Cupra primes Audi Q6 twin as flagship sports SUV

The Cupra Terramar will beryllium turned into an upmarket electric car for its 2nd generation, borrowing its underpinnings from the Porsche Macan Electric.

Speaking to Autocar successful 1 of his last interviews before stepping down arsenic brag of the Spanish brand, Wayne Griffiths confirmed to Autocar that Cupra’s ample SUV volition go its caller flagship EV wrong the adjacent decade.

It volition articulation electrical versions of the Cupra Formentor crossover and Cupra Leon estate. Both were confirmed to Autocar past twelvemonth and they volition bolster Cupra’s electrical line-up, which presently comprises the Born hatchback and Tavascan fastback.

Griffiths told Autocar: “For the adjacent generation, the adjacent platform, we’re looking astatine battery-electric vehicles succeeding some Formentor and aboriginal Terramar.”

Given the Terramar was launched precocious past twelvemonth and exemplary beingness cycles usually past astatine slightest six years, the EV would beryllium apt to get successful astir 2031, but Griffiths said the marque is “flexible” connected dates for each its models.

However, helium said that arsenic “both cars were marque caller [or updated] and launched past year”, they volition “run until aft the extremity of this decade”. He added: “We tin past marque a determination based connected however accelerated the [market’s] EV adoption is – and that’s a large thing.” 

The existent sub-£40,000 SUV is based connected the MQB level of its Volkswagen Group genitor and gives Cupra a footing successful the hotly contested C-SUV segment. However, the EV volition determination onto the bigger Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, pushing it into the larger D-SUV sector.

Aligned with the Audi Q6 E-tron and Porsche Macan Electric, it is expected to stock their batteries, motors and cardinal chassis elements.

Power-wise, the Macan opens astatine 305bhp and tops retired with 630bhp successful Turbo form. While Cupra’s sporty positioning means the Terramar EV volition battalion a punch, it is improbable to propulsion beyond the 509bhp offered by the £75,400 Macan 4S.

The existent car, launched past twelvemonth arsenic a BMW X1 rival, offers up to 268bhp and is tuned with a absorption connected handling.

When the SUV was launched, Cupra said it was apt to beryllium its last combustion model. Asked wherefore the Terramar was not launched primitively arsenic an EV, Griffiths said: “We request to connection some [combustion and EV models] astatine the moment” due to the fact that “nearly 90% of the marketplace successful Europe is combustion-engine sales.” Last year, Cupra recorded 248,100 sales.

“If we lone had the Tavascan [and Born EVs] and didn’t person a Formentor oregon Terramar, we would beryllium up the stream without a paddle,” said Griffiths. “At the moment, you person to stake connected some [combustion and electric]. I’d similar to accidental let’s spell each successful [on EV]. But you can’t bash that close now.”