The future of electric mobility in the city begins on the racetrack. At least when it comes to Cupra. Seat’s sports subsidiary is expanding its model range with an electric compact car in 2025.
At the International Motor Show (IAA) held in Munich (Germany) last year, the Spaniards made our mouths water with the Urban Rebel Racing Concept. With its electric midget wheel arches and powerful spoiler, it leaves you wanting more. The technical data completely stunned us: 340 hp (250 kW) continuous output and 435 hp (320 kW) and 510 Nm short-term maximum power accelerate the 4.25-metre-long Rebel to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds using all four wheels.
E-racer with rally genes
No, these are not theoretical values. At the Barcelona F1 circuit (E), we can see for ourselves that the Urban Rebel Racing Concept is a true electric racer with rally genes. For this, Cupra has prepared a short cross rally course on part of the Circuit de Catalunya.
We put on our racing overalls and put on our helmets. The urban rebel is already waiting in the headlights, with double doors – because at 6 p.m. in Spain in November it is dark. We tuck ourselves into the narrow sports seat, strap ourselves in with the five-point seat belt, and stare at the bare cockpit: racing steering wheel, digital instruments and flight handbrake for maximum drifting fun.
This is how it goes
The electric drive is the perfect match for the race car. The rebel operation responds spontaneously as soon as you lightly touch the gas and launches at an extremely high speed. First, you pass a chicane on an asphalt road. It instantly reacts to the slightest twitch of the steering wheel. We braked decisively before the sharp corner.
It is on the gravel road. Again, the Racing Concept is easy to control and we can bounce back. Impressive: Shock absorbers also soften deep trenches with ease and stabilize the Urban Rebel without being affected or staggered, even after the small jump at the end of the course. While we’re not allowed to drive faster than 20 km/h otherwise in the concept studies that cost millions, with the Cupra there is no speed limit and there is only really a jump to take off.
Where is the truth?
Despite all the fun we had on two laps at Urban Rebel Racing Concept, this has little to do with an affordable little electric car. The street version will not react so spontaneously to our commands. What remains, however, is maneuverability and acceleration to quickly turn corners in the city.
However, with the Racing Concept, the main focus is on attracting younger customers, not driving features. This is how Cupra places her electric gnome in the “Forza Horizon 5” video game. As a nod to that, the review of the street version of Urban Rebel has the buttons of a game controller on the steering wheel. We doubt that these will make it into the series. Body shape, on the other hand, should be quite final. After all, Urban Rebel should be recognizable from the game even without major spoilers.
Cupra is already revealing some data about the new entry-level model. The front-wheel drive small electric car should have 234 hp (172 kW), accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and have a range of up to 440 kilometers when it rolled off the racetrack in 2015 and rolled onto our streets. 2025.