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Author: Olly

CUPRA BORN: RWD EV REVEALED

The Cupra Born represents the marque’s first all-electric vehicle and may well be an early look into hot hatch electric life. Oh, it’s also RWD.

Let’s get down to business. The Cupra Born is the manufacturer’s first electric car and comes with a range of different sized batteries with differing power levels. At the bottom of the range is the 45kWh Cupra Born, which gets a lukewarm 148bhp with a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds. Mileage range is roughly 211 miles.

Next up is the 58kWh battery-powered Born, which gets 201bhp as standard and a 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds. This Cupra Born also gets Cupra’s new e-Boost, which will momentarily produce 228bhp if you mash the throttle for kickdown or if you’re using the Cupra driving mode. According to Cupra, the 58kWh battery has a range of around 260 miles, enough to not have you worrying where the next charging point is.

If you are worried about range and less bothered about performance figures, there is also a 77kWh battery that will extend the range to 335 miles on the WLTP cycle, however, you lose 0.4 seconds from the 0-62mph time due to the increased weight. The other benefit to the bigger battery is access to 125kW charging, which can offer 60 miles of range in around 7 minutes of charging.

Underneath resides MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link suspension at the rear. Adaptive damping is available as an option and gains all the driving modes we are used to from VAG products, but tailored towards the EV: those include Range, Comfort, Individual and Cupra.

Cupra is reporting near 50:50 weight distribution as well as the trademark low centre of gravity that an electric motor offers. Speaking of which, the aluminium frame that holds the motor is bolted directly to the MQB platform to help with body rigidity.

While you will be able to switch traction control off for some sideways action, between the rear wheels is a standard differential, rather than a limited-slip job, so don’t expect 90-degree angles on roundabouts…

Inside it’s business as usual, sharing most of its design with the VW ID.3. As a result, you get a 12-inch touchscreen that controls pretty much everything. Those looking to appease environmentalists will gladly learn that the bucket seats and seat material upgrade options are all made from recycled plastics and t-shirts. This is all in pursuit of Cupra’s promise that the Born will be delivered to customers net CO2 neutral.

Are we looking at the future of the hot hatch?

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May 26, 2021
MANHART GOLF GTI 290 MK8 UNVEILED

The Manhart Golf GTI 290 takes a regular Mk8 Golf GTI and ramps it up to Clubsport levels alongside more aggressive aesthetics.

With the Mk8 Golf GTI sharing a lot of its components with its predecessor, the Mk7, it wasn’t going to be long before we saw a number of companies making their own revisions. Manhart, famed for modifying BMWs but caters for other marques, is one such company. For the Mk7 Golf R, Manhart produced the RS450, and in doing so, learned a few lessons it could transfer to the Mk8.

The Manhart Golf GTI 290 turns the wick up on the EA888-powered Mk8 Golf GTI, upping its power from 245hp to 290hp (286bhp) and its torque from 273lb ft to 313lb ft thanks to its in-house MHtronik Powerbox, a piggyback ECU module that adjusts fuel and boost pressure.

To give the car a more purposeful look, the body was lowered 40mm in total by way of H&R lowering springs, while the factory-spec wheels were replaced with 8x19inch Manhart multi-spoke wheels shod in 225/35 section tyres. Further modifications to the exterior include a more aggressive rear diffuser as well as pin stripe decals on both sides, bonnet, roof and rear. Inside, the headliner is filled with small LEDs to produce a starry sky effect. Those who want to modify further can explore Manhart’s exhaust options.

Prices for the Manhart Golf GTI 290 performance upgrades start from £1300, with the lowering springs coming in at £300 and the wheels £1400. Given the Mk8 Golf GTI Clubsport comes in at roughly £3755, would you opt for the Manhart upgrades or simply order a Clubsport form factory?

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May 26, 2021
2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 Wagon spy shots: More power, fewer cylinders

Mercedes-Benz in February unveiled its redesigned 2022 C-Class and once again the nameplate will offer a high-performance C63 developed by the Mercedes-Benz AMG skunkworks.

We’ve already spotted prototypes for the C63 sedan, and now we have our first spy shots of a prototype for the wagon, or Estate as Mercedes likes to call the body style. The regular C-Class wagon has already been shown, and no, it isn’t coming to the United States.

2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The prototype is heavily camouflaged but from what we can see, there will be flared wheel arches, large intakes in the front fascia, a pronounced rear diffuser, and four square-shaped exhaust tips.

We can confirm that the current C63’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 won’t make into the new generation. Instead, the powertrain will consist of the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 found in the latest generation of AMG’s compact cars, but with even more power than those cars’ maximum 416 hp, and it will also receive a boost from hybrid technology similar to what’s used in Formula One as well as the upcoming AMG One hypercar.

Mercedes-AMG E Performance

In the new C63, an electric-aided turbocharger will help boost output from the 2.0-liter engine to 442 hp. There will also be an electric motor integrated with the engine in mild-hybrid configuration, to power ancillary features as well as serve as a starter motor. On top of this, there will also be a much more powerful motor (up to 201 hp) at the rear axle to take combined output to a maximum 643 hp. This rear motor will be mated to its own 2-speed transmission.

The 643-hp figure will likely be reserved for a C63 S. Expect the regular C63 to have around 550 hp, which is still up significantly on the 503 hp of the outgoing C63 S.

Mercedes-AMG E Performance hybrid electric drive unit

There will be a weight penalty due to the complex powertrain, however. Expect the hybrid technology to add about 550 pounds to the car and bring its curb weight to almost 4,410 pounds. Part of the hefty load is due to a big battery that should provide a small electric range. One weight-related benefit of the system will be an ideal 50:50 weight distribution thanks to less weight over the front axle compared to the outgoing C63 due to the smaller engine.

Conventional elements like a 9-speed automatic, mechanical all-wheel-drive system, adaptive suspension and drift mode will also likely feature in the new C63.

2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 Wagon spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Performance estimates include 0-62 mph acceleration in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 181 mph. That top speed matches the outgoing C63 but acceleration is about half a second quicker.

Look for the new C63 to debut late this year or early next. A new C43, which may end up being badged a C53, is also coming. Stay tuned.

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May 26, 2021