The bonnets of the CUPRA DarkRebel show car are removed. Created by obsession, it is the ultimate provocation of CUPRA design. A sports car that pushes the boundaries of design and performance and challenges the way cars of the future will be imagined and created. This is the physical translation of the first car created entirely in CUPRA virtual space, for a future generation of drivers.

More than 270,000 CUPRA configurations from the CUPRA tribe, including brand ambassadors such as FC Barcelona players Alexia Putellas, Marc ter Stegen and Ansu Fati, as well as actor Daniel Brühl, helped shape the design of the show because CUPRA DarkRebel. Data collected from the online Hyper Configurator was fed into the final design, which has now moved from the virtual world to the real world with the reveal of the physical version of the CUPRA DarkRebel show car at the IAA in Munich.

The result is a 100% electric two-seater sports car with a shooting brake architecture that reflects the passion and disruptive mentality of the CUPRA brand, while incorporating an enigmatic exterior color of mercury-like liquid bodywork, the use of light as an almost tangible material. and increased attention to sustainability.

According to CUPRA CEO Wayne Griffiths: “Thanks to the passion and creativity of the CUPRA tribe, we were able to turn one of our most powerful obsessions into a real show car. The CUPRA DarkRebel is the ultimate provocation of CUPRA design. He’s a rebel with one goal: to prove that the electric cars of the future can be sporty, sexy and emotional.

Lighting is a key element in the design of the CUPRA DarkRebel show car, starting with the logo lighting. It highlights the dialogue between matter and immaterial, showing how light can support colors and materials and transform the transparency of crystalline pieces into digitally colored solid sculptures. The vehicle’s radically clean frontal appearance focuses on CUPRA’s iconic triangular light signature that emerges from the bodywork, bringing the car to life. The lighting concept is based on dividing the CUPRA logo into three triangles, which are then applied as DRLs (Daytime Running Lights).

The central column of the vehicle, like the keel of a sailboat made of a transparent material like glass, connects the front and rear of the CUPRA DarkRebel. This concept emphasizes the vehicle’s progressive design, inspiring its sporty appeal.

Sensual surfaces with a strong combination of clean lines create tension in the design, expressing a concentration of energy and meaning. All this underlined by the enigmatic color of the liquid body.

The flowing character of the dark purple hue evolves and changes depending on how ambient light hits the vehicle’s body, reinforcing the strong stance and setting the DarkRebel’s tone as a sports car designed to drive.

The DarkRebel sits on the ground and its wheel design is influenced by the brand’s race cars, with performance and efficiency being key attributes. The triangular-shaped CUPRA logo runs parametrically across the entire wheel, from the structure to the aerodynamic covers and the copper design pieces.

The avant-garde exterior design of the CUPRA DarkRebel is highlighted by its dimensions: 4.5 meters long, 2.2 meters wide and 1.3 meters high, with a height of 2.2 meters when its doors are open. The DarkRebel comes to life with its 1/3 cabin contrasting 2/3 body proportions and strong shoulders that convey its sporty soul.

“The CUPRA DarkRebel represents all of the brand’s DNA and values. With wider shoulders, a long hood and a lowered cabin, it’s driver-focused. » said Jorge Diez, CUPRA Design Director. “The CUPRA Dark Rebel is designed to enter a new dimension where desire, emotion and going beyond limits are our obsession.”

The side of the DarkRebel is characterized by the connection of the bodywork at the front and rear by means of channels dug into the surface that reveal all the technical elements, as a symbol of the relationship between exterior and interior.

The CUPRA DarkRebel also defies design rules in its interior. Through the duality of muscle and skeleton, body and structure, an unexpected and innovative cabin is created. Its use of parametric design and additive manufacturing offers a more substantive approach to sustainability. As soon as they enter the vehicle, passengers find themselves in an enveloping, radical and extreme environment, delimited by an elegant canvas underlined by dynamic shapes, from which emerge raw and light structures. The set is crowned by the drive components, true design gems, which provide precision in their forms and state-of-the-art technology, thus completing a unique interior.

Inside the show car, the simplicity and purity of the cabin is complemented by the careful finishing of certain key elements of the driving experience.

The key element of the passenger compartment is the central column with its asymmetrical shapes, its lightness and its sculptural appearance. Produced using the latest 3D metal printing technology, it offers lightweight structural performance, emerging between the seat bases and extending forward to hug the driver. Offering the perfect position for the most important driving elements. Thanks to its longitudinal adjustment, synchronized with the sliding of the pedals, it offers ideal ergonomics for sporty driving.

Another key element of the interior are the Supersport bucket seats, with headrests covered in 3D knitted fabric and supported by a structure in transparent crystalline material and copper inserts. The bucket seats are mounted low and, thanks to their light shape, they exceed their limits and offer lateral support over the entire leg. From their base, they emerge towards the top and take shape in a surprising but exciting way. In their contact areas, they adapt and hug the occupants to provide maximum comfort and grip for sporty driving.

One of the great protagonists of the interior of the CUPRA DarkRebel is the steering wheel, which combines the geometries of the motor racing world with the interactivity of the gaming world. The hands are perfectly adapted to their ergonomics and the driver immediately feels the first moment all the power and control while the show car is in motion.

Right now, the driver’s next point of attention is the gear lever, which sits on the center console and is made of a crystalline material that illuminates and invites the touch.

A sports car focused on performance both on the road and in terms of technological progress. On the roof, a thermal camera monitors the state of the cabin and the intelligent climate control system adjusts the temperature and airflows accordingly, exhausting air through gills located under the windscreen. The gills, lined with a breathable elastic fabric developed in the world of high-level sport, repel each other and become visible depending on the amount of air supplied. Finally, the ambient backlight color of this area explains whether the interior becomes warm or cold.

The communication through lighting continues through the use of a flowing canvas in the wraparound upper part of the cabin which creates a perfect template for the light effects, enhancing the emotions and experiences of the occupants. The interior also uses sustainable materials made from 90% biodegradable bamboo. Light streams through the front of the cabin, under the windshield, emerging from the sides of the seats, the seatbacks are crowned with light, creating a vibrancy that can change color between dark blue and magenta and reflective purple. Components like the steering wheel contribute to the effect of glowing energy.

The CUPRA DarkRebel offers cutting-edge User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design. Embracing CUPRA’s distinctive mindset and digital DNA, the CUPRA DarkRebel redefines the automotive experience, seamlessly blending the physical and digital worlds. By integrating a gamified experience, users don’t just drive; They participate in a continuous and immersive connection with the CUPRA tribe.

The CUPRA DarkRebel UX/UI journey offers three unique experiences: Exponential Square, Exponential Cube and Exponential Infinite:

• Exponential Square: Amplifies the experience with a modern digital booth, featuring futuristic graphics and a customizable 3D avatar that humanizes the experience.
• Exponential Cube: The vehicle adopts its racing DNA and offers an electrifying experience inspired by high-performance racing cars and the world of video games: real-time track positioning, lap timing and performance data.
• Exponential Infinite: venture into the uncharted territory of connected mobility. While the car is parked and charging, users can access Metahype, CUPRA’s space in the metaverse. The car offers users the ability to interact with the CUPRA Tribe.

These three experiences, controlled from the steering wheel, personalize the entire car from the exterior, interior, lighting and sound, as well as exclusive features for each experience.

The CUPRA DarkRebel show car was unveiled at Volkswagen Group Night and will be presented to the public during the CUPRA Open Space at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany (September 4-10).