CUPRA Australia has revealed the three-model line-up that may launch the model in Australia within the second quarter of 2022, consisting of two efficiency SUVs and a sizzling hatch, bought primarily via a digital-first, agency-style distribution mannequin.
Kicking off with the Leon hatch, the Ateca medium SUV and the Formentor crossover SUV, Australia would be the first market the place Cupra – the efficiency offshoot of the Volkswagen Group’s Spanish arm, Seat – will function solely as a efficiency model, beneath the stewardship of Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA).
Providing electrification from launch, Cupra shall be positioned as a progressive efficiency model occupying an area between mainstream and premium, spanning a worth vary “simply north of $40,000” to “simply above $60,000”, in line with Cupra Australia executives.
Talking to Australian motoring media, Cupra model director Ben Wilks described this positioning as “the area the place prospects are searching for one thing just a little bit completely different, the place efficiency and feeling depend, the place design and particulars are maybe just a little bit extra related than historical past and pretence”.
Cupra additionally plans to underpin this model positioning with a novel distribution technique. “We’re going to be partnering with our community as an company mannequin – so an unique Cupra community when it comes to gross sales, and partnering additionally with Volkswagen Group throughout the community when it comes to service, and with devoted staff members often known as the Cupra Masters,” stated Mr Wilks.
This implies a predominantly digital technique with round 10-20 devoted Cupra ‘shops’ – within the model’s phrases “not essentially a standard dealership mannequin” – throughout yet-to-be-decided areas which will embrace retail strips and buying malls.
The ‘Cupra Grasp’ shall be a single level of contact for every particular person buyer, from preliminary enquiry via to aftersales.
As for gross sales expectations or targets for Australia, Mr Wilks identified that Cupra “doesn’t wish to be too shy or retiring.”
“I feel the size of what we’ve spoken about – so between 10 and 20 sellers, and a variety of 9 completely different variations when it comes to driveline, plug-in hybrids, three completely different fashions, two of them SUVs – most likely provides you a sign,” he stated.
The Australian Cupra vary shall be headlined by the Formentor SUV, a bespoke mannequin designed particularly for Cupra that’s half hot-hatch-on-stilts, half coupe-style SUV.
Based mostly on VW Group’s MQB Evo platform, the Formentor shares its 2680mm wheelbase with the Volkswagen Tiguan however is stylistically on one other planet from its buttoned-up German cousin.
Sporting trademark copper highlights and distinctive flared bodywork, the Formentor is 60mm shorter than a Tiguan and shall be provided right here with 4 powertrains.
Beginning with an all-wheel-drive 140kW Formentor 2.0 TSI 4Drive, there will even be a front-drive Formentor VZ (for ‘Veloz’, that means ‘fast’ or ‘quick’ in Spanish) 2.0 TSI with 180kW.
The range-topping all-wheel-drive model – the Formentor VZ 2.0 TSI 4Drive – amps engine outputs to 228kW/400Nm and options quad exhaust pipes, Brembo brakes and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds.
The Formentor’s electrification possibility would be the front-drive VZ e-Hybrid plug-in, that includes a 110kW 1.4-litre turbo-petrol 4 paired to an 85kW electrical motor and a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack for a complete system output of 180kW/400Nm.
A extra conventional Cupra Ateca medium SUV shares the Formentor’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol 4, seven-speed DSG transmission and ‘4Drive’ all-wheel-drive system however stands taller and rides on a shorter 2638mm wheelbase (shared with the carefully associated Skoda Karoq).
To be provided with a single engine specification, the 221kW/400Nm Cupra Ateca 4Drive can be stated to be good for 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds.
The third mannequin would be the Cupra Leon that launched in Europe in late-2020. Sharing its underpinnings with the new-generation Mk8 Golf, the Leon will open the Cupra line-up by mirroring the Formentor with three petrol engines and a plug-in hybrid – all front-wheel drive with seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions.
Its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol 4 shall be provided in 140kW, 180kW and 221kW outputs whereas the e-Hybrid produces a complete system output of 180kW/400Nm and is able to as much as 60km of WLTP-measured, electric-only vary.
In the meanwhile, the Cupra Leon Sportstourer (wagon) gained’t be coming right here, seeing its Q2 2022 arrival timing would coincide too carefully with the launch of Volkswagen’s new-generation Golf R wagon.
Neither will the limited-edition Formentor VZ5, that includes the Audi RS Q3’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine. Capped at 7000 items (until Cupra decides to make it an ongoing mannequin sooner or later), the VZ5 is at the moment solely configured for left-hand drive.
Undoubtedly into account, nevertheless, is Cupra’s first EV, the Born – on account of begin European gross sales in September. An in depth relative of the Volkswagen ID.3, the rear-wheel-drive Born will supply three powertrains together with an non-compulsory e-Boost1 efficiency package deal with a 77kWh battery, 170kW of energy, 540km of vary and 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds.
In 2020, regardless of the interruptions of the pandemic, Cupra achieved 27,400 gross sales in Europe for double-digit progress over 2019. That quantity has already been surpassed in the course of the first 5 months of 2021 with 28,800 gross sales throughout Europe.
When it comes to the gross sales break up for the fashions coming to Australia, European gross sales have been dominated by the Formentor with 19,458 gross sales year-to-date, adopted by the Leon with 4993 gross sales and Ateca with 4133 gross sales.
