Photo: Cupra
It's been three years since Cupra has become SEAT's independent high-performance branch, and the Spanish brand has already unveiled its first uniquely developed vehicle, the Formentor. Now, it's time to meet the Formentor VZ5 five-cylinder range-topper, the cool, carbon-packed alternative to the Audi RS3.
Introduced in 2020, the Formentor is already a familiar crossover, but Cupra is taking it to a whole new level with the VZ5 badge. It sports bigger vents in the front bumper, a lowered suspension, and a race-inspired diffuser around back. But it also packs cool features such as carbon-fiber trim, copper-finished and stacked exhaust pipes, and brand-new bucket seats.
The interior boasts numerous premium features. Not only the bucket seats are wrapped in leather, but you'll also find brushed aluminum and copper trim, a customizable Digital Cockpit, and a 12-inch infotainment display. Unlike most performance vehicles out there, you can have it with blue upholstery in addition to the usual and boring black. And the latter comes with brown Nappa leather inserts to keep things interesting.
But the biggest highlight lurks under the hood, where Cupra dropped a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. Yes, Cupra borrowed the inline-five from Audi, which it has been offering it in the RS3 for quite a few years. It's strange yet surprisingly refreshing to see a five-cylinder in a car that doesn't have an Audi badge.
But let's take a deeper dive into the only bits because the Formentor VZ5 is one hot hauler. The five-cylinder cranks out an impressive 390 PS and 480 Nm of torque (385 hp and 354 lb-ft), which makes it just as powerful as the Audi RS3. The German hatchback packs identical torque and only an extra 5 PS (5 hp).
Amazingly enough, the Formentor VZ5 charges to 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.2 seconds, just a tenth-second slower than the RS3. The top speed is a bit of a letdown at 155 mph (250 kph), 19 mph below the RS3, but that's more than enough for any European highway.
The engine works with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, which, you guessed it, is also shared with the Audi RS3. The powertrain is backed by a series of chassis upgrades over the regular Formentor. It starts off with Adaptive Chassis Control with 15 levels of damping adjustment, an all-wheel-drive system tweaked to support the beefed-up engine, and massive 18-inch brakes from Akebono.
Oh, and if you've been wondering what VZ stands for, it comes from the word "veloz," which is Spanish for "speed" or "fast." The number 5 was obviously added to indicate the use of the five-cylinder engine. The Formentor VZ5 won't be available until the fourth quarter of 2021. If you live in the U.S., you should get used to the idea that you won't be able to buy it at all.
The interior boasts numerous premium features. Not only the bucket seats are wrapped in leather, but you'll also find brushed aluminum and copper trim, a customizable Digital Cockpit, and a 12-inch infotainment display. Unlike most performance vehicles out there, you can have it with blue upholstery in addition to the usual and boring black. And the latter comes with brown Nappa leather inserts to keep things interesting.
But the biggest highlight lurks under the hood, where Cupra dropped a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. Yes, Cupra borrowed the inline-five from Audi, which it has been offering it in the RS3 for quite a few years. It's strange yet surprisingly refreshing to see a five-cylinder in a car that doesn't have an Audi badge.
But let's take a deeper dive into the only bits because the Formentor VZ5 is one hot hauler. The five-cylinder cranks out an impressive 390 PS and 480 Nm of torque (385 hp and 354 lb-ft), which makes it just as powerful as the Audi RS3. The German hatchback packs identical torque and only an extra 5 PS (5 hp).
Amazingly enough, the Formentor VZ5 charges to 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.2 seconds, just a tenth-second slower than the RS3. The top speed is a bit of a letdown at 155 mph (250 kph), 19 mph below the RS3, but that's more than enough for any European highway.
The engine works with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, which, you guessed it, is also shared with the Audi RS3. The powertrain is backed by a series of chassis upgrades over the regular Formentor. It starts off with Adaptive Chassis Control with 15 levels of damping adjustment, an all-wheel-drive system tweaked to support the beefed-up engine, and massive 18-inch brakes from Akebono.
Oh, and if you've been wondering what VZ stands for, it comes from the word "veloz," which is Spanish for "speed" or "fast." The number 5 was obviously added to indicate the use of the five-cylinder engine. The Formentor VZ5 won't be available until the fourth quarter of 2021. If you live in the U.S., you should get used to the idea that you won't be able to buy it at all.
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