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Cupra Tavascan concept revealed

The Cupra Tavascan concept has been revealed ahead of its world debut at this year’s Frankfurt motor show.


It’s the latest concept based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, which will underpin a fleet of electric vehicles including the upcoming Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback.

The Tavascan concept uses two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axles – that produce a combined output of 225kW, enough to make the crossover reach 100km/h in less than 6.5 seconds.

Currently, the fastest Cupra is the Ateca crossover. Almost identically-sized to the related Skoda Karoq, its 221kW 2.0 turbocharged four-cylinder allows it to reach 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds. That suggests the Tavascan is a bit heavier than the Ateca, though it appears to be both longer and wider.

There’s a 77kWh lithium-ion battery pack that gives the Tavascan a claimed range of 450km. It’s mounted nice and low, helping with this tall crossover’s centre of gravity.

For those who don't know, Cupra is Seat’s sporty sub-brand, officially launched last year. Previously, Cupra was the name of a trim level used on Seat products since the mid-1990s. The current Cupra range consists of fettled versions of the Seat Ateca and Leon.

The Tavascan represents a sharp – or, more accurately, smooth – departure from Seat and Cupra’s current crisp, angular design language. Though slightly curvier than mechanically-related products in the Skoda and Volkswagen line-ups, Seat transitioned away from Walter de Silva’s curvaceous, organic design language last decade.

The concept follows on from the virtually production-ready Cupra Formentor concept unveiled at this year’s Geneva show. An attractive, plug-in hybrid crossover, the Formentor will enter production next year.

The Tavascan has an even more rakish silhouette, with Cupra referring to it as a 'coupe SUV'. There are some design cues shared with the Formentor like a full-width tail-light assembly.

However, it eschews the Formentor’s conventional grille for an aggressive front-end design with the Cupra logo illuminated and mounted extremely low. There's also sizeable 22-inch turbine-style alloy wheels and an impressively sculpted bonnet.

The cabin is swathed in leather and Alcantara and there’s a large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13-inch infotainment screen. The latter is angled towards the driver but can move towards the passenger when needed.

Following Seat’s tradition of naming their cars after places (e.g. Ibiza, Arona), the Tavascan takes its name from a village in Catalonia, nestled in the Pyrenees mountain range.

Production of the Tavascan hasn’t been confirmed, though it looks less production-ready than the Formentor concept confirmed for market launch in the next year or so, the Tavascan uses the same underpinnings as the Skoda Vision iV and Volkswagen ID. Crozz which will be introduced in production form next year.

That suggests the Tavascan will likely be built, though it will probably be beaten to market by the Seat el-Born that also uses the MEB platform and looks like a badge-engineered version of the VW ID.3.

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