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SEAT Ateca Cupra Might Look like This and Is Currently Under Consideration

Last week, SEAT unveiled the Ateca, the first of what should be several SUVs that Spain will build. While the company is proud, we felt underwhelmed by the lack of serious performance, which may or may not be corrected in the future.
SEAT Ateca Cupra rendering 1 photo
Photo: X-Tomi Design
SEAT used to be obsessed with power. After the Golf GTI had come out with 200 PS, the Spanish stuck that engine into the Leon FR and made a more powerful version for the Cupra. But the most dynamic Ateca model only gets 190 PS, which comes from a diesel of all things.

While SEAT's new family buyers will be more than happy with this SUV, the people who have been loyal to the brand for a decade may feel left out. They don't want to trade out of their old Cupra and hop into a Mazda or Honda family sedan. They want the Cupra SUV.

SEAT has never attempted making a performance SUV. But you can't call the idea "controversial" or "a dilution of the brand," not when the X5 M, Cayenne Turbo or G63 AMG have a cult status. In a recent interview, SEAT Chairman Luca de Meo said the top brass is looking into the possibility of an Ateca Cupra. But the fact that he used the expression "one solid step after the other" suggests it will take some before it's approved.

Let's imagine that we can fast forward to 2018 and the Cupra SUV comes out. What will it look like and what will reside under its hood? Well, for the first question, our answer comes in the form of a rendering from X-Tomi Design. He only changed the wheels, suspension, front bumper and grille. While some may say that he's been lazy, we know that SEAT's new way of designing fast cars is the understated way.

We've seen it with the Leon Cupra, which now resembles a regular hatchback with large wheels and a sports exhaust. Such a philosophy would work well with the Ateca, resulting in a stealthy SUV that your mother-in-law wouldn't mind getting into, at least for the first time.

There are two major directions in which the company's engineers could take this project. One would be to install the 2.0 BiTDI diesel engine with 240 PS from the Passat. It would deliver a 500 Nm mountain of torque, enough to torture all four tires. However, we think the Golf R's 300 PS gasoline engine would be a far better solution. Not only is it lighter but the exhaust note would be more fitting for a Cupra.

Competition? Well, we'd like to hope the Tiguan R will also be approved for production. Of course, these cars would be no match for the Audi RS Q3 and Mercedes-AMG GLA 45. However, those German toys usually cost at least €60,000 with options.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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