Spanish carmaker Seat, has announced the launch of its new Cupra sub-brand. The
newly-formed division will be Seat’s “ultimate expression of sportiness,” and
will be tasked to “captivate car enthusiasts around the world.”
There’s a new logo for the sub-brand too, which “is
inspired by the attitude of tribal civilisations and reflects the values that
the new brand is keen to transmit – passion, precision, determination and
courage.”
This logo can be found on the Cupra Ateca, the
sub-brand’s first model – an SUV that is powered by a 2.0 litre TSI engine
paired with a seven-speed DSG. There’s 300 PS on tap here, along with adaptive
suspension and a 4Drive all-wheel drive system.
Performance-wise, the hot Ateca will complete the
0-100 km/h test in 5.4 seconds, and will hit a top speed of 245 km/h.
Deceleration can be handled by the optional Brembo performance brakes that
sport a black finish.
Visual identifiers include a honeycomb mesh for the
front grille, a unique bumper, plenty of gloss black accents, a rear diffuser
and spoiler, quad exhaust tips and 19-inch diamond cut alloys.
Inside, you get a good spread of black Alcantara
with grey stitching in certain areas, including the leather-wrapped steering
wheel and gear knob. Aluminium pedals and plenty of Cupra logos complete the
look. If that’s not enough, you can specify carbon-fibre exterior and interior
packs, or even bucket seats that will come later on.
The performance SUV is only the start for Cupra, as
it has also presented two concepts that likely preview future production
models. The first is the Cupra Ibiza, which will have the Polo GTI in its
sights in production guise, while the other is the Cupra Arona compact
crossover (no photos yet).
Also, Cupra will also take
over all motorsport and racing responsibilities from Seat Sport, which will be
directly integrated into the new sub-brand. The Cupra TCR will be Cupra’s first
race car, and will officially compete in the TCR racing series in the 2018
season.
