The Cupra Terramar represents a new electrified era for the Catalan brand, and the sporty-looking SUV is one of the most important investments from the Martorell house, having been designed and developed in Barcelona.
The development and creation of the Terramar was led by designer Alberto Torrecillas, for whom the full-scale clay models were crucial in understanding which lines and shapes were important to highlight in the Cupra SUV.
“We designed the essence of the model, transformed it digitally to understand its volumes, but if we truly want to feel the surfaces and check if the proportions work, we need a full-scale model”, said Alberto Torrecillas.
Positioned above the Formentor, the Terramar measures 4.51 meters in length, 1.86 meters in width, 1.58 meters in height, and has a wheelbase of 2.68 meters.
“Proportions are essential in our models. We define them in the sketches we make, but it is in the physical clay replicas that we truly appreciate them,” added Torrecillas. In the Cupra Terramar, for example, this phase was crucial in the design process because “being an SUV, we wanted to emphasize its generous length of 4.5 meters, highlighting the body color while maintaining an athletic and sporty sculpture. The best way to show this is with the clay model”, added the Cupra designer.
The front section is marked by a shark nose, featuring a generously sized grille and a signature LED lighting of illuminated triangles. Additionally, the Cupra logo on the hood is illuminated.
“The prominent lines of the hood are one of the key elements of the Terramar’s front design, as they frame our logo. By using these clay models, we immediately identified and visualized the sections that allowed us to highlight them.”, concluded Torrecillas.
Remember that the Cupra Terramar is available with various engine options tailored to the driver’s needs. In Portugal, two versions are available: a Mild-Hybrid and a Plug-in Hybrid, both equipped with the DSG transmission. The entry-level version is the Terramar 1.5 eTSI 150hp DSG, a Mild-Hybrid engine that utilizes 48V hybrid technology and a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with 150 hp. This system is combined with a 7-speed DSG gearbox, which allows the vehicle to deactivate the engine under certain driving conditions, recover energy during braking, and provide electric assistance to the engine.
For those seeking greater performance, the Terramar VZ 1.5 e-Hybrid ID 272 hp DSG features a plug-in hybrid engine with 272 hp, which combines a 1.5 TSI engine with an electric motor and a 19.7 kWh battery, allowing for an electric-only range of over 100 km. This sportier version of the Terramar is equipped with a 6-speed DSG gearbox.
