During the presentation of its future strategy, SEAT revealed that finally its el-Born electric compact, brother of the Volkswagen ID.3, will be sold exclusively under the CUPRA sports brand and not SEAT’s name. A decision made due to the need to consolidate the CUPRA firm, providing it with new independent models that allow it to settle.
Although during the presentation it has been stated that this decision will not harm SEAT, because “if CUPRA does well, SEAT will do well.” The truth is that it seems to confirm the rumors that the Volkswagen Group would be interested in eliminating the SEAT brand to replace it with the more premium CUPRA, which sells more expensive vehicles with a higher profit margin.
The CUPRA el-Born will be based on Volkswagen’s modular MEB platform, manufactured at the German plant in Zwickau alongside its twin, the Volkswagen ID.3. During the press conference, it has been confirmed that the new model will start deliveries in 2021, just a few months after the ID.3.
Compared to the prototype SEAT el-Born, the definitive CUPRA el-Born introduces some aesthetic changes: beyond the matte paint and the typical copper details of CUPRA, we can highlight headlights with a new internal distribution, an elegant grille with the name of the brand, wholly redesigned bumpers, and “turbine” type rims. However, details such as the heel cups or the floating C-pillar remain.
At a mechanical level, it has been confirmed that the model will have an 82 kWh capacity battery (77 kWh useful) associated with a motor located on the rear axle. The autonomy will be around 310 mile-range, being able to do the 0 to 50 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. It is not clear if it will be identical to the ID.3 Pro S at a technical level, or if on the contrary, it will go a step further at the level of benefits.