Looking part fastback sports car and part beach buggy, the new high-riding Tindaya crossover cuts a bold dash and ‘captures Cupra’s rebellious spirit’, says the car brand spun off from Spain’s Seat seven years ago.
It made its debut at the IAA German Mobility Show in Munich this week and signals future models.
The electric Tindaya’s front-end features a pronounced shark nose pointing ahead from athletic lines, a sculpted muscular body and aerodynamic flanks that guide airflow into the side intakes.
Stretching to 4.72 metres long, riding on large 23-inch wheels, and offering high ground clearance, Tindaya’s striking proportions and ‘pushing forward’ stance are particularly noticeable from the side profile, showing a ratio of one third cabin to two-thirds body.
A prominent double spoiler adds to the impression of speed and echoes the look of a shooting brake and fastback profile.
The car’s exterior matt body colour shifts from a deep metallic grey to a soft beige – like a journey from sea to mountain. With flecks of translucent copper.
Cupra has revealed a new high-riding crossover called the Tindaya – after the volcanic mountain that rises from Fuerteventura, part of the Canary Islands in the wild Atlantic Ocean
Cupra said: ‘Tindaya is named after a volcanic mountain that rises from Fuerteventura, part of the Canary Islands in the wild Atlantic Ocean.Â
‘Its copper-toned rock echoes the signature of Cupra, while its raw form connects with the materials and textures of our design language.’
It’s radical platform is suitable for either a battery-only electric powertrain or a range-extender hybrid. The display model is reportedly the latter, with parent company VW Group primed to invest big in this type of technology.
Under the expansive bonnet is a 1.5-litre petrol engine that generates energy to power two electric motors – one at the front and a second sending drive to the rear wheels.
As such, it is a full-blooded 4X4 boasting 489bhp. This allows it to live up to Cupra’s sporting hallmarks, with a 0 to 62mph time of just 4.1 seconds.
But its the Tindaya’s touring capabilities that are most impressive.Â
The petrol-electric range extender is said to be good for 621 miles without needing to stop for fuel or electricity. That’s London to Paris and back.
The electric-only range is unconfirmed, though likely close to the 200-mile mark.Â
The interior is set out in a 2+2 configuration with saloon-style opposing doors and bucket seats that Cupra says are a modern reinterpretation of the classic designer ‘Eames Lounge’ with a combination of green eco materials, comfortable seating and ambient lighting.
The cockpit and sculpted dashboard is inspired by motorsport racing and cutting-edge technology with a 24-inch display and a steering wheel that has echoes of gaming culture.
A device called ‘the Jewel’ vehicle adjusts the three selectable driving modes, as well as lighting and a sound system created in collaboration with audio experts Sennheiser.
The seats and central console are clad in a vegan leather. The warm interior is covered in a tactile waxed bronze microfibre.
Elements inside and out made from 3D-printed aluminium create a sense of continuity and solidity.
Tindaya’s striking proportions and ‘pushing forward’ stance are particularly noticeable from the side profile, showing a ratio of one third cabin to two-thirds body
The yoke steering wheel design allows all key visuals and shortcuts to remain in clear view
The interior is set out in a 2+2 configuration with saloon-style opposing doors and bucket seats that Cupra says are a modern reinterpretation of the classic designer ‘Eames Lounge’
Tindaya’s striking proportions and ‘pushing forward’ stance are particularly noticeable from the side profile, showing a ratio of one third cabin to two-thirds body
The large central display is paired with a monitor which displays secondary content and information along the windshield.
The yoke steering wheel design allows all key visuals and shortcuts to remain in clear view.
Cupra’s interim chief executive Markus Haupt said: ‘The Tindaya Showcar is more than a car – it’s a radical statement and a bold expression of our design language, our values, and our innovations.’ Â
In the seven years since being spun off from Seat as a standalone brand in 2018 Cupra has launched seven models and sold more than 800,000 vehicles globally.
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