Cupra's First Self-Designed Car Is A Lowered SUV With A Coupe Roof Line

Seat spin-off Cupra has just launched its second model – and the first to be designed in-house rather than simply being re-badged.

It’s called the Formentor. This plug-in hybrid SUV embodies Cupra’s slightly left-field approach to design, blending a lower ride height and a coupe-style roof line in tandem with a five-door hatchback layout. It’s a bit stuck between genres, like the old Infiniti EX. Remember that?

Power comes from a petrol-electric powertrain whose wider details are still secret. We know that peak power is 242bhp and that the car will be able to drive up to 31 miles on electric power alone. We also know that there’s a “differential lock” to play with, suggesting it’s front-wheel drive with the excellent VAQ technology.

Interestingly, it looks a similar size to the Cupra Ateca but has less power. We’ll have to wait to find out its position in the fledgling Cupra range.

Still officially a concept, but very obviously in near-production spec, the Formentor will crown Seat’s stand at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. Highlights that might not make it past the bean-counters are carbon-backed sports bucket seats trimmed in leather. The 10-inch widescreen media interface should make the cut, though, while it’s perfectly plausible that the main instrument cluster could transition into a second all-digital display, as shown in the pictures.

The concept has a DSG twin-clutch transmission. It’s not yet known whether Cupra will be given the tech to be able to offer plug-in hybrid drive with a manual gearbox. Look out for more details when it takes the stand in Geneva in a couple of weeks.