Cupra Formentor VZ5 Tuned By ABT Is The New DTM Safety Car

Cupra is the official DTM partner for the 2022 season and the automaker has just revealed the new safety car. For this role, Cupra chose a Formentor VZ5 which has been further tuned by ABT Sportsline for even better performance on the track and sports a special livery.

The Cupra Formentor VZ5 introduced last year with a limited production of 7,000 units is the most powerful vehicle of the Spanish brand. However, since leading a pack of race cars can be challenging, Cupra gave the Formentor ABT’s latest tuning package, making it even faster. Thanks to ABT’s software, the Audi-sourced turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine produces 444 hp (331 kW / 450 PS) and 530 Nm (391 lb-ft) of torque.

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Cupra and ABT claim that the tuned Formentor can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph). Those figures sound good enough for a safety car and even greater for a performance-focused crossover with hot hatch capabilities.

Visually, the model received a copper-colored livery with white graphics and extra lights mounted on the roof. As is the case with all Formentor VZ5s, it comes with vertically-arranged quad exhaust pipes, exclusive two-tone 20-inch alloy wheels and copper accents all around the bodywork.

As part of the partnership with DTM, Cupra will provide the organization with two safety cars, two race control cars, a medical car, and a leading car which adds up to six vehicles in total. They will be present in all 16 DTM races and 14 DTM Trophy races, starting from Portimão, Portugal this weekend. Below you can watch the teaser video created by Cupra to highlight the styling of its new safety car.