Formentor is the first stand-alone model for Cupra
Newly independent performance brand unwraps the production version of its boldly styled compact SUV
The Formentor has joined reworked versions of the Ateca and Leon in Cupra’s line-up. As Cupra’s first stand-alone model, the Formentor was shown as a concept at the Geneva motor show last year and the design is largely unchanged in production form.
Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths said the machine “is destined to make Cupra an even more relevant brand in the market.”
Built on the same version of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform as the Ateca, the Formentor is 4450mm long, 1839mm wide and 1511mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2680mm. It sports more aggressive styling than the Ateca, with a long bonnet, sharp side sculpting and a steeply raked, coupé roofline. It sits on 19in wheels as standard, with 18in brakes.
The Formentor will be offered with two powertrains, including the 242bhp and 295lb ft eHybrid plug-in unit that featured in the concept. Used in other VW Group performance models, including the Cupra Leon, it mates a 148bhp 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine with a 114bhp electric motor. A 13kWh lithium ion battery gives the Formentor a 31-mile electric-only range.
The other powertrain is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, which produces 306bhp and 295lb ft and sends power to all four wheels.
Both powertrains use a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The Formentor is also fitted with the VW Group’s Dynamic Chassis Control.
Inside, the Formentor’s dashboard is built around a 12.0in infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument display. The dash also features a horizontal LED light strip, which runs into the front doors. Those lights are used for safety functions, such as blindspot detection.
The interior has bucket seats as standard, with a flat-bottomed sports-style steering wheel that features the engine start and drive mode buttons.
The Formentor will go on sale later this year, with deliveries due in the last quarter. Pricing has not been set but is expected to exceed the £36,780 starting point of the Cupra Ateca.
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Source: Autocar
