Cupra Formentor Enters Production In Spain, 306 HP Launch Edition Costs $51,500

SEAT has begun production of the Cupra Formentor crossover, the first standalone model of the newly-founded performance brand.

The new SUV has become the sixth model made at the Martorell plant near Barcelona, Spain, and is expected to bring an increase of more than 10 percent in the facility’s annual output. 3,000 workers are manufacturing the first exclusive Cupra model on line 2 of the plant, divided into three shifts. The initial production of the Formentor will be of 160 units per day.

When it hits European dealerships next week, the Cupra Formentor will be available with the top 310 PS (306 HP) 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine hooked to a standard DSG transmission and 4Drive AWD.

See Also: Cupra Formentor Becomes The First-Ever Official Car Of FC Barcelona

SEAT and Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths and the Formentor

Later on, the engine lineup will be expanded with six other powertrains, including plug-in hybrid versions from early 2021. The top PHEV model will have a combined power of 245 PS (241 HP) and a range of approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) in electric-only mode.

The Formentor is a key pillar in Cupra’s globalization strategy as the brand wants to strengthen its position in the major European markets and enter the most electrified countries such as Norway. Cupra will also expand across new Latin American markets, as well as Turkey and Israel. Eventually, SEAT is hoping the Formentor will more than double the Cupra brand’s sales volume.

Marc ter Stegen and his Cupra Formentor

As part of the partnership with FC Barcelona announced earlier this year, goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen has become the first person to take delivery of a Formentor. At the Cupra Garage in Martorell, the soccer star and Cupra global ambassador was handed over the keys to his new car by SEAT’s new president and CEO Wayne Griffiths (who is also the CEO of the Cupra brand).

The Cupra Formentor Launch Edition (VZ Edition in the UK) is available in an exclusive Petrol Blue Matt paint and has a starting price of €43,953 in Spain ($51,500).