Second-generation Cupra Ateca unlikely | CarExpert

The Cupra Ateca is unlikely to get a second generation as the sporty Spanish brand rolls out a pair of new crossovers.

“Our focus over the next couple of years is going to be on the three electrified models: on the Cupra Terramar, which you could see as a possible replacement although it is slightly bigger than the Cupra Ateca; the Cupra Tavascan is our first crossover SUV electric car; and the Cupra UrbanRebel,” said Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths.

He also suggested the range wouldn’t expand beyond these previously confirmed new models, at least not in the short term.

“[Those] together with the Cupra Formentor and the Cupra Leon gives us I think a very competitive range of cars that will keep us busy for at least the next five years,” said Mr Griffiths.

“Beyond the next five years, and obviously we are thinking about a lot of other different ideas and different models for Cupra, but it would be too early today to speculate.”

That would see the brand occupy only the small passenger car and small-to-medium SUV segments, with nothing larger on offer even as Cupra weighs a launch in the North American market.

That the Ateca is on its way out comes perhaps as no surprise.

The current Ateca is the oldest member of the Cupra line-up, being a hotted-up version of the Seat Ateca that entered production in 2016.

Cupra teased facelifted versions of the newer Leon and Formentor at a brand event last June, ahead of a 2024 or 2025 introduction for both, but an updated Ateca was conspicuously absent.

The new Terramar, set for launch in 2024, will offer a choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrains and will measure 4.5m long, compared to 4.38m for the Ateca and 4.45m for the Formentor.

That will make it similar in size to the current standard-length Volkswagen Tiguan, which measures just over 4.5m long.

The electric Tavascan will share its MEB dedicated EV architecture with a raft of Volkswagen Group models including the Cupra Born.

In concept form, the Tavascan produced 225kW of power from its dual-motor powertrain and used a 77kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offering up to 450km of range.

It will be built in China and exported to markets like Europe and Australia. It’s due here in 2025.

Cupra will be the latest European brand to export vehicles from China to both Europe and Australia. BMW is another with its iX3, as is majority Chinese-owned Polestar with its 2.

Using Australia as a beachhead, Cupra wants to expand its global presence and reach 500,000 annual sales worldwide in the medium term.

The sporty Spanish brand wants to sell 7000 cars per year in Australia by 2025.

It’s an ambitious target, as it took fellow Volkswagen Group brand Skoda more than a decade to hit the 7000-sale target Down Under.

Cupra sold 1111 vehicles in Australia last year, with the Formentor accounting for 690 of these sales – or 62 per cent of the brand’s volume. The brand also sold 234 Atecas and 186 Leons.

The brand started off as a trim level of SEATs, with models like the Ibiza Cupra and Leon Cupra boasting sportier looks and extra performance.

The first models to feature Cupra as a brand name and not just a trim level were similarly fettled SEATs like the Leon and Ateca. Things began to change with the Formentor, a model unique to the brand.

The SEAT El-Born concept became the production Cupra Born, and the Tavascan and Terramar have been revealed exclusively as Cupras with no SEAT versions planned.

The SEAT brand does continue to offer its own exclusive models, too. The Ibiza, Arona and Tarraco are the Spanish brand’s counterparts to the Volkswagen Polo, T-Cross and Tiguan Allspace, respectively.

Mr Griffiths said the Cupra and SEAT brands complement each other, and confirmed there are no immediate plans to roll out electric vehicles for the SEAT brand.

He also wouldn’t be drawn on future product for the SEAT brand.

Cupra sold a record 152,900 vehicles globally in 2022 but it came at the expense of SEAT.

SEAT S.A. prioritised higher-margin Cupra models over SEAT-badged vehicles, so while Cupra deliveries were up 92.7 per cent, the SEAT brand was down 40.5 per cent.

Cupra accounted for just under 40 per cent of total SEAT S.A. sales, which overall amounted to 385,600 – down 18.1 per cent.

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