Dark Rebel design study at IAA: Fans designed this Cupra

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

Are there any real surprises at auto shows? In fact, most of the innovations are known beforehand. The show car from fast-paced Seat subsidiary Cupra was seen even before its launch: Dark Rebel was unveiled in the summer as a purely virtual work of bits and bytes. However, Cupra is now performing in the open space in the city center at IAA Mobility in Munich (D)!

The name alone suggests that it should revolutionize the brand. The curves and sharp edges at the front combine with the stylish rear with a wide diffuser, giving the sports wagon an aggressive look. Scissor doors provide access to the driver-focused cockpit and two-seater interior. However, these are not the main reasons that make Dark Rebel so special.

Fans voted

The brand’s customers managed to influence the design of the sports car. They’ve created about 270,000 configurations of Dark Rebel online. Last year the Cupra fan base voted for the best drafts. «Color comes directly from the community. It’s actually purple, but it may look different depending on the arrival of the light,” says Cupra chief designer Jorge Diez (47): “And because of all the edges, the flank looks like a human muscle.”

In the front view, too, there are analogies to a living creature: At first glance, it seems as if the headlights were not there. «The car should wake up when it is turned on. So we painted over the headlights; it looks as if the car is opening its eyes. The same goes for the taillights,” says Cupra’s chief designer. Light is also the keyword of the logo. Cupra, which will start next year, is illuminated as in Tavascan.

As in the game world

The interior center console leans towards the driver: “It’s one piece and was produced using 3D printing,” explains Diez. Depending on the driving mode, the ambient lighting in the interior changes and an on-screen avatar interacts with the driver: “This is the driver’s personal assistant, which he can configure as he wishes.” The steering wheel may have come straight out of a video game: It aims to combine racing with the game world.

The flat car is 4.50 meters long and only 1.30 meters high (provided the doors are closed). The underground car park is getting narrower as there are clearly 2.20 meters high towers. Technical data of the driver? loading volume? Market launch? There are no answers to these questions as Dark Rebel is just a design study. Electric driving is an absolute necessity; After all, Cupra wants to hit the road with electric vehicles only by 2030. An electric platform will also facilitate the implementation of the futuristic sports station wagon. No one at Cupra wants to confirm a possible production version.

Source: Blick