The CUPRA Terramar redefines what SUVs can deliver in terms of emotion, performance and design

Back in 2018, a bold, new brand was born combining emotion, design and sportiness as its unwavering principles. It was the beginning of CUPRA’s story, starting off by introducing itself to the world at the Terramar Circuit in Sitges, close to Barcelona. Today, six years later, the emblematic racetrack lends its name to the brand’s newest hero for the new era, with the launch of the CUPRA Terramar. CUPRA’s new sporty SUV is finally here, in a journey where ambition has become reality. CUPRA Design Director Jorge Diez outlines the creation of a model that redefines what SUVs can deliver in terms of emotion, performance and design.

Where do you, as designers, get your inspiration from for a car like the CUPRA Terramar?
For some people, design follows function, but for us, it follows emotions. In this sense, at CUPRA we’ve always been committed to inspiring the world from Barcelona, but with this model, which has ‘terra’ (land) and ‘mar’ (sea) in its name, we’ve taken it even further. The inspiration we get as designers does not only come from the amazing architecture and design spirit of Barcelona, it’s also about the influence of the Mediterranean culture, full of life, and the strong character of its people. By combining it with our design philosophy, we’ve achieved a more authentic form of expression. Our aim was to emphasise the point where the land meets the raw, elemental power of the sea.

Its dimensions stand out, but without sacrificing sporty proportions. How did you achieve this?
We thrive on challenges. Competition is in our DNA, and as in the America’s Cup, there’s no such thing as second place for us, nor for our design. That’s why we’ve built one of the most demanded architectures in the market: a 4.5-metre SUV with a bold and confident design. We wanted to combine the height and larger dimensions typical of SUVs with a muscular approach featuring high-contrast lines, characteristic of our sporty designs. The front end, for example, has a long, high, proud and determined bonnet, designed in a V-shape towards the bottom of the grille to increase dynamism. The rear of the car culminates in strong shoulders that give it a bold character. In the end, it’s all about its lines and surfaces.

What do these lines and surfaces convey?
The lines of the CUPRA Terramar speak for themselves, showcasing a strong character that conveys determination and focus. These are combined with sensual surfaces that reflect our emotional spirit and human inspiration in design. Running along the lower side section of the car, we have created what we call “the Rocker Wave,” a sensuous ascending line resembling a wave that lifts the car, giving it a unique personality. The strong definition of the front, with our prominent shark nose, and the rear, with sharp and negative surfaces, evokes a powerful sense of tension.

What is the CUPRA Terramar going to contribute to CUPRA’s design?
The CUPRA Terramar aims to push emotions to the limit with a bold design, sporty proportions and its characteristic determined appearance, all while taking CUPRA into one of the fastest growing segments in Europe. By adopting the brand’s new design language, we’ve materialised the full-blown CUPRA DNA, which can be seen in the use of our copper-toned detailing or the brand’s eye signature with three triangles, which lends confidence to its look. The result is this highly emotional sporty electrified SUV, with a striking design inspired by Barcelona.