Born of obsession, the CUPRA DarkRebel show car has shed its covers. Reflecting the maximum provocation of CUPRA design, this sports car is set to redefine the future of automotive design and performance. With the desire to question the norms of car creation, the vehicle is a manifestation of CUPRA’s virtual space imagination brought into the real world for the new-age drivers.
Over 270,000 configurations from the CUPRA Tribe, including FC Barcelona stars Alexia Putellas, Marc ter Stegen, Ansu Fati, and actor Daniel Brühl, have been harnessed to shape the design of this showstopper. Leveraging the data insights from the online Hyper Configurator, the car has successfully transitioned from virtual to real-world reality on the stage at the IAA, Munich.
Provocative Design, Unmatched Performance
CUPRA DarkRebel sports a 100% electric two-seat architecture, embodying the passion and disruptive outlook of the CUPRA brand. With an enigmatic mercury-like exterior body colour and a unique play of light, the car ensures an unforgettable presence. The design is a clear nod towards sustainability, the future of automotive design.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA, states, “Thanks to the passion and creativity of the CUPRA Tribe, we have turned one of our powerful obsessions into a real show car. The CUPRA DarkRebel is a rebel with a purpose – to prove that future electric cars can be sporty, sexy, and emotional.”
Innovation Brings Design to Life
Lighting is central to the car’s design, magnifying the dialogue between the material and immaterial realms. The car’s cutting-edge exterior design is further augmented by its dimensions: 4.5m length, 2.2m width, and 1.3m height, which expands to 2.2m with the doors open. The crystal-clear material central spine connecting the front and back is reminiscent of a sailboat keel, reinforcing the vehicle’s progressive and sporty design.
Comfort Meets Style
The interior design challenges traditional norms, creating an unexpected and innovative cockpit. Through a blend of muscle and skeleton, body and structure, the car offers an all-encompassing, radical, extreme yet elegant environment for passengers.
The cabin’s key element, the central spine, is produced using the latest 3D metal printing technology, providing structural performance with maximum lightness. The Supersport bucket seats, covered with 3D knitting fabric, offer lateral support for the entire leg, ensuring maximum comfort and grip for sporty driving.
Digital Redefined
The CUPRA DarkRebel offers a pioneering User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design, blending the physical with the digital realms. This provides users not just a drive, but an ongoing, immersive connection with the CUPRA Tribe.
The UX/UI journey comprises three unique experiences – Exponential Square, Exponential Cube, and Exponential Infinite. Each experience adapts the car from exterior and interior to lighting and sound, along with exclusive functions.
Unveiling the Future of Electric Sports Cars
The CUPRA DarkRebel show car was unveiled at the Volkswagen Group Night and will be presented to the public at the CUPRA Open Space at the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany (4–10 September).
CUPRA, the unconventional challenger brand, has always been at the intersection of emotion, electrification, and performance. With over 150,000 vehicles delivered in 2022 alone, the brand has redefined electrification and sportiness. Now with the unveiling of the CUPRA DarkRebel show car, CUPRA is ready to push the automotive industry’s boundaries and drive change.
For more information about CUPRA DarkRebel, click here.
