- Cupra has revealed an aggressive new SUV at the Munich show, the Tindaya Showcar.
- The Tindaya is larger than every current Cupra model and the company says it previews its future design direction.
- According to Cupra's CEO, it will make production by the end of the decade.
Cupra has whipped the covers of a new concept at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich that it says previews its future design language and is "the embodiment of the brand’s vision".
The Cupra Tindaya Showcar is named after a rather dramatic volcanic mountain in Fuerteventura, part of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, and the company says its copper-toned rock "echoes the signature of Cupra, while its raw form connects with the materials and textures of our design language".
And, if nothing else, the Tindaya Showcar is certainly dramatic, with its aggressive lines, gaping intakes and sharp edges.
While Cupra didn't reveal any details about what might power the Tindaya Showcar, it seems to be destined for production, with interim CEO of Cupra, Markus Haupt, saying "The Cupra Tindaya Showcar is not a dream, not even an ambition. This is our Cupra statement, and it’s going to be a reality."
Haupt, who only became interim CEO this April following the surprise departure of former boss Wayne Griffiths, doubled down of the Tindaya's production reality in an interview with Top Gear, saying “The Tindaya was born to be a reality. It’s a design study, but the beginning of the next decade, somewhere around there, it will be true."
Haupt said that the Tindaya represents Cupra driver-centric philosophy, saying "While many move away from the driver, we double down on what matters most – the connection behind the wheel. Our focus will always be on the emotion of driving."
The Tindaya is 4720mm long, making it larger than all of Cupra's current SUVs (the Formentor, Terramar and Tavascan), as well as the Leon Sportstourer (which is currently the longest Cupra at 4657mm), with massive 23-inch wheels, a 1/3 cabin to 2/3 body ratio, and high (but unspecified) ground clearance.
The roof features an ‘ýpsilon’ shaped central structural spine and two detachable roof panels, while a prominent double spoiler extends from the cabin, giving the Tindaya a combination of a Shooting Brake and Fastback profiles.
Cupra says the Tindaya Showcar's interior design represents its "radical yet simple idea" of “No drivers, No Cupra" that reinforces its driver-first approach. The cockpit has been conceived as a fully driver-centric architecture, inspired by motorsport and cutting-edge technology.
The racing– and gaming–inspired steering wheel features satellite buttons for "total control with zero distraction", while the elevated centre console serves as the backbone of a fully integrated, tactile and functional mono cockpit.
The centre of the cabin is what Cupra calls The Jewel – a "sensory and symbolic" interface that wakes the vehicle, adjusts driving modes, and transforms the atmosphere through lighting, sound and ambient responses. A projection band at the base of the windscreen, haptic controls and a high-fidelity sound system created in collaboration with Sennheiser mobility, turns the cabin into "an immersive, resonant space."
Sustainable materials are use dboth inside and out on the Tindaya Showcar, wiith Bcomp flax fibre, dyed in the same beige tone as the bodywork, on the exterior and a sustainable bio-attributed leather used through the interior.
