If you’ve been counting down the days for the arrival of Spanish-badged Volkswagens in the US, we have some bad news for you. Cupra had postponed plans to launch Stateside, having originally planned to sell cars in America from 2030.
It comes as a result of ‘ongoing challenges within the automotive industry’, according to the manufacturer, with no new target date placed on its American dream.
Sven Schuwirth, Executive Vice-President for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales and man with the longest job title in the world at Cupra’s parent company Seat, said: “We’re not stopping, just postponing our US launch and will continue to monitor market developments in the coming years to determine the best timing and approach, aligned with the brand’s long-term vision.
“In the meantime, Cupra will build on the strong momentum it has achieved in existing key territories and will soon expand into new high-potential markets to broaden its global footprint.”
Now, if you’re not familiar with Cupra, it’ll take a little bit of explaining. It started with a Spanish car brand founded by the country’s government called Seat, which was then bought by Volkswagen in 1986.
Then, in the mid-’90s, Cupra became a trim for a small hatchback it made called the Ibiza and eventually its larger Leon. In essence (and later, mechanically), it was its equivalent to Volkswagen’s GTI.
Volkswagen then decided in 2018 it wanted to reposition Cupra as a lifestyle brand of its own, targeting the youth and all that. Imagine it a bit like Scion once was to Toyota, only more Instagram-influencer friendly.
So now, Cupra makes cars of its own – or rather, it makes cars based on Volkswagen’s existing platforms and gives them some more stylish bodywork and interiors if that’s your sort of thing.
Cupra hasn’t confirmed which cars it wants to bring to the US, although that’s no real surprise given there’s now no firm date on when it’ll go across the Atlantic. It has previously said it plans to launch with ‘ICE, PHEV and BEV’ options, though.
We’ll point out that by its original 2030 planned date, though, you’ll be able to legally import the vast majority of Seat Cupra models of old, which we’d be more inclined to suggest…