This week, we caught up with the man in charge of Cupra, spoke to Porsche about its model naming methods, and found out what's in store for Polestar.
Not a sub-brand any more
Cupra has been a standalone entity for four years now, and it’s high time to consider it as a fully fledged brand in its own right, according to Seat and Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths. “I see them as two brands with clear identities under one company, both within the Volkswagen Group,” he said. “It irritates me when I see Cupra written as Seat’s sub-brand. Cupra is a standalone brand within the same company.”
What's in a name?
“How can it be called a Turbo when it doesn’t have an engine?” screamed critics when Porsche revealed the model name for its top-rung Taycan, and they will no doubt be just as riled by the hottest version of the electric Macan arriving next year. Porsche SUV boss Sebastian Staiger told Autocar that the petrol-engined Macan Turbo won’t return “but let’s get surprised what our electric successors will then bring up”. Another electric Turbo, then? To us, it’s all starting to feel a bit forced…
The Geely connection
Polestar is forging ahead with its own identity, distinct from its Volvo parent company, but boss Thomas Ingenlath said it would be “very stupid” to develop completely bespoke architectures and powertrains, because being part of the Geely group is “one of the main advantages that Polestar has compared to start-up competitors”. Because it can share development, components and factories with several other marques, he said, “it would be a waste of our energy to try to do everything ourself”.
