The Formentor is the first model developed independently by the Cupra brand after the separation from the Seat (Vw group). Its identity rests on distinction and sportsmanship. At the moment, the latter is reaching new parameters with the Vz5 which has the ambition, motivated by the technical kit, to offer a dynamism of racing style in spite of the appearance of an SUV, albeit in coupé format. A goal that Cupra has pursued by resorting to technologies present in the organ bank of the Volkswagen group, in particular by drawing on those of the Audi Sport, and then tuning them with the personality of Formentor, as well as combining them with solutions developed ad hoc for its more performance model. By the way, the most powerful Spanish passport ever. The marketing of the Formentor Vz5 is expected towards the end of the year, in a limited edition of 7,000 units.
Cupra Formentor Vz5, athletic physique
The potential of the Vz5 is conveyed by the customization of the outfit of the other Formentors. From the less powerful ones it can be recognized in particular for the even more numerous copper-colored finishes, the slender aerodynamic appendages that also modify the profiles of the bumper shields, the two pairs of overlapping tailpipes that emerge under the tail and the 20 “wheels that complete the electronically controlled suspension, from which the large brake calipers peek out. Inside, it stands out, above all, for the welcoming wraparound front seats, the additional racing-style information provided by the configurable 12.5 “instrumentation cockpit and the 12” central cockpit of the responsive and extensively connected FullLink entertainment system.
Loading…
Cupra Formentor Vz5, German technologies
However, the load of ninety that characterizes the Vz5, an acronym derived from the term Veloz and the number that identifies the cylinders of the engine inside the bonnet, is however made up of what does not catch the eye. First of all, the five-cylinder turbo with direct injection of 2.5 liters that the Four Rings, in none of its evolutions, have ever sold to other brands of the Volkswagen group. The Cupra has redefined its numbers, moving the power from 400 to 390 horsepower and the torque from 500 to 480 Nm, matching them to the specific management of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. But the cure does not reflect much on its energy, as in addition to pushing the Vz5 up to a self-limited speed of 250 per hour, in spite of the mass, it projects it up to 100 per hour in 4 ”2. Time that has nothing to envy to those who field many super-sports native cars. Regarding consumption, we will know later, as this Formentor is in the approval phase. But, undoubtedly, they are not essential for those who orient themselves for this kind of car. Especially since the Vz5 has other arguments to attract fans. For example, the sophisticated four-wheel drive with continuously variable distribution of traction between the rear wheels, which through two hydraulic clutches on the sides of the differential increases it to the one with greater grip to help “close” the curves, arrived together with the Drift Mode which is is aimed at lovers of endless drifting from the organ bank of the German group.
Cupra Formentor Vz5, bipolar character but good slalomist
The x-ray should not, however, suggest that the Vz5 behaves naturally only when it is pulled by the hair because, unexpectedly, it is the exact opposite. In fact, with the Confort setting which is the least extreme of the six present in the configuration, among which there is also the Off-road in case someone comes to mind to take it off the asphalt, it has a very malleable character, even, somehow attentive to comfort. Even in spite of the sensations that the unmistakable sound of its engine, determined by the ignition sequence of the five cylinders, can arouse. With the Sport and the Cupra the music changes, because the settings unleash its cavalry and attach it to the road even more, creating a close interaction between man and machine. Each request is matched by a quick and precise reaction, which pushes you to drive between curves more with the accelerator than with the steering. The five-cylinder supports this behavior by turning quickly, especially when the tachometer needle jumps from mid-scale up to well above 6,000 rpm, enhancing progressions thanks also to the speed of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. But more than a gun car, this Formentor is a slalom racer. In fact, between the curves, even those faced one after the other moves easily and with precision, clinging to the road as if it were on the tracks. And it does not embarrass, on the contrary it guarantees great fun, even among the curbs of a track, as we have seen on the Catalan circuit of Castelloli.