Cupra News

Volkswagen appears to have a  monster hit on its hands, as buyers line-up to get their hands on its latest machine.The new Volkswagen ID.Polo electric hatchback has more than 30,000 pre-orders, according to AutoNews.The frantic rush of buyers trying to jump into a ID.Polo has overwhelmed the brands expectations, with customers now facing a 10 month wait.Volkswagen’s little electric car has just gone on sale in Europe, and it appears its success will mean any future Australian arrival could be pushed back to meet demand on the continent.The German brand’s new entry-level electric car will go head-to-head with the new wave of cut-price EVs from China, such as the MG4, BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora 5.It is priced from the equivalent of about $41,000 in Germany, so expect it to be more if it arrives Down Under.Volkswagen is offering three electric motor choices: 85kW, 99kW or 155kW. The German brand has also confirmed a 166kW GTI version, but it won’t launch until next year in Europe.Lower grade versions will use a 37kWh battery, offering a driving range of 329km (WLTP), while higher specifications get 454km (WLTP) of range from a 52kWh unit. Volkswagen has previously said the ID.Polo has a max charging rate of 105kW. The ID.Polo is spawning a range of electric cars including the Volkswagen ID.Cross little electric SUV, Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval.AutoNews also reported the ID.Cross had received very strong interest ahead of its arrival in European showrooms later this year.Skoda’s version of the ID.Polo, the Epiq, also has more than 35,000 orders.“The Epiq is generating very strong customer interest. We have clearly struck a nerve,” a Skoda spokesperson told Autonews.Cupra’s version, called Raval, also has a long wait list, with reports the Raval and Epiq orders stretch into May of 2027.Volkswagen has been struggling recently as sales in China, and of its first round of global electric cars, failed to fire.It has also experienced huge issues with its CARIAD software department, which has been losing billions of dollars.Volkswagen’s board has recently approved to cut 50,000 jobs, close several factories, cut half of the group’s models and even possibly delete the Seat brand.

Believe it or not, the VW Group’s Spanish subsidiary, Seat, was officially on sale in Australia in the late 1990s with the Toledo liftback, Ibiza small hatch and its Cordoba sedan sibling.And although they never came here, at that stage Cupra was the umbrella under which the brand’s performance variants were marketed.Now, in a case of the offspring outmaneuvering its parent, it looks like Seat is about to be the Volkswagen Group’s first brand casualty as the German giant’s financial woes continue.According to overnight reports out of Europe, VW is considering retiring the Seat brand by 2029 to focus on the future of Cupra, a stand-alone subsidiary for the past eight years.The Autocar report claims the proposal has been approved by Volkswagen's management board, and is due to go before the supervisory board for final sign-off tonight, our time (Friday, September 4).Cupra has sold more than one million cars worldwide so far, now comfortably outselling Seat domestically and globally with the former delivering a record 170,100 cars during the first half of 2026, compared to the latter’s 129,600.The retirement plan would see Seat disappear from Volkswagen Group's brand portfolio by the end of the decade (at which point it will have been in existence for 80 years) with financial resources then concentrated on Cupra.Seat currently offers a three model line-up in its domestic market - the Ibiza small hatch, Arona small crossover-style SUV and larger Leon in hatch and Sportstourer form.There’s been no response from the Volkswagen Group’s Wolfsburg HQ other than a spokesperson telling Autocar, “Internal documents are discussed and approved by the appropriate bodies and that the company wouldn't pre-empt that process.”Seat Cupra UK was more forthcoming, however, saying in a statement, “The entire industry, including the Volkswagen Group and, of course, Seat SA, is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by our commitment to electrification."The global context has changed significantly, with a strong impact on the automotive sector, particularly over the past year. “Therefore the Volkswagen Group is working on a transformation plan for the entire Group business to strengthen its competitiveness and efficiency."The goal is to make the entire Volkswagen Group and respective entities more efficient and leaner and to capture technological synergy potential consistently.“This strategy has been discussed in several supervisory board meetings."No decisions have been taken at this stage. We will inform (you) about any strategic decisions affecting Seat SA in due time," it said.The report makes the telling point that Volkswagen maintaining two Spanish brands increasingly means spending money developing, marketing and distributing cars that often compete for the same customers. So, the duplication appears ripe for rationalisation as the Volkswagen Group embarks on a massive restructuring program.At the company’s Annual General Meeting in June this year, VW Group Chairman of the Board of Management Dr. Oliver Blume told shareholders significant job cuts are coming in the face of “conflict in the Middle East, shrinking market volumes and increasingly intense competition.”Not to mention US tariffs costing the group a reported €5 billion (~A$8 billion) annually because VW Group built factories in Mexico for export to the U.S, built to take advantage of the free-trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada have become uneconomic.“We don’t earn enough money with our products. Developing a world car in Germany, producing it in Europe and selling it globally – our business model that was successful for decades – no longer works today.”At that stage Blume said, “For Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and our software subsidiary CARIAD we have agreed to cut the number of jobs in Germany by some 50,000 by 2030.”And subsequently, Automotive News Europe reported Blume was expected to ask the group’s supervisory board to approve cutting 100,000 jobs (15 percent of the current workforce), in what is potentially the biggest restructuring in modern German corporate history.

Twelve months after the local market introduction of its Terramar mid-size SUV, Cupra has added two new limited Tribe Edition versions to the five-seater’s flagship VZ grade.Offered in two “carefully curated” design themes, underpinned by green or black, just 10 examples of the Terramar VZ Tribe Edition Green will be available with 35 VZ Tribe Edition Blacks on offer, both focused on sustainability through the use of repurposed materials.Computerised 3D knitting technology has produced the car’s seat upholstery, “100 percent recycled materials” are used in the seat centres and around 30 per cent of interior plastics incorporate recycled material.Even the Sulfur Green paint applied to multiple internal elements is claimed to be a ‘bio-based’ formulation and the alloy wheels consist of up to 20 per cent recycled material.The Tribe Editions are based on the top-spec Terramar VZ, which means they’re powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine sending 195kW/400Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and part-time all-wheel drive system. Adaptive damper suspension is also onboard.Car-spotters should look out for an exclusive Manganese Matte Green finish, dark chrome exterior detailing and unique 20-inch alloy rims (incorporating Sulfur Green highlights) on the Terramar VZ Tribe Edition Green.The VZ Tribe Edition Black is finished in Midnight Black with black 20-inch ‘Gravity’ alloy wheels fitted.Interior highlights on both versions include the 3D knitted fabric seats and sulfur green and dark chrome interior highlights.The standard features list for these limited editions has also been upgraded to include the normally optional panoramic sunroof.Introducing the cars, Cupra Australia Head of Product Jeff Shafer said, “These editions combine the performance and dynamic capability of the Terramar VZ with carefully curated design elements that allow customers to express even more individuality. “Every detail has been selected to create a vehicle that feels unique while remaining unmistakably Cupra,” he said.The Cupra Terramar VZ Tribe Editions are available to order now with customer deliveries scheduled to begin this October.

Facing intense competition from emerging Chinese brands, the impact of US tariffs and increased manufacturing costs in Europe, the Volkswagen Group’s current financial trauma is well documented with a minimum cut of 50,000 jobs (likely 100,000) by 2030 and closure of four production plants in Germany already flagged.And now, as part of its Future Plan presentation, the Group’s executive board has said, “The (group) model lineup will be gradually concentrated on the most attractive market segments and streamlined by up to 50 percent; offering complexity will be reduced by up to 75 percent.”Which means key models currently sold by brands including Audi, Cupra, Skoda, Porsche and VW are set for early discontinuation, the latest by 2030, with the number of available options slashed by three quarters and annual production capacity dropping from 10 to nine million vehicles.Question is, which models are headed for the chop first and German publication Bild believes it has the inside scoop with a "concrete list” of 10 cars headed for extinction.Here’s the Bild VW Group product hit list.Audi: The Q5 Sportback and Q6 e-tron Sportback are unlikely to be replaced. And interestingly, even though the Porsche Taycan is marked for extinction (see below) its Audi e-tron GT twin under the skin isn’t.Cupra: The list marks the Cupra Raval (which hasn't even launched in Australia yet) as headed for the exit after a single generation.Porsche: In unsurprising news the underperforming Taycan is set to retire after the current model reaches the end of the road and the internal-combustion (ICE) Cayenne Coupe is gawn.Sadly for sports car devotees Bild’s mail is that even though Porsche’s ‘strategic realignment’ from late last year pointed to internal combustion power for flagship versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman, that plan is kaput with the roadster and coupe again lining up as EV only.Skoda: The Bild report puts the Skoda Fabia small car on the chopping block, although there’s no mention of its closely-related Seat Ibiza and VW Polo siblings.Volkswagen: The Jetta compact sedan, now primarily sold in North America, and the Taos crossover-style SUV, currently offered in global markets including North America, South America and Russia (and marketed as the Tharu in China) look unlikely to make a next-gen iteration.No mention of Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini or Seat although Bentley has already shelved its plan to go pure-electric by 2035 and Lambo’s put production of its first EV firmly on the back burner.Bild estimates VW Group savings of up to €6.5 billion (~$10.7 billion) by 2031 by finishing up these 10 cars but even that’s far from a 50 per cent reduction in the across-the-board model count.Stay tuned for more VW Group model obituaries surely coming soon.

Volkswagen is about to make some big changes that could have knock-on effects for Australia.The brand is planning to cut up to half of its line-up across its brands.Auto News reports as many as 75 models could be ditched, which would reduce VW Group’s capacity from 10 million vehicle to nine million."The global situation has continued to deteriorate over the past twelve months," Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume said. "That is why we are ​acting now."There is no news yet on what models will be under threat, but Australia is unlikely to be immune from these changes.A spokesperson for Volkswagen Australia said this news will have no immediate impact on the local branch."As a next step, we will work closely with our headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, to assess what adjustments – if any – may be needed at the local level," they said.Audi, Bentley, Cupra, Lamborghini, Porsche and Skoda, as well as Volkswagen, all fall under the VW Group name, and the brand has a significant presence in Australia. VW alone has amassed more than 12,000 sales in Australia, but that figure represents a 16. per cent decline compared to June 2025.VW Group sales are declining globally as the brand grapples with soaring costs, including US tariffs, and increasingly competitive Chinese competition. Its profit margins were sliced in half between 2021 and 2025, according to Auto News.  Auto News is also reporting four German VW Group factories are in danger of seeing their doors closed for good, which are plants in Hanover, Emden, Zwickau and Neckarsulm.The brand is also planning to cut up to 100,000 jobs as part of its down-sizing. The proposed moves were subject to heavy protests from workers late last week.VW Group has deepened its ties to China recently, with CEO Blume suggesting the brand could export its China-only models to other markets. This could help cut down the costs for the brand to import cars to Australia. European-built models are often more expensive to produce and import than ones from China.

Cupra has confirmed that there are currently no plans to bring back the Born electric hatchback to Australia, at least for now.“It's still something we discuss with headquarters, and you know there might be a way forward in the future, but there's no plan right now,” said Cupra Australia Head of Product Jeff Shafer to CarsGuide.“We've got, you know, Raval coming, and we've got some news on Tavascan coming soon, and I think that kind of is where we're focusing our EV efforts right now.“We need to make Born have a position that makes sense within that total range, so I wouldn't say never, but it's not right on the cards.”The Born was Cupra’s first all-electric model globally and in Australia. It was originally revealed in production form in 2021 and eventually arrived in 2023 following a number of delays.It’s based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB dedicated electric architecture and shares a number of commonalities with the Volkswagen ID.3 which has never been offered in Australia.Locally the Born was offered in a single trim level and was powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor producing 170kW and 310Nm. This was fed by a 77kWh lithium-ion battery pack allowing for up to 511km of claimed range.As standard the Born was a five-seater, however if you opted for any of the optional performance or interior packages, the seat count would drop to four.In 2025 Cupra stopped taking new orders of the Born as existing stock dried up despite it previously indicating a launch of the higher-performance Born VZ was on the cards.Earlier this year Cupra revealed a facelift for the Born which brought tweaked looks, bigger screens, as well as more physical switchgear around the cabin.Although the Born may not be returning to Australian shores, as Shafer noted Cupra already has the Tavascan mid-size electric SUV which is soon receiving an update for 2026.Additionally the Raval small electric hatchback is set to arrive Down Under during 2027.

Cupra is soon set to introduce a new, range-topping version of its Formentor small SUV in Australia and it will likely sell out ahead of its arrival.The Spanish carmaker has confirmed out of the 4000 total Formentor VZ5 examples to be produced, only 400 will be built in right-hand drive.Cupra Australia Head of Product Jeff Shafer told CarsGuide the brand currently has an allocation of “around 100 units at the moment”.“We’ve sold through more than two thirds , so there’s strong interest and we’re still pretty regularly having order intake coming in,” Shafer said.“It looks like we’ll be sold out before the cars arrive.“We’re talking to the factory about there’s some scope to get more cars. It’s not yet confirmed and we’ll see how we go.”The Cupra Formentor VZ5 is powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine sourced from the Audi RS3.It produces 287kW and 480Nm and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission which sends drive through an all-wheel drive system.In Australia it’s priced from $94,990, before on-road costs, or $101,990 drive-away, making it easily the most expensive Cupra offered to date.Full specification details haven’t been confirmed yet, however it will come with 20-inch black and copper alloy wheels, six-piston Akebono front brakes, matrix LED headlights and Cup bucket front seats as standard.All of these features, besides the larger 20-inch alloy wheels, are optional on the VZe and VZx trims.This isn’t the first time Cupra has offered the Formentor VZ5. It was available in pre-update form but was only made in left-hand drive, ruling it out from Australia.Ever since the Cupra brand launched in Australia in 2022, the Formentor has been its best-seller.Last year a total of 1490 examples were sold, which was up 17.8 per cent year-on-year.However, until the end of May this year a total of 318 examples of the Formentor were sold, which is down 53.6 per cent year-on-year.Formentor sales will likely pick up through the second half of 2026 and the mid-life facelift has just launched locally, around two years after it was revealed globally.

Cupra has officially axed the Ateca in Australia as production winds down globally.“We’ve sold out in Australia,” said Cupra Australia Head of Product Jeff Shafer to CarsGuide.“It's been, you know, a great car to have at launch. It was one of the original Cupra models globally.”Cupra Australia Director Jerome Figuiere noted that global production will finish over the northern hemisphere summer break, which runs from June to August.The Cupra Ateca is essentially a hotted-up version of the Seat Ateca, which dates all the way back to 2016. It shares its platform with the Skoda Karoq and Audi Q2, among others.This spicy small SUV was one of the Spanish carmaker’s first vehicles in Australia when it launched back in 2022. It formed as part of the launch line-up, being sold alongside the Formentor small SUV and Leon small hatchback.Initially the Ateca was only offered locally in a flagship VZx trim with its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 221kW and 400Nm.In 2024 a new, entry-level version called the V joined the local line-up. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder produces 140kW and 320Nm.Despite this, the Ateca has always been the brand’s slowest seller in Australia. Last year a total of 101 examples were sold, which was down 61.5 per cent year-on-year.For reference, Cupra sold a total of 1490 Formentors over the same time, which was up 17.8 per cent year-on-year.However, up until May this year, Cupra sold a total of 110 Ateca examples, which was up 124.5 per cent year-on-year. Part of this is likely due to runout deals.Over the same period though the Spanish brand sold 318 Formentor examples.Although Cupra may be axing one of its original and oldest models, the brand has already been introducing newer and larger SUV offerings.It launched the Tavascan mid-size electric SUV, which is based on the same platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5, among others, as well as the Terramar mid-size SUV, which is based on the same platform as the Volkswagen Tiguan, both in 2025.Additionally the Spanish carmaker is set to introduce the new Raval small electric hatchback in Australia during 2027.

The Cupra Tavascan SUV is now $5000 than it was, with the brand giving its electric mid-size SUV range a shake-up.Pricing for the Tavascan now starts from $55,490 (before on-road costs) for the new ‘V’ grade.This represents a $5500 decrease on the base variant from the outgoing range.The Tavascan is now also only a little more than $2000 extra compared to Cupra's petrol-powered Terramar mid-sizer.The updated Tavascan will arrive in Australia from late August of this year.It will continue to rival the Kia EV5 (from $56,770, before on-road costs) and Zeekr 7X ($57,900, before on-road costs), in an increasingly competitive segment. The V grade might be cheaper, but it does have less power than the previous cheapest Tavascan model, with its single electric motor only producing 140kW. Its 58kWh battery has a maximum driving range of 414km, according to WLTP standards.It gets some neat features despite its cheaper status, including heated and memory front seats, as well as a 360-degree camera and 20-inch alloy wheels. It has been given DC charging capacity at 105kW, meaning it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in roughly 26 minutes. The Tavascan Endurance no longer sits at the bottom of the range and is $1000 more expensive than before. It stills produces 210kW and 545Nm, but driving range from its 77kWh battery has been reduced by 11km to 520km.The range-topping VZ grade, producing 250kW and 545Nm, has also jumped $1000 price, now starting from $75,490.The Tavascan has undergone an overhaul inside the cabin.There is a new 10.25-inch digital driver display (up from 5.3 inches) to compliment the 15.0-inch central touchscreen. The car also receives more physical buttons on the steering wheel in response to customer demand, along with a redesigned wireless phone charger. The Tavascan’s safety suite has been updated to include speed sign recognition. The Tavascan has not seen the same boost to sales as its competitors have during the fuel crisis, with only 257 units sold in 2026. 

Cupra has officially confirmed it will be introducing a fire-breathing, purely petrol-powered version of the Leon Sportstourer wagon in Australia in September.The Leon Sportstourer VZx will complement the existing VZe plug-in hybrid (PHEV) trim. Examples are in production now and order books will be opening shortly.Pricing will start from $67,490 before on-road costs, making it $2500 less than the VZe PHEV trim and $2500 more than the equivalent Leon VZx hatchback.This car is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 245kW and 420Nm, which is 24kW and 20Nm more than the equivalent Leon VZx hatch.It’s mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system.Cupra claims the Leon Sportstourer VZx can do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.8 seconds.This car essentially revives the Golf R Wagon in Australia under the Cupra brand as it’s powered by the same EA888 engine and has the wagon body style. The hi-po Golf wagon was axed locally back in 2023.The Leon Sportstourer VZx receives 19-inch black and copper forged alloy wheels, LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, adaptive dampers, Sennheiser sound system, leather-appointed upholstery, as well as heated front seats with memory function as standard.There's also a panoramic glass sunroof for an extra $2000, as well as the $7600 Extreme package which adds larger Akebono six-piston front brakes, Sabelt front bucket seats and matrix LED headlights, among other minor tweaks.Cupra is soon set to celebrate its fourth anniversary in Australia and its line-up is currently going through a refresh.The Leon hatchback and wagon, as well as the Formentor small SUV have now received mid-life updates, plus the Terramar and Tavascan mid-size SUVs launched over the last 18 months.The Born electric hatchback and Ateca small SUV have both been axed in Australia, but the Raval small electric hatchback is set to launch locally during 2027.Until the end of May, Cupra has sold a total of 975 cars, which is down 22.2 per cent year-on-year. Its best-seller has always been the Formentor, but it’s keenly followed by the Terramar and Tavascan mid-size SUVs.