Seat’s taste for high-riding vehicles started with
the presentation of the Ateca in early 2016. The compact SUV was then followed
by the smaller Arona and, more recently, the larger Tarraco. The Spanish car brand’s ambitions
won’t stop here, however, as they’re also looking at introducing a coupe SUV.
And they have trademarked the Terramar moniker,
which could be used in the production version.
Autodromo de Sitges-Terramar is a former racing
track located near Barcelona, built in the 1920s. It’s also where Seat hosted
the launch event of the Cupra brand earlier this year. Thus, the Terramar is
consistent with Seat’s naming policy, which takes inspiration from the Spanish
geography. Also, it’s relatively easy to pronounce in different languages.
Seat already confirmed a “CUV”, which “will be
Leon-sized”, according to R&D boss, Dr. Matthias Rabe. The official
referred to it as “quite high, coupe-like and quite sporty”, which “works very
well as a Cupra” and “fits perfectly”. So, if the Terramar is this model, it
would slot in their lineup between the Ateca and the Tarraco.
However, the British publication reports it will be
a coupe version of the latter, inspired by the 20v20 Concept presented at the
Geneva Motor Show in 2015. It is said to launch as a Cupra first, with more
than 300 horsepower channeled to both axles through a dual-clutch automatic
transmission. A small electric motor might also be used for a mild hybrid
powertrain.
Possibly following the Cupra Terramar, around 18 to
24 months later, will be the Seat versions. These will reportedly make use of
petrol and diesel engines, but hybrid variants are also being considered.
