Anyone with a soft spot for small and sporty crossovers
might want to keep an eye on Cupra’s first standalone model: the Formentor. The close-to-production concept
is very close to the final car, which will go on sale next year with the same
underpinnings as the Seat Ateca.
Unlike its counterpart, the Formentor is longer,
wider and sits lower to the ground. It also gets a sloping roofline, full-width
lights at the rear and aggressive styling. The driver-focused interior
further reflects its purpose. The study comes with bucket seats, carbon fiber
trim and a large touchscreen display, most of which, if not all, will be found
in the final production model. There’s also a good amount of leg- and shoulder
room at the back, plus a decently sized boot.
Cupra has chosen a plug-in hybrid powertrain
consisting of a 1.5-liter TSI petrol for and an electric motor. Its total
output of 245 PS makes it 55 PS behind the
Cupra Ateca, which is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four, but since this is the
performance brand’s first standalone model, it’s only natural to have pulled
out all the stops.
The Cupra Ateca has a recommended retail price of
£ 41,190 (US$ 51,656/€ 45,846) in the United Kingdom, but it’s hard to say
where the Formentor will sit.
