What's the news?
SEAT's newly-minted standalone high-performance brand, Cupra, has just revealed its first standalone product - the Formentor. Although officially a concept car for now, the Formentor is expected to go into production soon, and will give Cupra its first car that won't be directly based on an existing SEAT model.
That said, there are some obvious SEAT design cues. The front end of the Formentor is very similar to that of the new SEAT Tarraco seven-seat SUV, albeit lower-slung and with a more aggressive bodykit. The exterior of the car gets Cupra's new twin-pronged badge, as well as lots of dark copper highlights - Cupra's signature colour trim.
The paint job is a new, and thus far unique, 'Matte Petrol Blue' finish. Around the back, the Formentor hets heavily sculpted rear wheelarches, with a dramatic full-width light bar between the brake lights. There are some faint hints of the China-only Skoda Kodiaq Coupe around the rear, but in general Cupra seems to have given it enough of its own character. "The Cupra Formentor's strong design points are the beauty of its proportions, the strength of its lines, the refinement of its surfaces and the sublime colour concept. I truly believe that Cupra Formentor inspires pure desire," said Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, Director of Design.
Power comes from a plug-in hybrid system based around the Volkswagen Group's familiar 1.4-litre TSI turbo petrol engine. Combined, the engine and electric motor develop 245hp, delivered to all four wheels through a DSG automatic gearbox. Cupra isn't giving any specific performance figures yet, but says that it will "surpass the performance expectations of the driver." It should be able to go for around 50km on just electric power, with a full charge of the battery, too.
In the cabin, there's a dramatic departure from the regular SEAT interior (the current Cupra Ateca has a cabin basically identical to that of its more humble brethren). There's a big, floating ten-inch central touchscreen, augmented by a fully digital instrument pack, carbon-backed bucket seats, and dark chrome and black high gloss accents throughout.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO and member of the Board of Cupra, highlighted that "Cupra's current success is a clear reflection of the brand's popularity in the market. Cupra's response is exceeding all of our expectations and we want to continue consolidating this special brand, which is winning over the most demanding car enthusiasts. Now is the time to go full throttle with Cupra."