Autocar March 10, 2021

CUPRA HAS LED a varied existence over the past few decades, pivoting from its origins as Seat’s motorsport team to become a manufacturer in its own right. After a quiet start as a stand-alone entity with the Ateca in 2018, the Cupra brand now feels up and running and, crucially, credible with the excellent Formentor, its first bespoke model and already one of this year’s surprise hits. Plenty more stand-alone Cupras are now planned, as we reveal this week (p4). Each sounds distinctive in its styling, positioning and technology, thus building on the success of the Formentor. So where does all of this leave Cupra’s parent brand, Seat? After question marks over its future a decade ago, Seat had turned itself around with a string of fine cars, and at…

CUPRA HAS LED a varied existence over the past few decades, pivoting from its origins as Seat’s motorsport team to become a manufacturer in its own right. After a quiet start as a stand-alone entity with the Ateca in 2018, the Cupra brand now feels up and running and, crucially, credible with the excellent Formentor, its first bespoke model and already one of this year’s surprise hits. Plenty more stand-alone Cupras are now planned, as we reveal this week (p4). Each sounds distinctive in its styling, positioning and technology, thus building on the success of the Formentor. So where does all of this leave Cupra’s parent brand, Seat? After question marks over its future a decade ago, Seat had turned itself around with a string of fine cars, and at the top…

Cupra is entering its fourth year as a stand-alone performance brand with a plan to dramatically boost its market share, expand its line-up with crucial new models and overhaul its global retail model with an innovative digital approach. Established as a brand in its own right alongside Seat in February 2018, Cupra will now seek to build on the sales success of its hot versions of the Seat Ateca and Leon, as well as its bespoke Formentor SUV, with a performance-focused push into electrification and digitisation. The first step will come with the launch later this year of the Born hot hatchback – Cupra’s first bespoke EV. The Born, now shorn of its ‘El’ prefix, will eventually sit between two other bespoke EVs, with the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture allowing for a…

Cupra is entering its fourth year as a stand-alone performance brand with a plan to dramatically boost its market share, expand its line-up with crucial new models and overhaul its global retail model with an innovative digital approach. Established as a brand in its own right alongside Seat in February 2018, Cupra will now seek to build on the sales success of its hot versions of the Seat Ateca and Leon, as well as its bespoke Formentor SUV, with a performance-focused push into electrification and digitisation. The first step will come with the launch later this year of the Born hot hatchback – Cupra’s first bespoke EV. The Born, now shorn of its ‘El’ prefix, will eventually sit between two other bespoke EVs, with the Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture allowing…

As it expands and overhauls its line-up of bespoke models, Cupra will also develop a new digital retail set-up centred on its virtual ‘e-Garage’, which will serve as a readily accessible hub for owners, both prospective and current, and a venue for brand events. Cupra will continue to develop its global network of physical dealerships, with 800 sites set to be in operation by the end of 2022, but will combine the online and offline retail experience to “ensure a sustainable sales model for the brand and its investors in the future”, according to CEO Wayne Griffiths. Aftersales boss Lourdes de la Sota said the new service will be “digital, disruptive and connected, but always with a human touch”, demonstrating how customers can explore the simulated venue – situated on Majorca’s…

As it expands and overhauls its line-up of bespoke models, Cupra will also develop a new digital retail set-up centred on its virtual ‘e-Garage’, which will serve as a readily accessible hub for owners, both prospective and current, and a venue for brand events. Cupra will continue to develop its global network of physical dealerships, with 800 sites set to be in operation by the end of 2022, but will combine the online and offline retail experience to “ensure a sustainable sales model for the brand and its investors in the future”, according to CEO Wayne Griffiths. Aftersales boss Lourdes de la Sota said the new service will be “digital, disruptive and connected, but always with a human touch”, demonstrating how customers can explore the simulated venue – situated on…