The battery operated one Cupra Born VZ Hot hatch has been an on-again, off-again project for the Spanish car brand in Australia, but the first (and only) example has now been registered and sold in Australia.
Cupra Artarmon, located just off the Pacific Highway northwest of Sydney, released a series of images and subsequent sales listing of a pre-facelift Born VZ that it said was “one of a kind.”
Priced from $71,990 plus on-road costs, the Dark Forest Green Hatch is the only VZ model available in Australia, putting it over $15,000 above the clearance price of the standard Born last sold in Australia.
It is believed to be a production vehicle registered in the Australian market for valuation purposes. An identical car was shown to dealers, customers and media during a launch event for the Cupra Terramar SUV in Melbourne last July.
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The listing on the retailer’s website was posted and disappeared within a day, suggesting that a very interested customer purchased it within 24 hours. It remains unclear when the Born – which was recently unveiled in revised 2027 guise – will return to the Australian market.
As for the vehicle itself, the Born VZ is the most powerful version of the electric hatchback sold worldwide. It has a rear-mounted electric motor that produces 240 kW of power and 545 Nm of torque. This represents an increase of 70kW and 235Nm over the standard 170kW Born, which is now sold out in Australia.
This allows the Born VZ to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in a claimed 5.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 km/h. Other changes under the VZ’s skin include a 79 kWh battery pack and a new DCC Sport suspension that includes revised dampers, anti-roll bars and rear springs.
Exterior improvements are limited to wider tires and a choice of two 20-inch alloy wheel designs (worldwide): either forged or with 3D copper inserts. Two new exterior paint finishes also complement the color palette: Midnight Black and Dark Forest Green.
Inside, the VZ is ready for the race track with bucket seats made from recycled materials. Technology has also been improved over the base vehicle, with the inclusion of an enlarged 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen running Cupra’s latest operating system.
Daily Sparkz understands Cupra Australia has held off on relaunching the Born while it waits for the facelifted model to become available before embarking on a full relaunch of the electric hatch Down Under, led by the VZ Halo variant and with smaller variants potentially returning after a two-year hiatus.
The last Born officially sold Down Under featured the pre-update 77 kWh lithium-ion battery and the then most powerful 170 kW/310 Nm rear electric motor. The range subsequently moved to a larger 79kWh battery, while the VZ boosts output to 240kW/545Nm and delivers a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.6 seconds.
In Europe, three motor/battery configurations will be available for the updated Born range, all featuring an electric motor to drive the rear wheels and the ability to drive one-pedal. The larger 79 kWh unit in the revised Born Endurance and VZ variants now offers a WLTP range of around 600 km.
Following the unveiling of the facelifted 2027 model in Europe earlier this month, a Cupra Australia spokesperson said the local office was “reviewing the feasibility and timing” for the Born, apparently reversing previously communicated plans to launch the Born VZ hot hatch ahead of this month’s facelift.
“At this time, we are assessing the feasibility and timing of offering the newly announced Born to our market. Once decisions are confirmed, we will provide updates,” the spokesperson said Daily Sparkz.
The local Cupra division’s statement comes after a series of local delays to the release of the Born VZ, which was originally promised for Australia in 2025 and then pushed back two or three times to early 2026. While this particular vehicle arrived here in the latter period, a single production unit doesn’t quite live up to that promise.
MORE: Explore the Cupra Born showroom
