Four years after the presentation of the first prototype, CUPRA has today revealed the production version of its second electric model, the Tavascan. This “coupé” SUV, brother to the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Skoda Enyaq Coupé iV and Volkswagen ID.5, will be a key piece within the international expansion plans of the Spanish firm.
Our protagonist measures 4.64 meters long, 1.86 meters wide, 1.60 meters high and has a wheelbase of 2.77 meters. He was in charge of inaugurating the brand’s new corporate lighting signature, made up of three triangles integrated into advanced, next-generation Matrix LED headlights.
The front and rear CUPRA logos are illuminated, being one of the first European models to have this function. The sideline is inspired by the design of a helmetsince the black A-pillar creates a “visor” effect by joining windshield and windows.
The rear window is very inclined, while the rear is led by some pilots in the shape of a telephone attached to the width of the gate. The offer of tires will go from 19 to 21 inches. In total, six shades will be available for its bodywork: Tavascan Blue, Silver White, Atacama Desert, Urano Grey, Hypernova Red and Century Bronze Matt.
The CUPRA Tavascan will incorporate standard Bucket sports seats
The aesthetics of the cabin revolves around a “backbone” on which the entire interior is built, a kind of backbone that joins the body of the center console with the dashboard that gives a feeling of lightness to the whole. The vehicle will have Bucket sports seats as standard, and later the so-called CUPBucket will also be added, even sportier.
The infotainment system is associated with a 15-inch touch screen with a touch bar backlit that allows you to manage the climate control, audio volume and voice control. The Tavascan is approved for five seats and has a generous 540 liter boot with electric gatewhich can be opened through the Virtual Pedal system.
Of course, the Full Link wireless system (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and a 12-speaker sound system developed in collaboration with Sennheiser. As in other Volkswagen Group models, the 5.3-inch digital instrumentation is complemented by a Head-up Display with augmented reality.
The online services will be free for a period of three years and will include traffic information, route calculation or dynamic points of interest. Through My CUPRA Appcustomers will be able to control the air conditioning, manage the battery charge or activate the opening and closing remotely.
The CUPRA Tavascan range will consist of the Endurance and VZ versions
In terms of safety, the CUPRA baby includes the adaptive and predictive cruise assistanttraffic sign recognition, intelligent speed assistant, blind spot assistant, lane change assistant, safe exit assistant, fatigue detector and 360-degree camera (Top View Camera) and Front Assist with turning assistant and dodge assistant.
The technology Connected Travel Assist with information extracted from the Cloud it not only keeps the vehicle in the center of the lane, but also adapts its speed when cornering and offers assisted lane changes on the highway. The parking attendant Intelligent Park Assist with memory function and Remote Park Assist (allows parking while outside the car from the app) complete the list.
The CUPRA Tavascan, which is based on the MEB modular platform, will be available in two versions: Endurance (rear wheel drive) and VZ (all-wheel drive). The first will offer 286 CV (210 kW) of power, while the second will go to 340 CV (250 kW). There will be several driving modes available: Range, Comfort, Performance, CUPRA, Individual and Traction (exclusive to the VZ).
The vehicle promises top-level performance, with a 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. As for the battery, both variants will mount a pack of 77 kWh of net capacity, enough to approve 550 km WLTP in the Endurance and 520 km WLTP in the VZ.
The CUPRA Tavascan will be manufactured in China
There will be 4 different levels of retention for the regenerative braking system, which can be selected with the paddles on the steering wheel. The heat pump will be optional. As for the load, it can reach 135 kW in direct current, recovering 100 km WLTP in 7 minutes and going from 10 to 80% in 30 minutes.
CUPRA wanted to give the Tavascan the sporty character typical of the rest of its range, something that will be helped by the progressive direction and a practically perfect weight distribution (49:51). The suspension will be MacPherson strut in front and multi-link in the rear. Nor can we forget about the DCC Sport adaptive chassis control system.
“The brand’s journey towards electrification is its unstoppable drive – it is at the heart of everything we do. CUPRA is evolving towards a fully electrified brand in 2030. Right now, the market is seeing many purely rational electric vehicles arrive, and this is precisely what CUPRA is not»it states Wayne GriffithsCEO of the brand.
Although it has been designed and developed in Barcelona, the CUPRA Tavascan will be manufactured at the Volkswagen Group plant in Anhui (China). Its commercial launch will take place in 2024, with its annual sales target exceeding 50,000 units.
