• CUPRA Design Director, Jorge Diez previews the distinctive design of CUPRA Born
  • New images of vehicle show more of the vehicle, including rear, ahead of reveal on 25 May
  • The city of Barcelona inspired the design of CUPRA’s first all-electric car

Ahead of the global unveiling of the CUPRA Born, head of design, Jorge Diez, explains the inspiration behind the design and the key features that make Born so unique.
“Designing CUPRA’s first 100 per cent electric car has been a dream come true for the team,” said Diez, as he explained the key to its design.

Balance of its proportions

CUPRA Born is defined by two key pillars. First, the wheels are pushed to the corners of the vehicle to accommodate the batteries. “This enabled us to create a totally occupant-centric design with a very spacious interior” he says. Meanwhile, the proportions have also been worked on to give it a highly sporty look. “This is reflected in an extremely fast A-pillar combined with a long wheelbase and short front and rear overhang, which will make driving the first 100 per cent electric CUPRA truly fun” adds Diez.

CUPRA character

Born’s front end is a perfect reflection of its attitude, explained Diez: “The headlights identify with a person’s face, so we’ve angled them a little more than usual to express the character and determination of knowing what you want and going for it. The character is further accentuated by the prominent air intake at the bottom of the car to keep the car close to the road.”

New lines

Previewing the never-before-seen rear of the vehicle, Jorge comments: “We’ve emphasised the width of the car with a horizontal light signature, and combined it with a very pronounced diffuser, which increases the car’s efficiency and aerodynamics. We know that electrification has to go hand in hand with efficiency, and in this respect, the team has combined the two in perfect harmony. On the side, we’ve created angular shapes on the shoulder line and stretched the window graphics for a greater sense of tension and speed”.

Barcelona in its DNA

The Born district of Barcelona not only lends its name to CUPRA’s first all-electric vehicle, it has also inspired its design. “We’ve given the vehicle the combination of light and shadow that defines Barcelona and that can be seen above all in the interior, through completely new materials and textures. The CUPRA team has used state-of-the-art technologies such as laser cutting to create precise and highly textured surfaces both inside and out.”

Instant emotion

“One of the most important missions we have as designers is to convey emotions through our vehicles. Electric vehicles don’t have to be boring, and the CUPRA Born is proof of that. When people see it on the street, they’ll want to drive it, and this is the greatest reward for the team’s work” Diez concludes.

The world premiere of CUPRA’s first all-electric model takes place on 25 May.