Cupra aspires to have the weight that Seat had in its best years. Taking into account the exponential growth it is registering, the automotive brand sets itself the goal of reaching 500,000 vehicles sold starting in 2025, when the new models it will launch in the coming years are already on the market.
Half a million vehicles delivered is a figure that its Martorell counterpart managed to surpass in 2018 and 2019, before the arrival of the pandemic and the other crises that have followed it. In 2021, Cupra sold about 80,000 vehicles, registering an increase of almost 200% compared to the previous year, while Seat sold more than 470,000, up 10%. In addition to all this, Cupra expects to exceed Seat's turnover in 2023.
The increases that the new brand has achieved have occurred in just four years. Historically, Cupra vehicles had been Seat's sports models. The aim was to go a step further and promote a differentiating business line with a larger profit margin. In this short period of time, Cupra has not only carved out a niche in the market, but is even taking the spotlight away from the group's other brand.
Since 2018, the new brand has delivered close to 200,000 units, with a turnover that has gone from 430 million euros in its first year to almost 2,200 million euros last year, figures "well above all expectations". For this year, Cupra expects to double its turnover ---up to 5,000 million---, sales and its own dealer network. If forecasts are met, the Seat group could bill more than 15,000 million in 2025.
To reach 500,000 cars sold, the automaker based in Martorell will launch new models by 2025 and expand into markets such as Australia. One of the new models will be the small electric vehicle that must guarantee the continuity of the Baix Llobregat plant when it is electrified.
The new urban electric model, called Urban Rebel, with an expected price between 20,000 and 25,000 euros, is Volkswagen's great promise for the Barcelona factory. "It will be the biggest project for our company in the coming years, as it is key to our transformation into a fully electric brand. We are leading the development of the vehicle family that will democratize sustainable urban mobility," says Cupra's Vice President of Research and Development, Werner Tietz.
To reach 500,000 cars sold, the automaker based in Martorell will launch new models by 2025 and expand into markets such as AustraliaThe production of this vehicle is subject to the aid from the PERTE for electric vehicles.With a planned investment of 10 billion euros by the German group, a consortium of more than 60 national and international partners has been created to promote electric mobility in Spain, locatingthe battery plant, the main investment, in Sagunt.
The new Cupra will be based on the Volkswagen Group's front-wheel-drive MEB platform for small vehicles. With a length of about four meters, it will feature a 226 HP electric motor. It will have the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds and a range of up to 440 kilometers.
The lightweight design will be accompanied by the incorporation of sustainable materials, such as advanced recycled polymers and bio-based materials. It will also use 3D printing and 3D fabrics with parametric design to improve performance and quality.
Two more models
Cupra will complete its range with the Cupra Terramar, honoring the Sitges circuit where the brand was launched, and the Cupra Tavascan. They will arrive before the one to be produced in Martorell, with a launch planned for 2024. The Terramar will be manufactured in Hungary, at Audi's Györ plant. It has not yet been specified where the Tavascan will be produced.
All of them will join Cupra's current portfolio: the Cupra Ateca, the Cupra León, the Cupra Formentor, and the Cupra Born. Only the Cupra Formentor is currently manufactured in Barcelona. "Martorell has a lot of capacity. I am going to fight to have more projects, but we have to be competitive," defends its CEO, Wayne Griffiths. "The most important thing is to fight to have electric cars," he emphasizes.