into the battery and reduce wear on the regular friction brakes.

The model’s exterior design is differentiated with two new colour choices – an exclusive special Dark Forest hue and a Midnight Black option.

Other aesthetics include the introduction of two new 20-inch alloy wheel designs featuring 3D copper inserts or forged technology to emphasise the car’s “sporty spirit”.

The 8J20 (8.0-inch wide) rims run wider, high-performance tyres that help deliver the VZ’s power and torque to the road through its rear wheels.

Styling highlights setting the VZ apart include a logo in dark chrome housed on the vehicle’s boot, as well as the CUPRA lettering in dark chrome colour while inside, the model continues with an “emotional design” boasting standard “cup” bucket seats lifted from the Cupra Formentor VZ5 and Leon VZ Cup.

They have a lower seating position to deliver a more ergonomic, sporty driving position. In the Born VZ, the cup bucket seats are made from upcycled Seaqual yarn textile as well as Dinamica with 73 per cent recycled polyester.

On the digital front, the VZ benefits from a new and larger “floating” 12.9-inch infotainment system (+0.9-inch vs the current Cupra Born), mixing the benefits of touchscreen inputs with a new retro illuminated touch bar to adjust interior climate and volume.

The interior is illuminated with Smart Light technology as standard. Cupra says, “don’t be confused, this isn’t ambient lighting, but a new dimension in human/machine communication”.

Horizontal full-LEDs wrap the width of the dashboard to enhance specific features, giving warnings and indications to the driver and other occupants.

Information available includes state of charge, on board driver assistant systems (Front Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and C2X danger warning); infotainment functions (voice control, phone call, navigation system), intelligent park assist, as well as locking and unlocking, and entry and exit.

An extensive array of safety equipment is fitted in line with the models, five-star ANCAP rating with additional ADAS equipment.