Robert Ackers
Summary
- Cupra will bring the limited-run Formentor VZ5, featuring a five-cylinder engine, to the UK.
- The VZ5 has a 2.5-litre turbo engine producing 385bhp, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Cupra has U-turned on its earlier right-hand-drive snub and will bring the raucous five-cylinder Formentor VZ5 to the UK for the first time. Think hot-hatch aggression in SUV clothing: a throatier engine, tougher looks and a strictly limited run that should make this a sought-after model.
Under the bonnet sits the 2.5-litre turbo five-cylinder borrowed from the Audi RS3, tuned to produce 385bhp and 345lb ft of torque. Power is routed to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which keeps the character of the old-school engine but with modern transmission convenience.
The VZ5’s styling is more purposeful than lesser Formentor trims: a larger front splitter engraved with ‘VZ5’, wider flared arches and a distinctive quad-pipe exhaust finished in copper — a subtle but striking cue. Inside, Cupra fits ‘Cupbucket’ sports seats with much stronger side bolstering than the regular range to hold drivers tight under hard cornering.
Only 4,000 examples will be built, so UK allocations are expected to be tight. Production starts early next year and prices are predicted to open at around £60,000, based on the 2023 run-out VZ5 BAT’s European pricing (that model cost €68,390 at launch, roughly £59,130 at the time). For context, the Audi RS3 — the other current home of this five-cylinder — starts at about £62,400.
The VZ5’s UK arrival also signals that the Volkswagen Group still sees life in the five-cylinder performance engine despite recent concerns about tightening emissions rules; insiders say the unit is being updated so it can continue under tighter regulations, and the Group is even looking at other high-performance applications for it.
If you want an emotional, analogue-sounding performance machine in a compact SUV wrapper — and you don’t mind hunting one down — the Formentor VZ5 looks built to deliver.
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