Ahead of its March-April 2023 Australian release and not even a year into Cupra’s Australian sales, local specifications for the 2023 Cupra Born have been announced. To be offered in a single high-spec variant down under, the Born will be the first fully electric car from the Volkswagen Group in Australia. Highlights of the Born include an 82kWh battery, a 170kW electric motor driving the rear wheels and a long list of standard equipment. Pricing is yet to be announced, though Cupra is aiming for similar pricing to the Leon VZx, which will make it around $65,000 drive away.
Cupra Australia director Ben Wilks said the Born will cement the allure of the Barcelona brand in the local market. “The Cupra Leon, Formentor and Ateca have been widely praised by Australian and international media for their clear design, performance and technology focus.” Mr Wilks said. “The Cupra Born takes these attributes to the next level.
“The Born is a BEV with a long 500km-plus range, exclusive rear-wheel drive hot hatch dynamics, plus the interior space and versatility of a larger vehicle. Its specifications are ideal for progressive Australian customers who will also be drawn to pricing similar to our other great hot hatch, the Leon VZx.”
Using the same ‘MEB’ platform as other Volkswagen Group electric cars like the Volkswagen ID.3, Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq, the 2023 Cupra Born features an 82kWh battery (77kWh usable) that’s mated to a 170kW/310Nm electric motor that drives the rear wheels. Cupra claims that it will be able to drive up to 511km on the WLTP cycle, while it can be recharged at up to 170kW on a DC fast charger and 11kW on an AC regular charger.
The Born measures 4,322mm long, 1,809mm wide, 1,540mm tall and has a 2,766mm long wheelbase – making it 38mm longer, 20mm wider, 84mm taller and with a 130mm longer wheelbase than the current shape Mk8 Volkswagen Golf hatchback. The claimed bootspace is a healthy 385-litres with the rear seats up, which is 11-litres more than the Golf.
Standard equipment on the 2023 Cupra Born will be 19-inch alloy wheels, all-LED lighting, auto lights and wipers, keyless entry and start with heated/auto-folding mirrors, Seaqual recycled upholstery, rear privacy glass, a 12-inch touchscreen with digital radio, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, four USB-C charging ports, a 5.3-inch digital driver’s display, a heated leather steering wheel, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, selectable driving modes, a 32A charging cable, aluminium sports pedals and an auto-dimming rear mirror.
Safety kit includes seven airbags (including a front centre unit), auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, low-speed rear automatic braking, auto high beam, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear exit warning, driver fatigue monitoring, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors and semi-auto parking.
Available colours include ‘Glacial White’, ‘Geyser Silver’, ‘Quasar Grey’, ‘Rayleigh Red’, ‘Vapor Grey’ and the extra-cost ‘Aurora Blue’.
Optional on the 2023 Cupra Born will be two packages: the Interior Pack with blue suede upholstery, heated bucket front seats with 12-way electric adjustment and massage functionality, a four-seat layout, heated washer jets and a 395W nine-speaker Beats sound system and the Performance Package with lesser 475km range, adaptive dampers, 20-inch wheels with wider 235mm-width Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres and a four-seat layout.
The 2023 Cupra Born will go on sale in Australia in either March or April 2023, with local pricing to be announced closer to that date. Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.
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