Hot Cupra Leon wagon one step closer to Australia – UPDATE

The Australian division of Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker Cupra is considering a high-performance Leon wagon – capable of 0-100km/h in less than five seconds.

UPDATE, 1 August 2023: Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker Cupra has shown further interest in the Cupra Leon wagon for Australian showrooms.

In a press release overnight detailing its one-year anniversary in Australia, Cupra said “hard thought is being given” to the Leon wagon – known as the Sportstourer overseas, and a twin to the VW Golf wagon – for local showrooms.

“The obvious Sportstourer variant, given [the] Cupra customer’s preference for the quickest and the best-equipped, is the 228kW all-wheel-drive range topper,” Cupra Australia director Ben Wilks said in a media statement.

“There are other versions that suggest themselves. We’ll see.” Cupra has previously expressed interest in VZx petrol all-wheel-drive and VZe plug-in hybrid front-drive versions of the Leon wagon.

Since our original story was published last month (below), Volkswagen has confirmed plans to axe the Golf wagon locally, creating room for a long-roof Leon Sportstourer VZx to succeed the soon-to-be-defunct Golf R wagon in Australia.

Alex Misoyannis

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10 July 2023: Cupra Australia is in talks with head office in Europe to import the Cupra Leon wagon – known in overseas markets as the Leon Sportstourer, and the twin to the Volkswagen Golf wagon.

Head of product and planning for Cupra Australia, Jeff Shafer, told Drive the Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker – which launched in Australia last year – is interested in adding a high-performance wagon to the brand’s local line-up.

“Yes, there is [interest],” Mr Shafer said at this week’s launch of the entry-level Cupra Leon V. “I’m a big fan of a wagon. So it’s definitely on our radar.”

Mr Shafer said if the green light was given to the Sportstourer, Australia would likely receive highly-specified versions, including the plug-in hybrid Sportstourer VZe and the high-performance, all-wheel-drive Sportstourer VZx.

If the Sportstourer VZx does make its way to local showrooms, it would fill the gap left by the Volkwagen Golf R wagon – which may face the axe in Australia.

“We’d probably go in with higher-specified versions [like] VZe and VZx,” said Mr Shafer. “It’s not confirmed, but we’re working with the factory to bring it [here].”

The Cupra Leon Sportstourer VZx is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the same as found in the Leon VZx hatchback, and the VW Golf R.

While the hatchback remains front-wheel drive only, the wagon adds all-wheel drive and produces an extra 7kW over the hatch, with 228kW and 400Nm transmitted via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The benchmark sprint from zero to 100km/h is completed in a claimed 4.9 seconds, matching the Volkswagen Golf R wagon’s claim – despite lower power and torque outputs than the Golf’s 235kW/420Nm.

However the Cupra Leon Sportstourer’s boot – with 620 litres of claimed cargo capacity – eclipses the Golf R wagon’s 611 litres.

Local pricing for the Cupra Leon VZx hatchback ($61,690 plus on-road costs for Model Year 2024 examples) would suggest a circa-$65,000 price tag for the long-roof version if it was to make its way to Australia.

Rob Margeit

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