Note: This article was written as part of a commercial content partnership between CompleteCar.ie and CUPRA.
It's tempting - too tempting, as you can see from the headline - to start making Jason Bourne jokes when it comes to talking about the CUPRA Born. I know, it's a cliché, but clichés are fun...
Then again, so too is the Born, as it's one of the more overtly sporting electric cars out there. One of the best-value EVs too, especially right now as CUPRA Ireland is offering a bit of a bonus if you decide to buy one.
With the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant for buying an electric car being cut in July, CUPRA Ireland is going to give you some of that cash back, plus a bit more. The grant will be chopped from €5,000 to €3,500 from the 1st of July, but if you order your CUPRA Born before June 30, CUPRA Ireland will top up your €5,000 grant with a bonus €2,000, giving you an effective €7,000 off the pre-grant price.
Plus, you can get a PCP finance deal on a Born with a 4.9 per cent APR interest rate, €269 monthly repayments and a free Ohme smart home charging point. Oh, and an inclusive CUPRA Care Pack that comes with a three-year manufacturer service plan, complimentary CUPRA courtesy car when yours is in for a service, complimentary collection and delivery, and a complimentary clean.
A recap on the CUPRA Born
As a reminder, the Born is a roomy, family-friendly hatchback, based on the Volkswagen Group MEB electric car platform, which means you get a big battery (a choice of 58kWh or 77kWh battery packs) and some high-tech features.
It has a sleek, sharp design with some really nice copper-coloured details, from the neat 'CUPRA' script on the nose, to aerodynamic wheels, to the full-width LED light bar at the back. Inside, you get lots of space, and a useful 385-litre boot.
Under that boot, the electric motor drives the rear wheels, and you can choose from a standard 204hp motor, or a sportier version with its e-Boost function. That gives you an extra 27hp, bringing the total maximum to 231hp - depending on the state of charge of the battery. Both motor options get the same generous 310Nm of torque, incidentally. The standard car can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, while the 231hp e-Boost model takes 6.6 seconds.
The 58kWh model is ideal for those of us who do mostly short-to-medium length journeys, with an occasional longer run. On a full charge, this battery will give you an official range of 427km , and it can be fast-charged at up to 120kW.
The bigger 77kWh battery gives you much longer range, and is ideal for those who need to do regular long-haul journeys. On a full charge, it will give you a 552km range according to the standardised test procedure.
Priced from just €40,080
Inclusive of grants, the Born with the 58kWh battery and the 204hp motor has a starting price of €40,080. As standard, that model comes with lane-keeping assistance, a speed limiter, a driver drowsiness monitor and emergency steering assistance. You also get, included in the price, a 'Pilot M Pack' that gives you radar-guided cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, built-in navigation, a rear-view camera and traffic sign recognition.
On the outside, you get 18-inch 'Cyclone' alloy wheels and rather cool, contrasting, 'Liquid Grey' paint for the side mirrors. All of the lights, front and rear, are energy-saving LED units, and not only are the side windows tinted, but the windscreen is heat-reflective and acoustically sealed as well.
Inside, there's a leather-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel, alloy brake and accelerator pedals, ambient cabin lighting and front seats that are not only heated, but they're also upholstered in a special, soft-touch, 'SEQUAL' fabric, that uses recycled plastics recovered from the ocean.
There's also two-zone climate control, and a massive 12-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dash. Through that you can access your infotainment settings (including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections), the navigation, the selectable driving modes (Range, Comfort or Performance) and the various connected, online services. Behind the steering wheel, there's a neat 5.3-inch digital speedo and battery gauge, and attached to that is the drive selector, which means you never need do more than extend your finger to pick from Drive, Neutral or Reverse.
For tech-heads, there are four USB-C sockets (two in the front and two in the back), and to keep that bodywork pristine, there are front and rear parking sensors. There's a rain and light sensor that automatically switches on the headlights and/or the wipers, and a tyre pressure monitor too.
If you want to step up to the 231hp e-Boost model, that'll be €45,830 with the 58kWh battery, or €51,980 with the 77kWh battery.
For the extra outlay, you get some more toys as standard - bigger front disc brakes, for a start, plus a 'Pilot L Pack' that includes a 360-degree parking camera system, rear cross traffic alert, automated lane changing and an automatic parking assistant that can learn and recall regularly-used manoeuvres, such as backing onto your driveway. There's also 19-inch 'Typhoon' alloy wheels, upgraded 'Dinamica' seat upholstery, electrically adjustable and massaging front seats and a rear armrest.