Born to race: Fast 240kW Cupra Born VZ storms the all-electric hot hatch class

Spanish performance brand Cupra has revealed its all-new 2024 Cupra Born VZ that it has created to be its new flagship performance EV.

Named the Cupra Born VZ after the Spanish word for fast (veloz), the new battery-powered hot hatch dumps the existing 170kW/310Nm rear-mounted electric motor for a far more powerful one that pumps out 240kW and 545Nm.

That’s more power and torque than the current petrol-fed Volkswagen Golf R (235kW/400Nm) but some way off other hot new EV hatchbacks like the 320kW/660Nm MG4 XPower.

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The new Cupra Born VZ also remains rear-wheel drive, but despite only spinning a pair of driven wheels can still launch from 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds – a whole second quicker than the current fastest Born.

Top speed, meanwhile, rises from an artificially low 160km/h to more respectable 200km/h.

To ensure the Born VZ remains at the top of the electric hot hatch for the way it drives, engineers have developed a bespoke chassis dubbed the DCC Sport suspension pack.

The upgrades include new rear springs and dampers and thicker anti-roll bars at both ends for flatter cornering.

Even though the DCC Sport suspension is claimed to enhance handling and agility, Cupra says engineers have managed to actually enhance ride comfort, while new hardware and software improve steering feel.

Reigning in its newfound performance the Born VZ gets a performance brake upgrade.

The win-win for buyers continues when it comes to the range thanks to a new bigger 79kWh battery that replaces the old 77kWh power pack. The new battery increases range to an impressive 570km (up from 511km), although it can still only be topped up at a maximum rate of 170kW.

With the new 79kWh battery, a 10-80 per cent charge takes around 30 minutes.

Other improvements introduced by the Curpa Born VZ include new 20-inch alloy wheels and wider tyres for greater grip.

Buyers will also be able to order their Cupra hot hatch in either Dark Forest green or Midnight Black paint that are both exclusive to the Born VZ.

Inside the cabin, there are a pair of supportive CUP bucket seats that currently are only available on the Europe-spec Formentor VZ5.

For the Born VZ the CUP seats come wrapped in up-cycled SEAQUAL textile and Dinamica fabric that’s sourced from recycled polyester.

Order a Born VZ and you also get a free sunroof, three-mode regen braking that’s controlled by steering wheel paddles, a 12.9-inch infotainment system, auto self-parking and a 360-degree cameras.

On sale in Europe in the third quarter of 2024, Cupra Australia has confirmed it is considering importing the new performance flagship into our market but has not yet locked it in.