CUPRA Born For Ireland In 2022

The CUPRA Born is the first all-electric vehicle from CUPRA and is set to arrive in Ireland in March 2022, with pricing starting from under €38,000.

Designed and developed at CUPRA’s headquarters in Martorell, Barcelona, the CUPRA Born is produced at the Zwickau plant in Germany and features an electric range quoted in excess of 500 km.

The CUPRA Born’s electric powertrain is available in a choice of 150PS (110kW), 204PS (150kW) and a 231PS (170kW) e-Boost pack – this one car accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds and comes with larger front brakes and 19” wheels as standard.

Three battery options – 45kWh, 58kWh and 77kWh – deliver ranges of 350km, 424km and 540km. When charged on a 170 kW network, the Born can go from 5% charge to 80% charge in 35 minutes. It can also get 100 km of range in as little as seven minutes.

CUPRA say that despite its environmental credentials, the Born remains a driver’s car first and foremost. Power is delivered to the rear wheels, producing a sportier feel and a more engaging driving experience.

It combines a MacPherson strut suspension at the front with an advanced five multi-link design at the rear. When equipped with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), it rides 15 mm lower in the front and 10 mm lower in the rear.

The electric motor is located above the rear axle while the battery sits low between the front and rear axles, delivering a low-slung centre of gravity and what is said to be almost perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Five driving modes – Range, Comfort, Performance, Individual and CUPRA (e-Boost only) – adapt to the driver’s needs.

Built on the Volkswagen Group’s modular MEB platform, the Born measures 4,322mm long, 1,809mm wide and 1,540mm high. It has a wheelbase of 2,767mm and a 385-litre boot capacity.

Assistance systems include Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Travel Assist, Side and Exit Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Emergency Assist and Pre-Crash Assist, delivered via an augmented reality head-up display that projects key information onto the windscreen.

Six colour choices are available – Vapor Grey, Glacial White, Geyser Silver, Rayleigh Red, Quasar Grey and the exclusive Aurora Blue. Alloy wheel designs (from 18” to 20”) include aerodynamic inserts and copper accents. Contrasting C-Pillars have a floating design while puddle lights beam the CUPRA logo on to the ground from door mirrors.

Inside there is a driver-focused cockpit and 12” infotainment system. Users can access online services, downloadable apps and service features as well as remote access and charging via the My CUPRA app or charge their mobile devices using the standard wireless QI charger.

The CUPRA Born marks a new era of electrification for the brand, joining plug-in hybrid variants of the CUPRA Leon, CUPRA Leon Sportstourer and the CUPRA Formentor in the electrified portfolio, already on sale here.

Expected to hit Irish showrooms in early 2022, the Born will be followed by the all-electric Tavascan in 2024 and an urban electric car in 2025.

Niall Phillips, Brand Director for SEAT & CUPRA in Ireland, said:

“We look forward to the arrival of our first fully electric CUPRA, the Born in March of next year. The new model is proof that electric cars can set pulses racing, with an impressive all-electric range of more than 500km it is a real game-changing car for the CUPRA brand. It’s environmentally conscious but at the same time dynamic and exciting.”

CUPRA Born pricing is yet to be finalised but will start from under €39,000, excluding grants and delivery charges.