- Cupra is a Spanish car brand that’s part of the VW Group, and it’s planning to come to the U.S.
- Initially part of Seat, Cupra is now a standalone brand and it plans to built EVs in North America by the end of the decade.
- The lineup could include two SUV models, a Sportback-style hatch, and even possibly a sports car similar to the Dark Rebel concept.
Cupra, the up-and-coming Spanish satellite of the Volkswagen Group, is on a roll. And now the team is preparing the next coup, a launch in the U.S. before the end of the decade. Here are the details.
What Is Cupra?
Cupra started life in 2016 as a subdivision of the Spanish Seat brand that specialized in sporty equipment packs, kind of a poor man’s AMG Line or BMW M Sport. But only two years later, it got upgraded to full-fledged brand status. The kick-off product, a go-fast version of the Ateca small SUV, was followed by the Leon hatchback and the Leon wagon in 2021. The first standalone Cupra model was the Formentor SUV (pictured at top), which shares its genes with the Audi Q3 and VW Tiguan. Two and a half years ago, the Born crossover based on the VW ID.3 marked the brand ́s entry to the EV segment, which will eventually become its sole battleground.
When Will Cupra Come to the U.S.?
The next big thing for Cupra is the confirmed expansion into North America. If all goes according to plan, the Spanish underdog will begin building cars here in 2028 or 2029. The Audi plant in Mexico is claimed to be the preferred option for a larger Cupra model, but the VW factory in Chattanooga and a still-to-be-determined U.S. site may also enter the equation.
At least initially, this will not be a nationwide effort but a campaign focusing on the West and East coasts together with selected metro hubs. The marketing strategy is to sell not only online and through a select dealer body but also by establishing new, contemporary channels.
What Cars Will Cupra Sell?
Cupra Dark Rebel concept
Product-wise, we should see a double whammy led by the next-generation Formentor and a bigger crossover said to be the sister model of the Audi Q6 e-tron. The third model in the lineup could be a Sportback-type four-door hatchback with conceptual Audi Allroad overtones. And finally, we expect a toned-down version of the eye-catching Dark Rebel concept, which could serve as Cupra’s first halo car. But the end of the decade is still a fairly long way off, and with the markets presently swinging from one extreme to the other, the product portfolio of Cupra USA is not yet cast in stone.
Although I was born the only son of an ornithologist and a postal clerk, it was clear from the beginning that birdwatching and stamp collecting were not my thing. Had I known that God wanted me to grow to 6’8″, I also would have ruled out anything to do with cars, which are to blame for a couple of slipped discs, a torn ligament, and that stupid stooped posture behind the wheel. While working as a keeper in the Aberdeen Zoo, smuggling cheap cigarettes from Yugoslavia to Germany, and an embarrassing interlude with an amateur drama group also failed to yield fulfillment, driving and writing about cars became a much better option. And it still is now, many years later, as I approach my 70th birthday. I love every aspect of my job except long-haul travel on lousy airlines, and I hope it shows.