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Cupra (marque)

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For the motorsports company and team, see Cupra Racing.
SEAT Cupra S.A.U.
Company typeSociedad Anónima Unipersonal / subsidiary
IndustrieAutomotive
Gegründet
  • 1985 (SEAT Sport S.A.)
  • 2018 (SEAT Cupra S.A.U.)
HauptsitzMartorell, Catalonia, Spain
Area served
Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America (except Brazil and Argentina), Singapore and Australia
Key people
Wayne Griffiths (President)
ProdukteAutomobiles
ParentSEAT
DivisionsCupra Racing
Websitewww.cupraofficial.com

SEAT Cupra S.A.U., trading as Cupra (stylised in all caps) is a subsidiary of Spanish car manufacturer SEAT, which is part of Volkswagen Group. It is headquartered in Martorell near Barcelona, Spain.

The Cupra brand was introduced as a standalone brand in January 2018. While initial Cupra models are based on SEAT vehicles, in September 2020 Cupra introduced the first Cupra-only vehicle, the Cupra Formentor. In 2021, the brand introduced its first electric car called the Cupra Born.

History

Cupra originated from SEAT Sport, the high-performance motorsport subsidiary of SEAT. The "Cupra" name, short of "Cup Racing" was first used in 1996 by the SEAT Ibiza GTI 2.0 16V Cupra Sport. It is a street legal version of the Ibiza Mk2 kit car used in the competition, created as a special edition to celebrate SEAT's victory in the 1996 FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup, a subdivision of the World Rally Championship at that time.[1][2] It was followed by the SEAT Ibiza Cupra 1.8 20V in 1999, and the more powerful Ibiza Cupra R in 2000.[3]

Over the following two decades, SEAT introduced a succession of hot hatchbacks marketed with the Cupra badge, such as the SEAT León Cupra 1.8 20V in 1999, and in the following year the SEAT Leon Cupra 4, which is the first AWD Cupra and the only six-cylinder Cupra.[4] Since then, every León generations has been supplemented with a Cupra-badged hot hatch version.[3]

A Cupra dealership in Martorell, Spain

In 2017, then SEAT CEO Luca de Meo hinted the possibility of Cupra becoming a standalone brand. At that point, Cupra was only available as the performance version of the León.[5] On 31 January 2018, SEAT confirmed that it is launching Cupra as a standalone brand,[6] followed by an announcement event on 22 February 2018.[7] In the event, brand showcased prototypes of future Cupra models such as the Cupra Ateca.[8] SEAT's head of sales and marketing at that time, Wayne Griffiths targeted the brand to double the sales within the following four to five years, helping SEAT achieve sustainable profitability. Cupra cars would be sold in selected SEAT dealerships in Europe with dedicated floor space.[9]

The Cupra logo was designed by Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, which was conceived by intersecting two triangles. According to Mesonero-Romanos, the philosophy of the triangular logo is that a triangle is a dynamic shape, has a stable base and pointing in a clear direction.[10]

The first model from the standalone Cupra brand is the Cupra Ateca, which was introduced in October 2018.[11] The Cupra León joined the line-up in February 2020, following the introduction of the SEAT León Mk4.[12] In March 2020, Cupra introduced the Formentor after being previewed as a near-production concept vehicle at the Geneva International Motor Show in November 2019. It is the first Cupra product that is not shared with SEAT.[13]

In February 2021, the Cupra Born was introduced as Cupra's first electric car. Contrary to its concept version that was showcased as the SEAT el-Born, the Born became a Cupra-exclusive model while remain closely related to the Volkswagen ID.3.[14] The second electric car from Cupra is the Tavascan, which was launched in April 2023. The Tavascan was preceded by the concept car with the same name shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is also the first Cupra model produced outside Europe, as it is produced by Volkswagen Anhui in China.[15]

Produkte

Current vehicles

Body style Model Current generation Vehicle description
Image Name(s) Einführung

(cal. year)

Einführung Update (facelift)
Hatchback Born 2021 2021 - Battery electric C-segment hatchback based on the Volkswagen ID.3.
León 2020 2020 - Performance version of the SEAT León.
Station wagon León Sportstourer 2020 2020 - Performance version of the SEAT León Sportstourer/Estate.
Crossover SUV Ateca 2018 2018 2020 Performance version of the SEAT Ateca.
Formentor 2020 2020 - Compact crossover SUV (C-segment) based on the León. First standalone model for Cupra.
Tavascan 2023 2023 - Battery electric C-segment coupe SUV built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, MEB.

Concept cars

  • Cupra Tavascan (2019)
    Cupra Tavascan (2019)
  • Cupra Urban Rebel (2021)
    Cupra Urban Rebel (2021)
  • Cupra Raval (2022)
    Cupra Raval (2022)
  • Cupra Dark Rebel Concept (2023)
    Cupra Dark Rebel Concept (2023)

Racing cars

  • Cupra E-TCR (2018)
  • Cupra E-Racer (2020)
  • Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept (2021)
  • Cupra E-TCR (2018)
    Cupra E-TCR (2018)
  • Cupra E-Racer (2020)
    Cupra E-Racer (2020)
  • Cupra Tavascan Extreme E (2021)
    Cupra Tavascan Extreme E (2021)

Production figures

Year Models Total
Ateca León Formentor Born
2020[16] K.A. K.A. 11,041 - -
2021[17] 4,505 13,670 58,863 4,801 81,839
2022[17] 8,841 20,070 105,568 36,153 170,632

References

  1. ^ "Cupra - The story behind Seat's performance brand". Cupra - The story behind Seat's performance brand. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  2. ^ Misoyannis, Alex (2021-06-24). "Cupra: Everything you need to know about Volkswagen's sportier cousin – UPDATE". Drive. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  3. ^ a b Linklater, David (2019-07-11). "A short history of Cupra road cars". Stuff. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  4. ^ "The Good Oil: The confusing history of Seat Cupra". Driven Car Guide. 2020-10-11. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  5. ^ Beckwith, Jimi (2017-09-12). "Seat to spin off Cupra as hot sub-brand in 2018". Autocar. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  6. ^ "Meet Cupra: the new standalone sporting brand by Seat". CAR Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  7. ^ "Seat launches Cupra as standalone performance brand". Fleet News. 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  8. ^ "Cupra Ibiza prototype shown at launch of new performance brand". evo. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  9. ^ Ciferri, Luca (2018-02-22). "VW's Seat makes Cupra a stand-alone brand". Automotive News Europe. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  10. ^ "Alejandro Mesonero's Design Process – Garage | CUPRA". www.cupraofficial.com. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  11. ^ McIlroy, John (2018-10-12). "New 2018 Cupra Ateca unveiled with 296bhp". Auto Express. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  12. ^ "Cupra unveils the sporty 2020 Leon hatch and wagon models". Driven Car Guide. 2020-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  13. ^ "Cupra Formentor SUV Makes up to 306 HP, Offers Plug-in Hybrid Version". MotorTrend. 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  14. ^ "Cupra Confirms New Born (Formerly el-Born) Electric Hatchback". InsideEVs. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  15. ^ Bob Harper (10 September 2019). "New Cupra Tavascan all-electric SUV debuts in Frankfurt". evo.co.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Volkswagen Konzern - AR 20 - Moving progress". annualreport2020.volkswagenag.com. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  17. ^ a b "Volkswagen Passenger Cars". Volkswagen Group Annual Report 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-30.

Media related to Cupra (company) at Wikimedia Commons

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