The Cupra Leon VZ – the twin under the skin to the Volkswagen Golf GTI hot hatch – may not continue into the facelifted line-up due next year.
Spanish brand Cupra may be preparing to call last drinks on its version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
The Cupra Leon VZ hot hatch is the mechanical twin to the Golf GTI, sharing a 180kW 2.0-litre turbo engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive layout.
But it is looking unlikely to carry across into the facelifted Leon range due next year, thanks to the popularity of the more powerful 221kW VZx flagship variant.
MORE: 2023 Cupra Leon VZ review
“We’ll have to talk about the final line-up [later], but I think most likely we need to rationalise the range a little bit to accommodate the new mild hybrid, and any plug-in hybrids that we consider as well,” Cupra Australia director Ben Wilks told Drive this week.
Asked if the VZ has been as popular as expected, Wilks said: “I think a topic for the VZ has been the popularity of the VZx – that’s been probably the opportunity for customers there.”
Just 4 per cent of Cupra Leon sales in the first three months of 2024 were VZ variants – or just four vehicles.
The VZx is tied with the entry-level 140kW V as the most popular variant in the range – accounting for 33 per cent of deliveries each over that period – followed closely by the VZe plug-in hybrid (30…
