Cupra Dark Rebel remains a ‘dream’, but could see production if twinned with a Volkswagen-group sibling

Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths has confessed the conception to raise the Darkish Riot coupe into manufacturing remains a “dream” however outlined the absolute best scheme it would possibly probably perhaps presumably well come to fruition with the reduction of the broader Volkswagen Neighborhood.

Talking with the car press following the annual Cupra convention, the set he outlined the cost’s relate in 2023 and revealed select plans for the longer term, Griffiths reflected on the Darkish Riot mission.

The Darkish Riot conception, beforehand unveiled in gradual 2023, previewed what would possibly presumably well develop into Cupra’s first devoted sports activities automobile and the cost’s first appropriate halo model.

Asked if the Darkish Riot would want a pattern ‘sibling automobile’ at some level of the Volkswagen Neighborhood to come to fruition, Griffiths educated Chasing Autos that “if the mission become to be realised it would possibly probably perhaps presumably well positively would possibly presumably furthermore unexcited be a mission working with other producers.

“All of our fashions, whether it’s the (sic) Terramar along side Audi, Taviscan along side Volkswagen, you basically need this ‘sibling’ [model] as you reveal.”

By sharing tall platform kinds, powertrains and other key parts with fellow automobile makers internally or externally, producers are assuredly in a procedure to spread costs out, prolong profits and clarify tasks that would possibly presumably well otherwise be financially unviable if produced in isolation.

Griffiths eminent that the dimensions of manufacturing would probably be “hundreds of automobiles, and no longer tons of of hundreds of automobiles” for Darkish Riot given the low-volume nature of the sports activities automobile section, compared with more conventional passenger automobiles, making the pattern partnership in particular serious.

Which partnership would possibly presumably well liberate the Darkish Riot?

A number of hands of the Volkswagen Neighborhood, Cupra’s guardian company, are onerous at work growing efficiency electric automobiles, and perhaps none are as highly anticipated because the EVs being produced by Porsche.

After launching its first mass-market EV within the Taycan, Porsche’s subsequent 718 Cayman/Boxster duo will kind the swap to all-electric energy. This model will probably debut in 2025 and has been previewed by the Mission R prototype.

This model is at likelihood of be underpinned by the PPE platform, with the conception featuring a T-formed battery produce to mimic the suitable weight distribution of a mid-engined automobile.

Slack closing one year, Chasing Autos requested Cupra COO Sven Schuwirth if the Darkish Riot will probably be underpinned by the PPE platform or the SSP platform that is anticipated to come later, he said it ““will probably be…let’s gape”, while noting that the automobile would “drive the absolute best scheme it appears”.

Whether or no longer Porsche would possibly presumably well be willing to half its chassis and other applied sciences with the Cupra worth is unclear, however it without a doubt does emerge because the most evident different. Experiences trust fair recently emerged that VW Neighborhood cousin Audi is working on a entirely electric coupe model of the TT, which can perhaps presumably well furthermore pronounce itself as one more partnership opportunity.

What pause we learn about the Darkish Riot?

With its shooting brake-like physique vogue, heavy emphasis on aerodynamics and sub-four 2d 0-100km/h efficiency purpose the Darkish Riot would possibly presumably well be very like a flash certainly.

Top energy from the Darkish Riot conception is declared to be 335kW (450hp) though being an EV, it’s more probably torque continuously is the level of curiosity.

Cupra’s rear-driven Born model presents some hope to the reality that the Darkish Riot would possibly presumably well be sold with a an identical option, no longer no longer up to in its more inexpensive variations. It’s probably a twin-motor all-wheel-drive option focusing on lap cases would possibly presumably well be the closing iteration.

Chasing Autos has beforehand been educated that if the Darkish Riot made it to manufacturing, it would possibly probably perhaps presumably well probably payment beneath €100,000 (roughly AUD$165,000) with the plot to defend the automobile within the realm of accessibility to most investors.