Cuplis in Cupra

class=”sc-3778e872-0 cKDKQr”>

About five years ago, mushrooms exploded in Seat in Martorell, Spain, near Barcelona. In February 2018, the new subsidiary brand Cupra was launched – a line of equipment became an independent brand. After all, their lack of tradition, image and customer base was a risk. Luca de Meo (55), then chairman of Seat and now boss of Renault, was still enthusiastic: Cupra should serve customers with sportier ambitions and show Seat the way to electrification.

Contrary to all apocalyptic prophecies: Cupra has become a success story and is now Europe’s fastest growing car brand. More than 300,000 vehicles have rolled off the assembly line so far, with one-fifth of that going to Germany, the most important market. The Spaniards sold 150,000 cars worldwide last year, doubling their sales despite the aftermath of Corona and the Ukraine war. At the Geneva Motor Show 2018 it all started modestly with a Seat Ateca brushed for performance as a single model; A similar variant of Leon’s compact car followed. But the Formentor, the first car to be introduced only in 2020 and developed exclusively for the Cupra, really made an impact – also thanks to the 390 hp five-cylinder inherited from sister company Audi.

Design as the key to success

Where does success come from? “We captured the spirit of the times with our design,” says Wayne Griffiths (57). The British have been Cupra’s boss since 2019. A year later, she comfortably took over the management of mother Seat and set high goals for Cupra: “In 2023, we will again improve significantly. Semiconductors are now more readily available again.” The backlog on deliveries of the first Cupra Stromers Born now needs to be completed quickly: “We want to get twice as many Born on the roads in 2023 than in 2022.” The Cupra is particularly attractive to new customers: “For 70 percent of our customers, a model from other VW Group brands could not be an alternative,” says Griffiths.

With the Tavascan, it is now unveiling its second true Cupra model – again with an all-electric drive. Cupra is set to become an electric brand by 2030. And a midsize SUV coupé like the 4.60-metre Tavascan should boost sales quickly. The first model of the entire VW Group, the top version called the VZ uses new all-wheel drive with 340 hp/250 kW; The rear-wheel drive basic version has 286 hp/210 kW. A range of up to 550 kilometers should be possible thanks to a battery capacity of 77 kilowatt-hours. Although the model was designed and developed in Barcelona, ​​it is also produced in China for Europe. Because the main plant in Martorell is fully utilized with the latest combustion models from Seat and Cupra. And from 2025, the little electric Cupra Urban Rebel and its VW sibling ID.2 will also roll off the assembly line there.

What about the seat?

Additionally, Griffiths has long been looking beyond Europe. Last year Cupra launched in Australia, a tough market for all newcomers. It’s also heading to the US soon: “Americans will love the Cupra design and performance. In South America, the transition to e-mobility will take longer as we see more opportunities for our combustion engines.”

With the success of the affiliate, Seat moves into the background. No new models in sight – before the Cupra, Seat was also the coolest of all VW group brands with the youngest customer base in Switzerland. Today, the average Formentor customer is 48 years old and much younger than established brands. Will the seat disappear? “The fact that the Cupra will only produce electric cars from 2030 does not mean that Seat will no longer have petrol or diesel engines,” says Griffiths. “No one knows how long the transition to electric cars will take. By 2035, internal combustion engines will certainly be sold in some European regions.” And as the case of Germany shows, markets are volatile: sales of electric models skyrocketed last year and collapsed in January with the cancellation of government support for plug-in hybrids.

Mobility instead of cars

But Griffiths and his team are considering focusing the brand more on mobility solutions rather than just selling cars. Electric scooters and scooters are currently sold under the Mó sub-brand. “Like all brands, Seat will have to transform and open up new business areas. Griffiths says those who don’t adapt to today’s market will disappear in a few years. Seat could become a brand for customers who love efficient mobility more than cars: “Many young people don’t want to own a car anymore, they want to buy mobility. In Barcelona we are currently having discussions about what a car-free city might look like. But for me e-cars are not the problem, they are part of the solution.”

This question is not asked only in Barcelona. The same applies to the question of why e-cars have always been large and relatively expensive. “We actually need the more affordable Stromer,” says Griffiths. “Ideally, the ones that cost no more than a petrol engine.” This doesn’t necessarily have to be Cupra’s job, it’s probably Seat or other VW Group brands. The starting price should be between 25,000 and 30,000 francs. “If we don’t develop and manufacture these models in Europe, other manufacturers will.”

Griffiths remains even more reserved when it comes to the autonomous driving trend, which, meanwhile, tends to lose its magic. Will electronics eventually take over the steering wheel in the Cupra? Probably not, says Briton: “We don’t want to develop vehicles where you can sleep in or read the newspaper on the go. Our cars are electric but they are never boring. Cupra remains a car brand.”

Source: Blick