Cupra’s new ‘huge’ electrical SUV is coming to Australia

Cupra is planning a brand new giant electrical SUV to take a seat atop the vary, which can assist it enter the US market and increase its attain in Australia

The Spanish Volkswagen Group subsidiary mentioned it plans to enter the USA by the top of this decade initially with two electrical fashions: a next-generation Formentor with electrical energy, and a “greater electrical crossover SUV”.

The latter can be produced in North American Volkswagen factories, together with in Mexico – a market the place the Volkswagen Group already produces autos such because the Audi Q5 and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace for export to Australia.

The brand new flagship SUV has additionally been confirmed for not solely North America, however Europe and Australia.

Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths didn’t verify simply how huge the brand new SUV can be.

“I don’t suppose Cupra the model is a household automotive, so I don’t suppose it’s going to have seven seats,” Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths advised media.

“It’s going to be huge, and it’s huge. Now we have the design fashions already prepared, it’s a really spectacular automotive when it comes to design.

“Not a basic SUV, a crossover, sportier in step with what Cupra’s all about. But it surely’s huge. It’s definitely huge for Europe, and I feel it’s sufficiently big for the US.”

Requirements of measurement are completely different between our market and the US. Autos just like the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Kluger which are thought of giant SUVs right here, for instance, are thought of mid-sized within the US.

However Mr Griffiths’ remarks counsel it might be each bigger and have a sleeker silhouette than the upcoming Terramar, a mid-sized, petrol and plug-in hybrid SUV that Cupra says can have extra of a standard SUV really feel than its fairly low-slung Formentor.

The Terramar will measure round 4.5 metres lengthy, comparable in measurement to the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The upcoming Tavascan electrical SUV can be longer nonetheless at 4644mm lengthy, whereas boasting a extra coupe-like silhouette.

Whether or not the upcoming flagship SUV can be even bigger stays to be seen. Volkswagen’s flagship Touareg, for instance, additionally has solely two rows of seating, however measures 4878mm lengthy.

Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths mentioned the model’s success within the Australian market has helped propel its international push.

“[Australia’s] not going to be for us a quantity market, however it exhibits the potential of Cupra to increase globally,” mentioned Mr Griffiths.

“I feel if we will make it in Australia, which is a extremely aggressive market, and you already know that offers us confidence going into different markets significantly the large one, the US.”

Cupra will enter the US market the place SEAT has by no means existed and Skoda hasn’t offered vehicles because the Sixties.

Mr Griffiths says the model plans to launch in “chosen states the place we’re positive we will discover prospects which are linked to the Cupra model”, calling out the east and west coasts particularly in addition to Solar Belt states, which incorporates Arizona.

It additionally plans to promote autos by way of a brand new, unspecified distribution mannequin.

Cupra received’t be the one electric-only Volkswagen Group model within the US, with Scout set to launch in 2026 with electrical off-roaders.

It already has a foothold within the North American market, having launched in Mexico again in 2019.

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