The all-electric 2023 Cupra Born has touched down in Australia, with an example spotted at Sydney International Airport almost a year before sales are due to commence.
A series of images uploaded to the All Electric Vehicle Parts Australia Facebook group, show the Born on a Qantas pallet. It’s painted in Vapor Grey and has the 18-inch ‘Cyclone’ alloy wheels.
This is likely indicative of the base-model Born as the paint isn’t metallic and the alloy wheels are the smallest on offer.
It’s not certain why it’s in Australia. It could be here for road testing, evaluation, training, promotional activities, or all of the above.
The Spanish Volkswagen Group subsidiary is aiming to bring the Born to Australia by late 2022 or early 2023.
This is Cupra’s first electric vehicle (EV) and is based on the same MEB architecture as the Volkswagen ID.3 – which will be beaten to market by its lesser-known Spanish sibling.
The Born is produced alongside the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, as well as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback at Volkswagen Group’s Zwickau plant.
However, Cupra will soon produce EVs in its home country of Spain.
Named after the lively El Born neighbourhood in Barcelona, the Born is a critical model for Cupra as the brand aims to go EV-only by 2030.
It is offered with two different drivetrains that we’ve already seen in the ID.3, with either a 110kW or 150kW electric motor driving the rear wheels.
There’s also an e-Boost option that increases the power output to 170kW.
Peak torque regardless of the motor power output is 310Nm.
With a 58kWh battery pack, the Born e-Boost is capable of the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.6 seconds, but this rises to 7.0 seconds with the heavier 77kWh battery. A smaller 45kWh battery pack is available on base models.
Depending on the battery and electric motor combination, electric driving range is between 340km and 550km according to WLTP testing.
The Cupra brand is on track to touch down in Australia during the middle of 2022 with three models, two of which will be offered with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power.
Leon 
Ateca 
Formentor
The Leon hatchback, Ateca SUV, and Formentor SUV will be the three cars driving the launch, before the Born follows.
Australia is the first step in Cupra’s broader global expansion. It’s being used a test bed for the wider Asia Pacific region, and Cupra will differentiate itself from its VW stablemates with a direct-to-consumer sales model.
MORE: First Cupra Born rolls off production line
MORE: Cupra Born electric car locked in for Australia
