New Large SUV Will Be Cupra’s Halo Model

Cupra has several new models under construction, one of which is an electric flagship. The idea is to break into the US market with a sizeable electric SUV that will also be sold in Europe, according to Auto Express.

Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths recently said the brand will need something completely new to launch an American assault. 

However, pressures within the Volkswagen Group mean it would also need to be sold in the EU. Bigger SUVs also mean greater profit margins.

Dr Werner Tietz, VP or R&D at Cupra, said the firm is working on “multiple concepts”, suggesting that the as-yet-unnamed car could form part of a range of new models.

Sven Schuwirth, Cupra’s executive VP for sales and marketing, said “We are not ones for being a bit more rational, or building more function-oriented cars. 

“We keep emotional body styles; we continue to somehow reinvent existing body styles. We will continue to do the same.”

The new vehicle is sure to be an SUV, a five-seater. Other VW brands handle the seven-seaters, according to Griffiths.

The range topper will have a 3m wheelbase and be just under 5m in length. It will offer superior cabin and boot space to its rivals. Expect a sloping roof, and a coupé-style rear end, as is the new normal.

Expect inspiration also from the recently revealed Tavascan so it will have a similarly sharp front end, with triangular elements in LED lights. Acute angles down the flanks will contrast with flush-mount door handles. Extensive copper detailing goes without saying.

It’s likely to have a full-width LED light bar at the rear and an illuminated Cupra logo. A discreet active spoiler is also a possibility, like on Cayenne Coupé.

A fun drive goes without saying, the “sportiest offer in the segment”. The new vehicle will probably use the VW Group’s forthcoming SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) architecture, the future backbone of the group. Expect also a range of rear and dual-motor models, with up to 400kW of power. It’ll also feature new-generation battery and charging tech, with capacity of up to 100kWh, for a range of at least 600km.

Nothing is known about the interior but in-car tech and significant screen real estate are likely. 

A release date was not given but the team hinted at 2029. Pricing will kick off around $NZ110k. Before then, quit soon in fact, it will release the 4m long Raval supermini, based on the UrbanRebel concept, with the interior space of a Leon. And an electric sports car is still a possibility, based on the DarkRebel concept. But financial stability for the company is its first priority.