Formidable Formentor
THE name Formentor conjures up a demonic vision of a mean and moody machine. It sounds similar to those wraith- like Dementor spirits chasing after Harry Potter. And the sporty new Cupra Formentor crossover, described as a ‘coupe SUV’, certainly has darkly menacing, brooding looks. It’s the first model developed exclusively under the stand-alone Cupra brand, the performance arm of SEAT, itself owned by the Volkswagen group.
It goes on sale in the UK this month and I’ve been driving the devilishly feisty top of the range four-wheel drive Formentor VZ2; the first model into showrooms.
Its 2-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine, linked to a sevenspeed automatic gearbox, develops a lively 310 hp.
Think of it as a cross between a sports car (it has a sports car chassis) and a family SUV that will go from rest to 62 mph with a throaty roar in just 4.9 seconds, up to a top speed, where legal, restricted to 155 mph. Co2 emissions are 193 g/km. And consumption is up to 33.2 mpg.
There are five driving modes, including Normal and Comfort mode, but you can crank up the energy and the volume in Sport and the hard-core ‘Cupra’ mode, which tightens up the responses and enhances the engine note by blowing it through the loudspeakers. ‘ Cupra’ relates to copper, a signature colour on the badge and much of the trim.
The car I drove on 19 in wheels in midnight Black cost £40,385, with the £555 metallic paint the only extra added in a wellstocked package.
With six trim levels and five engine variants, the range starts at £27,395 (or £299 per month on a PCP contract) for the V1 running on 18 in wheels with a 1.5-litre 150 hp petrol engine.
Next month, for delivery in spring, there’s a more eco-friendly 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid variant with either 204 or 245 hp and an electric-only range of 31 miles.
As for the name, it’s not as demonic as it sounds. It comes from the wild rocky cape on majorca, where many used to go for holidays. Remember them?