Cupra to expand range with Frankfurt-bound concept

Cupra has released a video hinting at a forthcoming concept, to be shown at the Frankfurt motor show.

In the video posted to the company's Instagram page, a silhouette of the upcoming car's front end can be seen, highlighting the daytime-running lights and flashing close-up images of its alloy wheels. An illuminated Cupra logo also hints at some kind of electrified powertrain, while more aggressive lines suggest an evolution in Cupra's existing design language.

Update: Cupra releases more details of Frankfurt-bound EV

Seat boss Luca de Meo previously told Autocar that the Cupra brand would be used “as a gate to bring technology that will cascade to the rest of the Seat range”, with plug-in hybrid technology potentially appearing on Cupra-badged models before it does on the standard car.

If the concept is pure electric, it is likely to be based on the VW Group’s MEB platform, created solely for EVs, and on which Seat’s first EV, the El-born is based.

While the video suggests some similarities to the Leon-based Cupra e-Racer revealed last year, it’s not thought to be the hot hatchback, given the fourth-generation standard model has not yet been revealed.

Since being turned into a stand-alone brand last year, Seat's performance division has released one car, the Cupra Ateca SUV. It more recently gave a debut to its first stand-alone model, the Formentor, and is set to expand its range to seven models in 2020.

Seat had a record year in 2018, posting the best results in its 68-year history. Cupra sold more than 14,000 cars in its first year of independence.

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