Cupra’s VP Of R&D Proves The UrbanRebel Concept Is Fully Functional By Driving It

Unveiled at the Munich auto show in September, the Cupra UrbanRebel concept is designed to give the world a hint of what an EV smaller than the Born could look like. But with its big wings and fancy paint job, you could be forgiven for thinking it was just for display rather than a fully functional car.

Cupra’s vice president of research and development, Dr. Werner Tietz, wanted to prove that the concept is more than just a static display, so he donned his helmet and put on his racing gloves to take the concept car for a spin.

“The CUPRA UrbanRebel represents a bold statement from the brand that electrification doesn’t have to be boring,” said Tietz. “The car has a constant power output of 250 kW [335 hp/340 PS] and delivers 320 kW [429 hp/435 PS] of maximum power to get the most out of it. It’s really fun to drive.”

Read More: Cupra UrbanRebel Spreads Its Wing In Munich To Get You Excited About 2025 Small EV

That’s enough, he points out, to get the car to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds. It will be pretty swift at higher speed, too, because that aero package isn’t just for looks. It’s been designed to minimize drag thanks to big, intelligently designed air inlets and outlets, while also providing plenty of grip.

“CUPRA’s unique chassis and steering set-up gives it very precise handling and is the inspiration for the series production,” Tietz added. As we’ve seen previously, Cupra has used race car drivers, such as Mattias Ekstrom and Jordi Gene, to fine tune the handling of the Born EV.

Ultimately, even though this concept car works, we still anticipate the production vehicle to be much less extreme. By the time it launches, it’s expected to make less than half as much power as this concept.

Based on the same MEB platform as the Born, the UrbanRebel is shorter and will be joined by similarly-sized models from VW and Skoda. Expect Cupra’s version, though, to be the most exciting, as well as most expensive, as recent reports suggest that it will cost around €5,000 more than its siblings from other brands when it comes out around 2025.