Cupra range gets hot new addition with 322bhp Born VZ
Cupra has added a more powerful, sportier model to its all-electric Born range.
The Cupra Born VZ brings 322bhp – 40% more than the regular e-Boost model – and a 0-62mph time of just 5.7 seconds. It also features a host of chassis upgrades to offer a more dynamic drive and visual updates.
One of the few complaints about the regular Born is that its performance doesn’t match its sporty looks or handling, so the VZ should hopefully address that. The rear-mounted motor is 94bhp more powerful than the standard car and offers a massive 402lb ft – 75% more than any other version of the car. As well as being a second quicker to 62mph, the VZ also improves on the e-Boost’s top speed, bumping it up from 99mph to 124mph.
Underneath, VZ boasts beefier anti-roll bars, new front springs and damper settings, and new rear dampers and springs, as well as a recalibrated dynamic chassis control. The steering software and hardware have also been upgraded for a more involving drive, and the brakes upgraded to give a sharper, more “robust” response.
The VZ brings improvements to the standard battery pack, increasing its usable capacity by 2kWh to 79kWh. That gives the VZ a range of 335 miles, while 170kW DC charging point, means a fast charge from 10 to 80% will take around 30 minutes.
Making sure everyone knows you’re in the hotter version of Cupra’s first all-electric model, the VZ comes with a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs with optional copper highlights and wider, performance-focused tyres. There is also a unique Dark Forest paint option alongside the existing Midnight Black. Finishing off the special look is a dark chrome VZ badge
Inside, bucket seats are standard and shared with the Formentor VZ5 and Leon VZ Cup. The Born VZ also introduces steering wheel paddles for the first time, allowing drivers to increase or decrease braking regeneration.
Upgrades over the e-Boost car include a larger (12.9-inch) touchscreen with a 10-speaker Sennheiser sound system. The climate and volume controls are also now illuminated so you can use them in the dark – a move Cupra rather boldly claims is “retro”. We’d go with “safer”. And there’s “Smart Light” technology as standard. This wraparound LED system is designed to communicate everything from the car’s state of charge, to driver assistance warnings and infotainment functions through different lighting cues.
Other tech improvements include an updated Travel Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane assist, and remote parking assist
The CUPRA Born VZ will be launched in the third quarter of 2024. Pricing and UK specification will be confirmed in the summer.
