CUPRA reveals hottest Formentor yet!

• CUPRA Formentor VZ5 revealed
• Powerful SUV with 390 PS
• Same 2.5-litre engine as Audi RS3
• Limited to 4,000 units
• Expected to be priced from £60,000
• Arrives early 2026

What happens if you take the 2.5-litre engine out of an Audi RS3 and plonk it in a CUPRA SUV?

You get this - the new Formentor VZ5.

CUPRA is, of course, part of the VW Group, as is Audi, and it’s not uncommon for brands that fall under the group umbrella to share mills.

Here we’re talking about the characterful 2.5-litre TSI five-cylinder engine, as found in the Audi RS3 (as well as the now-discontinued Audi RS Q3), which has made its way to CUPRA’s distinctive Formentor.

Here’s what you need to know:

How powerful is the CUPRA Formentor VZ5?

The VZ5’s power of 390PS and 480Nm torque is slightly down on the 400 PS and 500 Nm of torque you get with the same-engined Audis.

But it should still be enough to propel the Formentor from 0-62mph in around 4.2 seconds.

It’s also way more than the 333 PS that the existing Formentor VZ1, VZ2 and VZ3 models enjoy.

Is the CUPRA Formentor VZ5 all-wheel drive?

Yep, it sure is. Power is put to the road via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission and CUPRA’s all-wheel drive system.

The AWD also gets integrated torque splitter technology, which ‘offers precision power distribution across all four wheels, including lateral torque control for enhanced cornering stability’, says the Spanish brand.

Is the CUPRA Formentor VZ5 a limited edition?

CUPRA says the range-topping Formentor VZ5 will be the ‘ultimate expression of combustion performance for car enthusiasts’ when it arrives early next year.

As such, it’ll be available in limited numbers, with just 4,000 units built globally.

It introduces design elements you don’t get elsewhere in the Formentor line-up, including a distinctive front bumper, front splitter with the engraved VZ5 logo, wider wheel arches, and a ‘refined’ rear bumper and diffuser.

The copper-tipped exhaust pipes are LOUD, in all sorts of ways, while the copper-coloured 20-inch alloys also catch the eye.

Inside the cabin, expect bucket seats and ambient lighting.

Is this the first CUPRA Formentor VZ5?

Nope - we’ve seen a version of the VZ5 before.

The original Formentor VZ5 was unveiled back in 2001 and boasted the exact same power and performance figures as this new variant.

But there was a big catch for UK customers. The old VZ5 was never built in right-hand drive (RHD) form so we were excluded from the global party.

The new VZ5, however, IS being built in RHD, so Brit motorists will get to enjoy it for the first time.

CUPRA Formentor VZ5 cost/price?

Prices for the Formentor VZ5 haven’t been revealed just yet, but it could come close to £60,000 - with the VZ3 variant priced from £54,645.

Rivals will include everything from the Porsche Macan S and Alfa Romeo Stelvio to the VW Golf R.

Designed, developed and produced in Barcelona, the CUPRA Formentor VZ5 will enter production in the first quarter of 2026.

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