The New 2026 CUPRA Formentor VZ5: Torque-Split Grip, Copper Style

The CUPRA Formentor VZ5 returns with the kind of presence you notice before it even starts. It is limited to 4,000 units worldwide and arrives as a statement from a brand that clearly enjoys doing things its own way. The proportions are assertive, the stance is low and wide, and the details are all there to tell you this is not just another crossover with badges and big wheels. It feels like a car built by people who still believe driving should stir something.

Beneath the bonnet sits a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, a configuration that gives the VZ5 its unmistakable rhythm. Output is rated at 390 PS (287 kW) and 480 Nm of torque, and it has been recalibrated to sharpen response and heighten the emotional edge when you lean into the throttle. Power goes through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission to an all wheel drive system with an integrated torque splitter, so the car can send power across the rear axle and vector it laterally through a bend. The result is traction that feels proactive rather than reactive and a sense that the car is thinking one corner ahead of you.

The exterior design pushes that same attitude. There is a distinctive front bumper and a front splitter with the VZ5 logo engraved. Wider arches carry specific 20-inch alloy wheels finished in copper, while a refined rear bumper and diffuser frame diagonal copper exhaust tips. Dark chrome CUPRA lettering and a curated color set—Midnight Black, Dark Void, Magnetic Tech Matt, Century Bronze Matt, and Enceladus Grey Matt—complete the visual punch without shouting.

Inside, the cabin blends purpose with polish. Ambient lighting traces the architecture of the cockpit, CUPRA details highlight key touch points, and the CUPBucket seats are the finishing touch—supportive enough for back-to-back canyon runs and comfortable enough for the late-night drive home. The interface is clean and modern, with digitalization that keeps core driving information front and center while leaving room for the driver to stay connected and in control.

What makes this car compelling is not only the spec sheet but the way the hardware works together. The five-cylinder soundtrack, the precision of the torque splitter, the immediacy of the dual clutch shifts, and the feedback through the chassis turn daily trips into moments you might actually look forward to. It feels rebellious in the right way: engineered carefully, tuned emotionally.

The Formentor VZ5 has always been a symbol of CUPRA’s independent streak. Its re-introduction is a reminder that performance can be both refined and raw, that design can be sculpted and functional, and that limited numbers can make ownership feel personal. Designed, developed, and produced in Barcelona, the new VZ5 is planned to enter production in the first quarter of 2026. If you enjoy cars that make you turn off the radio just to listen, this one deserves a spot on your shortlist.