Opened in 1923, the Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar near Barcelona is one of the oldest race tracks still in existence in Europe. And although the oval is no longer regularly used for official races, the facility is still considered a symbol of Spain’s motorsport history. Of course that is also one of the reasons why Terramar was chosen in 2018 as the ideal birthplace for a brand that places performance and sporty design at the heart of its DNA: CUPRA. Six years and a rapid success story—as one of the fastest growing car brands in Europe—later, CUPRA has now presented the latest addition to its portfolio: the Terramar—a sporty SUV for a new target group and a tribute to the symbolic place where it all began.
»We’re always trying to express what we love so much: true emotion. In the end, we are coming from Barcelona, a truly emotional city, and we try to transfer the culture of our city to our cars,« explained CUPRA Head of Design, Jorge Díez, in a recent interview with Chapter. »Design follows emotion« is the motto and the »performance brand« from the Volkswagen Group can truly not be accused of a lack of emotional exuberance and honest enthusiasm for all facets of the brand world, from design language to performance and community building. World premiere events for a new CUPRA model always convey a rousing spirit of optimism and bundles of positive emotion, regardless of the more or less revolutionary nature of the vehicle presented.
In this spirit, the CUPRA Terramar, which has now been presented at the America’s Cup in Barcelona, is primarily a strong, emotional and sporty SUV that reflects the DNA of CUPRA through and through. Its design does not necessarily reinvent the still rapidly growing SUV segment, but is nevertheless unmistakably distinctive and expressive.
The dynamic front end in particular, characterized by its sharknose, guarantees the vehicle a strong appearance. Narrow, tapered LED headlights create an almost aggressive look without drifting into exaggeration. A highlight is the new CUPRA light signature with the three characteristic Matrix LED triangles, while two strikingly drawn lines sculpturally define the surface of the hood and lend an additional dynamic touch. The sporty proportions continue to the rear with curved lines, while a gently sloping roofline and flared wheel arches create an equally powerful side view.
The rear of the Terramar, on the other hand, looks quite beefy, almost bulky. An illuminated CUPRA logo with Terramar lettering positioned centrally between the rear lights symbolizes the self-confident brand presence. The strikingly large rear diffuser also immediately catches the eye.
The interior, with its driver-oriented cockpit, is naturally intended to continue the progressive character of the exterior design. An uncluttered, modern-looking atmosphere is supported by the use of high-quality materials, whereby the use of sustainable, recycled or renewable materials has been promoted. Precise lines and ergonomically optimized seats characterize the look, as does the targeted use of characteristic CUPRA colors and materials such as copper (including the air vent surrounds, door trims and copper-coloured stitching).
At the same time, the digital aspect of the vehicle is not neglected: a redesigned and improved operating system is used in the digital cockpit as well as in the 12.9-inch infotainment system with illuminated touch slider. The integrated Sennheiser hi-fi audio system with twelve loudspeakers is also designed to guarantee an all-round perfect sound experience.
With the launch of the Terramar, CUPRA now has its largest SUV and is thus expanding its remarkably extensive product portfolio for a brand that is still very young. Wayne Griffiths, mastermind and CEO of CUPRA, once formulated one of his goals by saying that he didn’t just want to sell cars with CUPRA, but to take people on an emotional journey. And even though the success story of the self-proclaimed challenger brand has only just picked up speed and has written another chapter with the new Terramar, Wayne Griffiths has already impressively achieved this goal with CUPRA.
The CUPRA Terramar will be available with three different drive technologies: petrol, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The first deliveries will start at the end of 2024.
