CUPRA continues to take its range to new levels as it starts the production of the new CUPRA Formentor and CUPRA Leon, fearlessly redesigned and enhanced models embodying the brand’s design obsession. The first units will soon be ready to take the streets, with deliveries of both cars starting in the third quarter of this year. Created to represent the brand’s distinctive aesthetic values, the models’ production marks a new era for CUPRA as a design-driven brand.
“The new CUPRA Formentor and CUPRA Leon are key models for the future of our Martorell plant and will spearhead the expansion of the brand into global markets. We are investing more than 3 billion euros in the electrification of Martorell, and the new CUPRA Formentor and CUPRA Leon will be among the first models to benefit from this unprecedented investment in the future of our company,”
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA.
Both vehicles have been redesigned for the new generation of drivers, incorporating the DNA of CUPRA’s bold design language and setting the stage for the next chapter in their success story. Available as a plug-in hybrid, offering more than 100km of all-electric range, or with new, high-performance petrol engines, the CUPRA Formentor, the brand’s best-seller, was the first model designed and developed exclusively by CUPRA and has consistently been topping sales charts with more than 347,000 units produced to date. With the CUPRA Leon as a major driving force in CUPRA’s success, the brand has expanded its footprint worldwide, with more than 600,000 units delivered since its launch in 2018.
Martorell: A driver of growth and development
The CUPRA Formentor and CUPRA Leon have been designed and developed at Martorell. The start of production of both models represents a further step in the ongoing transformation of the facilities. The two models’ production line impacts more than 4,000 jobs, one-third of the approximately 12,000 employees currently at the production facilities.
“We are working to transform and enhance our factory, integrating the most advanced technologies in its manufacturing and structural processes. Martorell is the third largest factory in terms of production volume of the Volkswagen Group in Europe, and we will keep growing with new models, but also through the implementation of smart technology and artificial intelligence.”
Markus Haupt, Executive Vice-President for Production and Logistics at CUPRA
Inaugurated in 1993, SEAT S.A.’s factory in Martorell has been central in the company’s success. The installations have a surface of 2.8 million m² (400 football pitches) and have produced more than 12 million vehicles of 45 different models exported to more than 70 countries worldwide.
2023 was a key year for Martorell, which not only celebrated its 30-year anniversary but also grew its production 21% to reach 443,443 vehicles. The company started the installation of the Volkswagen Group’s first 100% electric paint-drying oven in Martorell, which has recently come into operation. The company has also developed top-tier digitalised tools and systems to guarantee the highest quality of its products, innovations directly benefiting the production of CUPRA’s brand-new models.
“This is a key moment for our Martorell plant. Together we are driving the transformation of the factory to ensure the launch of the first 100% electric models while continuing to produce combustion and electrified vehicles.”
Jose Arreche, Director of the Martorell plant
The current transformation of SEAT S.A.’s factory in Martorell towards electrification is a key part of the company’s goal of turning Spain into a hub for electric mobility in Europe. SEAT S.A. is leading the Volkswagen Group’s electric urban car family cluster, which will democratise access to electric cars. By the end of 2025, the 100% electric CUPRA Raval will roll off Martorell’s production line. Over the following months, the Volkswagen ID 2. will also be produced in this plant. This summer, the company will move the entire SEAT Ibiza and SEAT Arona production to another assembly line in Martorell to prepare a new line for electric cars at the factory. The transformation that SEAT S.A. has set in motion also directly affects the company on an industrial, organisational and cultural level.