Cupra unveils Tindaya concept with 1300km range

Cupra has revealed the Tindaya concept, a striking SUV that could become the brand’s most powerful and technologically advanced model yet.

The futuristic range-extender drivetrain is designed to deliver a total range of 1300km – 300km on battery power alone and another 1000km courtesy of a 1.5-litre petrol engine used exclusively to charge the battery. With an electric motor on each axle, the system produces 365kW, enough to push the 4.72m-long SUV from 0 to 100km/h in just four seconds.

While still officially a concept, the Tindaya could make production as a successor to the Formentor, albeit toned down. If it does, it would use Volkswagen Group’s new SSP platform, the same architecture set to underpin the next Golf and Octavia. Pure-electric and range-extender versions are both under consideration.

Volkswagen-owned Scout is preparing to offer electric 4x4s with range-extender options built in Mexico, and the Tindaya may use this same technology. VW insiders say patchy uptake of pure EVs in Europe could create demand for alternatives that combine electric drive with backup petrol power.

The concept’s design is also central to Cupra’s ambitions. Its chief designer Rodriguez Bosch said the styling aimed to make the vehicle feel alive and connected to its driver. Several elements are intended to humanise the SUV, with exterior surfaces that appear to ripple like muscles, and natural fibre composites used to highlight its sculpted arches.

Inside, the cockpit is heavily influenced by motorsport. “No drivers, no Cupra,” Bosch said, pointing to the yoke-style steering, carbon-tubbed bucket seats, and central spine dividing the cabin. A 24-inch wraparound display sits at the base of the windscreen, while a prism-shaped ‘jewel’ device alters drive modes and interior settings, each accompanied by its own sound signature.

Bosch said the Tindaya marks an important step in the brand’s evolution. “People driving this kind of car also want to have a nice driving experience, and this is where we think Cupra comes in. We see this as the evolution of the DarkRebel into a daily-use car.”

The Tindaya’s mix of performance, design and technology places it in the same arena as premium electric SUVs like BMW’s iX3, while offering a glimpse of how Cupra plans to balance emotion with innovation in its next generation of vehicles.