Cupra to reveal coupe-crossover as first standalone model

Autocar render
Autocar's image of what the Cupra coupe-crossover could look like
First Cupra model with bespoke styling will make its debut at Geneva motor show

Cupra will launch a coupé-SUV with bespoke styling at the Geneva motor show this year, helping the performance brand to distinguish itself from parent company Seat.

The new model, rumoured to be called Terramar, will be the first from Cupra whose exterior design is a unique departure from Seat’s range.

It adapts the bodystyle of the 20V20 concept seen at Geneva in 2015, but with a radically different look distinguishing the model from other, similar-sized Volkswagen Group SUVs.

It will be wider and lower than Cupra’s first model, the Ateca, featuring a sloping roofline, pronounced rear haunches and a front-end design that takes inspiration from the Tarraco large SUV.

Autocar understands that the new SUV won’t be totally new under the skin, however, and is likely to adopt the engine and running gear from the current Cupra Ateca. That means the familiar ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, possibly with more than today’s 296bhp, mated to a variable four-wheel-drive system and seven-speed DSG gearbox.

Cupra may also look to alter the car’s chassis and suspension components beyond simple tuning revisions. The car appeared to sport a wider track in previous leaked shots, which would in theory improve body control.

The Terramar will play a major part in Cupra’s goal to establish its own identity away from Seat, with a new organisational structure now implemented.

Brit Wayne Griffiths, already sales and marketing boss, has been given the additional role of Cupra CEO, with Seat president Luca de Meo chairing the board of directors. The car maker plans to reach 30,000 sales per year in the next three to five years, while Cupra-specific staff will also be hired.

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