Who ever said electric cars are dull to look at and slow to drive? Cupra – the standalone performance arm of Seat – thinks its latest concept will help to alter public perception – and quickly.
Cupra has given the public the clearest indication yet of how its entry-level electric crossover will look when it arrives in four years’ time by pulling the covers off this racing-inspired UrbanRebel Concept.
Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB short platform, Cupra bosses say the new machine is the “most radical interpretation of an urban electric car” thanks to sharp lines and a unique livery for the body.
Influenced by a shark’s nose, the front is dominated by a ground-hugging front bumper that has deep scallops to channel air to the brakes and ensure stability at higher speeds. A razor thin air scoop has been incorporated into the roof, with the rear featuring an over-sized wing and an underbody diffuser.
Being a concept, no images of how the interior stacks up have been released, although bucket racing seats, a crash cell and seat net that supports the head and shoulders of a driver in a crash are visible.
Jorge Diez, CUPRA Design Director, says the triangular headlights, flared arches and slim LED lightbar that follows the outline of the wing are intended to “inject a gamification look” into the Cupra brand.
“This racing version will influence the road version of the urban electric car,” explained Diez, “but the core elements of the UrbanRebel are enhanced to give the vehicle an even more rebellious character.”
The UrbanRebel Concept has the go to match all that show, with the crossover capable of hitting the magic 62mph in 3.2 seconds – performance that is only bettered by the likes of the Ford GT supercar.
Although full technical details have not been released, Curpa confirmed the UrbanRebel Concept has 335bhp of “continuous power” and a “peak output” of 429bhp in certain situations, although the road-going model is expected to have considerably less performance as it’s likely to have one electric motor.
The production version of the UrbanRebel Concept – which will be 4,080mm long, 1,795mm wide and just over 1,400mm high – will “mix astonishing design” with “supreme dynamics”, according to Diez.
It is seen as pivotal in the Volkswagen Group’s plans to produce over half-a-million electric cars a year and will join the much-anticipated Volkswagen ID.2 as well as similar offerings from Skoda and Audi. In terms of price, the most basic versions of Cupra’s smallest offering should start at below £20,000.
