Digital-only concept could spawn new range topping sports EV by end of the decade
A two-seat all-electric Cupra halo sports car has been previewed by a radical digital-only concept.
Shown off in hologram form as part of the brand’s Tavascan launch – its second electric car – the DarkRebel previews a Toyota Supra-like sports car that features a slick, low-to-the-road design which Cupra describes as “the athletic proportion of a sports car combined with a shooting brake architecture”.
When it arrives it will top a four-car electric lineup that will include the Born, Tavascan, and production version of the UrbanRebel concept.
Easily the most radically designed Cupra yet, key design elements include front and rear lights that are incoporated into the bodywork, large side vents, and roof-mounted wing. Like the Tavascan, it also features an lluminated Cupra badge. The cabin features a two-seat layout with bucket seats and a ‘gamifying’ steering wheel.
As with previous Cupra’s, like the Tavascan and Born, the production DarkRebel will be as close to the concept “as posible”, design director Jorge Diez told Autocar.
He added: “It’s a dream and embodies the DNA of Cupra. We have pushed boundaries and created something unique.”
Few details were revealed about the car, such as what powertrain, battery or electric range it features, or when exactly we might see it in production form.
It’s expected though, given the model’s proportions and the sporting character of the previously revealed Cupra Urban Rebel, that it will feature a high-performance powertrain and be Cupra’s most powerful model yet.
The Spanish brand hasn’t offered any details about what underpins the DarkRebel, but sibling VW Group brands Audi and Porsche are about to launch performance-focused models atop the new PPE platform, which could form the base of the sporty Cupra.
“It is mysterious and stands out from the crowd,” boss Wayne Griffiths told reporters in Berlin.
“After 5 years of building the brand Cupra in today’s world, it is time to think about the next step. Our next dream. The Cupra DarkRebel is the ultimate interpretation of our vision.”
The Tavascan, meanwhile, also revealed today, features an 82kWh battery (77kWh usable), which offers around 341 miles of range. Power for the electric SUV stands at 335bhp.
Source: Autocar
