The Cupra Born is essentially the Volkswagen ID.3 with some sporty Spanish flavour.
The Volkswagen Group has committed to electrification and has an entire lineup of ID. products to help spearhead the offensive. However, they also need the rest of their brands to help increase the volume of sales overall to justify the high R&D costs.
As such, the Cupra brand (SEAT’s standalone performance arm) will be selling their own take on the ID.3 hatchback.
It’s called the Cupra Born and it can actually be equipped to outperform the Volkswagen that it borrows its technology from.
In its base configuration, the Cupra Born gets a 110kW electric motor that sends power to the rear wheels. However, there’s also a 150kW option and an additional e-boost option that takes the power up to 170kW. The largest battery available to customers will be a 77kW lithium-ion pack that delivers some 540km of driving range. With a smaller 58kW battery, the fastest Cupra actually does 0-100km/h in just 6.6 seconds.
Cupra Born can be charged via AC or DC charging stations. It is built on the MEB platform, so it is technically capable of supporting dual motors. However, there are no plans for anything but rear-wheel drive for now.
The Cupra Born will go into production alongside the Volkswagen ID.3 in Zwickau by September 2021.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
The CUPRA Born is the proof that electric cars, can be exciting to drive: electrification and performance are a perfect match with the CUPRA Born.
The CUPRA Born is based on Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture, the modular electric drive matrix provides a platform that CUPRA’s engineers have maximised to deliver a vehicle like no other.
The underpinnings bring together the well-known, robust chassis technologies of front MacPherson struts and an advanced 5 multi-link design at the rear to provide a secure platform to build on and maximal space to optimize batterie output.
With the battery positioned centrally between the axles weight distribution is an almost perfect 50:50 and the centre of gravity is slung low, giving the CUPRA Born a good basis architecture to tune in order to give it its undeniable CUPRA emotional feel and sporty finish.
The engineering team has gone to extremes to make sure that the CUPRA Born justifies carrying the iconic copper badge.
Over 30,000km of day and night testing and thousands of different test scenarios have gone into tuning the damper and shock absorber settings, making sure that the various Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) settings – including a CUPRA setting – that together with the fine-tuned sport suspensions meet the expectations of whoever gets behind the wheel. So, no matter if the vehicle is in Range, Comfort, Individual or CUPRA mode the ride never disappoints.
With the inclusion of progressive steering so the driver is in complete control, specific ESC Sport and improved brake actuation and feel the CUPRA Born delivers on every level no matter what the conditions.
Because the high-performance EV benefits from brake recuperation – up to a staggering 0.3g when the accelerator is released and the motor acts a generator to feed energy back into the battery (this happens when the ‘B’ mode is selected rather than ‘D’)- wear and tear on the brakes is hugely reduced.
Its dimensions play a huge part in the CUPRA Born’s dynamic ability; It’s just 4,322mm long, 1,809mm wide, 1,537mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,767mm.
Ensuring CUPRA’s first pure electric vehicle meets the highest demands isn’t only reliant on mechanical aptitude, it also requires the wheels and tyres to be optimised.
Engineers developed the wider tyre technology used in the CUPRA Born to guarantee they delivered the perfect balance between performance and efficiency. In addition to 215mm tyres available with a range of alloy wheels between 18″ and 20″, the CUPRA Born will also be available with a 235mm wider tire, to reach optimal performance while maintain the CUPRA Born’s overall efficiency.
Exterior design
The CUPRA Born’s design serves more than one purpose, not only does it draw you to the vehicle, but it also highlights that EVs don’t need to be humdrum, electric mobility is exciting. The CUPRA Born’s design highlights the essential characteristics of electric vehicles; impressive performance, dynamic, pleasurable driveability and the ability to thrill.
For that reason, the CUPRA Born’s exterior design unconventional, unique and emotional. Electrification isn’t a contradiction for a high-performance brand, it’s a way to project the brand into the future.
“The CUPRA Born’s design is multifaceted, it sharpens the CUPRA look while at the same time incorporating the modernity of its advanced electric powertrain” said Jorge Díez, Design Director at CUPRA and SEAT. “It delivers a strong CUPRA character that expresses agility and performance with its mix of flowing surfaces and technical details.”
The CUPRA Born’s delivers strong CUPRA character that expresses agility and performance. It mixes flowing surfaces with extensive use of body-colour and technical details to provide design that exudes sportiness and elegance.
The face of the CUPRA Born delivers the first visual impact and an instant emotion. It imbues personality, refinement and determination.
The front character and presence are achieved through the newly designed full LED headlights and the lower mouth designed to channel air towards the radiator – this concave upper section sits like a shark nose, penetrating and a sure sign of strength.
Below sits the large air intake with a copper frame, because although electric cars need less air than a combustion engine, the powertrain still needs thermal characteristics to be optimised. The mix of engineering requirements and design approach help achieve the perfect balance between form and function.
The bonnet incorporates 3D shapes to help bend the light and make the front end of the CUPRA Born come to life. While the volume sitting on top of the headlights and through the wings that helps generate the vehicle’s sporty stance.
The striking full LED lighting technology is incredibly important to the final look of the CUPRA Born. The signature is unique and instantly recognisable, enhanced by the small triangles on the side of the lamp. The lighting includes an animated ceremony as you approach and start the vehicle, enhancing the experience even further.
The finishing touch for the front design is the copper CUPRA badge. Framed at the very front of the bonnet between two crisp lines that direct the eye downwards towards the CUPRA lettering, the positioning and design add to the level of overall quality.
As the eye sweeps around to the CUPRA Born’s side profile the eye is drawn to the rake of the A-pillar, not only does it help draw a sleeker, performance-driven look, it also serves a functional aspect in improving airflow over the vehicle and allows for the integration of the head-up display in the cabin.
Four additional elements help to make the car look sleeker, sportier and incredibly purposeful. One is the flowing aerodynamic side sill element at the very bottom of the vehicle, an element that sits in contrast to the body colour. The second element is the sharp lines that strike through the length of the body creating a sleekness and presence to the high-performance all-electric CUPRA Born.
The third element is the C-pillar treatment that gives the impression the roof is floating. The pillar uses an alternatively coloured, three-dimensional textured surface to create lightness in the side aspect, but also a determinations and dynamism.
Finally, the wheel design, an iconic element of the vehicle’s design, and one that will make it standout even from distance and the CUPRA Born has six incredible designs in 18″, 19″ and 20″ to help finish its look.
The alloy designs include aerodynamic inserts and copper accents. The inserts improve aerodynamics helping the CUPRA Born to maximise its efficiency and overall performance. Machine finished with copper highlights makes them even more distinguishable.
The CUPRA Born’s lines flow through and around to the rear. The rear spoiler seamlessly connects to the C-pillar drawing the eye from the side aspect to the rear. And with a body coloured, integrated diffuser that enriches the rear in a natural way and gives it a sporty and aerodynamic character, the CUPRA Born’s rear design is framed at both the top and bottom.
The rear coast-to-coast light delivers not only impressive illumination, but the full LED technology also gives a more advanced look. But the system also helps deliver greater perceived width, giving a more secure feeling when you approach the vehicle.
The tailgate is flush to the bumper giving a smoothness to the design, while also reinforcing its strength. At the lowest point sit the number plate, reflectors, and the technical elements within an island surrounded by body colour. This approach delivers an increased feeling of refinement.
And with a palette of six colour choices (Vapor Grey, Glacial White, Geyser Silver, Rayleigh Red, Quasar Grey and the exclusive Aurora Blue), the CUPRA Born’s personality can be finished to suite a variety of tastes, but all help to emphasise the personality and determination of the brand’s first all-electric high-performance car.
Interior design
Before you even step inside the CUPRA Born, the scene is set with the puddle light shining down from the wing mirror, representing the CUPRA logo onto the floor in front of you. It’s a teaser of the effortless stylishness and personality that the cabin holds.
Expressive lines, characterful surfacing and dramatic material cuts define the new, highly emotional design language.
As the driver takes their place in the sports bucket seats and takes hold of the CUPRA-specific steering wheel the CUPRA Born’s qualities of style, electrifying performance and being an unconventional challenger gain even more clarity.
The interior is honed to take on the digitalised world, the standard floating 12″ touchscreen takes centre stage, angled slightly to provide the perfect view for the driver, offering easy access to a range of functions in a simple and intuitive style.
But as you glance through the steering wheel the smaller, more focused instrument cluster comes into view, the simplified layout delivering the most relevant information in complete clarity. The smaller digital cockpit also houses the gearshift buttons and parking brake.
In a world where screen size has become king this may seem counterintuitive, but there is good reason to strip complexity from this area of the cabin.
Thanks to the augmented reality head-up display system, which projects crucial information onto the windscreen, and appears as if layered over the real world, information like the driver assistance indicators, speed and navigation system indications, all data is directly in the driver’s line of sight, improving the overall driving experience and highlighting the clearly driver-centred cabin.
The new MEB platform brings new possibilities for interior design, maximizing space by the clever use of storage and functionality areas like the high center console, which combines full connectivity with maximum storage capacity and all mixed with elegant material codes. This feature is designed in the same neoprene look material as the Bucket seat, to maximise quality on the inside.
All the lines in the dashboard are orientated towards the driver, while a more pure, sculptural surface treatment is reserved for the passenger’s area, creating two clearly divided spaces.
The interior highlights CUPRA’s dedication to sustainability, reducing its impact on the environment – something that encompasses more than reducing carbon emissions. To this end the CUPRA Born’s interior makes use of recycled material.
The central part of the bucket seats is manufactured from SEAQUAL® Yarn made from upcycled marine plastics.
Marine litter from beaches, the ocean floor and surface, or entering oceans from rivers and estuaries is collected by clean-up programme and sorted into different material types. The plastic portion is cleaned and transformed into upcycled marine plastic and transformed into the beautiful, new, sustainable products that make up the CUPRA Born’s bucket seats.
The interior can be trimmed in a range of colours to help elevate the feeling of space and quality, while the use of 3D effects and surfaces enrich the feeling of modernity, iridescence and vibrancy.
One of the material choices is DINAMICA®, an eco-friendly micro-fiber that can be used on both the door panels and upholstery. There are two different options in terms of colour finish, that the driver can choose either dark blue or grey.
Interior space is maximised thanks to the CUPRA Born’s dimensions; it’s wheelbase is 2767mm giving it the proportions needed to house driver and passengers comfortably, while the boot has a capacity of 385 litres.
Moving into the rear, the feeling of spaciousness is brought alive using both dark and light colours. Lighter colours provide the feeling of freshness while darker shades deliver a greater feeling of solidity.
Connectivity
The CUPRA Born is not only the pinnacle in electrification and performance but is ready to be part of the digital eco-system, integrating the most advanced infotainment and connectivity solutions to keep customers in touch.
It’s an increasingly important aspect of society that we can take our digital lives with us into the vehicle, bringing automotive into the modern world and making it an integral part of our daily life, but in a way that never distracts from the pleasure of driving.
The CUPRA Born’s digital cockpit epitomises the approach to the digitalisation of the interior. The screen provides greater functionality in complete clarity, allowing drivers to view the information that is most important to them and their journey. Completely customisable, individuals can show the information they need, and the display gives greater clarity and creates a more emotional, focused display that is in tune with the character of the vehicle and modernity that it exudes.
In a vehicle with performance at its heart, the need to stay focused on the road ahead is even more acute. It’s why the CUPRA Born integrates an augmented reality head-up display that projects information onto the windscreen, information like the driver assistance indicators, speed and navigation system indications, but to the driver’s eyes sits in the real world, making it clearer, more intuitive and less distracting.
The systems are enhanced by a standard floating 12″ infotainment system, highlighting the high-performance brand’s latest generation technology. Incorporating a 1,560 x 700-pixel display, the system mixes the benefits of touchscreen inputs, physical buttons and voice control.
The infotainment system can display a range of data and information including 3D navigation, music, contacts and a host of additional functions. It’s the bridge that keeps customers constantly connected.
The Wireless Full Link system means the CUPRA Born’s infotainment system can be connected to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. So, whether you want to bring your contact list, music – which thanks to a nine speaker Beats audio system, can be listened to in incredibly dynamic quality -, or mapping systems into the car, they’re all available, and can be accessed in a controlled, intuitive, safe manner.
Capacitive touch technology improves interaction, making the use of the system responsive and precise. Touch sliders add to the ease of use, allowing control of the Climatronic as well as volume control.
In a world that is becoming increasingly at ease with voice assistant technology, the CUPRA Born also integrates voice recognition. Arguably one of the most natural ways to interact with devices, it reduces distraction because there is no need to look away from the road ahead.
The system can be used to find navigation information or search for music in a safer and easier way. Simply say the wake-up words “Hola, Hola” and the system is ready to interact with.
But it’s the connection with the outside world that is growing in importance. So, at the CUPRA Born’s core is CUPRA CONNECT technology, with the completely newly developed My CUPRA App.
With the activation of CUPRA CONNNECT, online services are unlocked, and connectivity is provided to the car. Customers will be able to manage battery charging from the My CUPRA App, setting the exact percentage of battery charge ready for departure. Climatization can also be activated remotely, setting the target temperature in advance or automatically after unlocking doors, together with front seat heating for driver and co-pilot.
Planning is also possible, by adapting both charging and climatization to a certain schedule through customized profiles, or by sending your next destination from the My CUPRA App to the Navigation system.
Also, the navigation system is upgraded with access to online features, such as online navigation with up-to-date traffic information, talking with natural commands or checking charging stations.
The embedded SIM isn’t only about maintaining contact with our digital lives, it also brings improved safety into the vehicle as users benefit from the eCall service. If an accident occurs the vehicle can directly contact the emergency services either manually or automatically. And should the worst happen the vehicle can relay important data including car position, engine type, and number of passengers making it easier for them to assist.
And, to make sure connections are never lost, the CUPRA Born includes Qi standard protocol inductive charging for mobile devices.
Safety and convenience
The CUPRA Born puts technology at the forefront, and its suite of available safety and convenience systems means it’s a high-performance vehicle that’s easy to live with in daily life and make it one of the safest vehicles in the segment.
The range of systems is expansive and all encompassing; Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Travel Assist, Side and Exit Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Emergency Assist and Pre-Crash Assist. All assistance systems and their indicators that give very valuable information to the driver, are present in the driver’s line of sight, Thanks to the augmented reality head-up display system.
Onboard systems use data supplied both from an array of integrated sensors, whether that’s radar, camera or ultrasonic, and information fed from outside sources to build a picture of the vehicle’s surroundings and any possible hazards.
The Predictive ACC system positions the CUPRA Born based on route and GPS data delivered from the navigation system, allowing it to correct its speed depending on the road layout ahead, considering bends, roundabouts, junctions, speed limits and built-up areas. The intelligent system can adjust vehicle speed when limits change using input from the front mounted camera and traffic sign recognition.
Travel Assist uses information from the ACC and Lane Assist to actively keep the vehicle in the centre of the lane and adjust speed to the flow of the traffic – providing assisted driving across the whole range of speed.
Side and Exit Assist technology fills in the gaps created by blind spots, giving a visual and audible warning if you don’t see something hidden out of your view. Exit Warning gives an acoustic caution if someone or something is approaching the CUPRA Born when you’re parked and want to leave the vehicle.
The pure EV also takes advantage of Emergency Assist, making sure the driver remains focused on driving and doesn’t become distracted with visual and acoustic warnings. If there is no reaction from the driver, the system can initiate braking jolts, if there is no change the vehicle can come to a complete stop and activate the warning lights. Once parked, the vehicle can directly contact the emergency services using the eCall system.
All the systems have been designed to create an incredible level of safety without the feeling of control being taken away from the driver. An important consideration in a CUPRA, a brand that positions the driver’s needs as the central priority.
And with additional systems such as Light Assist that can change between high- and low-beams depending on oncoming traffic when daylight begins to fade, a Top View Camera to make manoeuvring simpler and Intelligent Park Assist, the CUPRA Born meets not only the dynamic needs of the CUPRA brand, it also delivers a level of safety beyond what has come before.
