CUPRA Tindaya Showcar unveiled with design focus on driver

CUPRA presented the Tindaya Showcar at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, highlighting a new design vision with focus on driver experience and transformation.

At the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, CUPRA unveiled the Tindaya showcar, a striking concept that embodies the brand’s new design manifesto. The project took 15 months of experimentation with textures, materials, and technologies, with one goal in mind: to put driving emotions back at the center of attention.

The designers framed their vision through three core ideas. The first is Origins. Guided by the principle “No Drivers, No CUPRA,” the Tindaya is built entirely around the driver. Opposing doors free the interior, while analogue details reintroduce a sense of physicality and authentic connection behind the wheel.

The second idea is Alive. Tindaya was conceived as a car that feels alive. Its body lines draw inspiration from the human form, the lighting signature features triangular “pupils,” and the front Black Mask seems to breathe. Inside, a crystalline prism becomes the car’s beating heart, triggering light and sound experiences when touched. Sustainable materials, including bio-attributed leather, flax fiber, and 3D-printed aluminum, reinforce the impression of a cabin that responds and transforms with every interaction.

The third idea is Transformation. Every detail expresses movement: evolving parametric textures, a body color that flows from front to rear, and wheels that shift appearance depending on the viewing angle. Even the paint was handcrafted to merge two tones seamlessly.

Technically, the Tindaya is based on the SSP platform in a range-extender configuration. It combines two electric motors with a total output of about 365 kW and a 1.5-liter petrol engine acting as a generator. The showcar sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in around 4.1 seconds, with an extended driving range of up to 1000 kilometers. At 4.72 meters long, it surpasses the Formentor, suggesting the arrival of a future flagship SUV.

German and British media describe Tindaya as CUPRA’s largest and fastest model to date, with some calling it a “love child” of the earlier DarkRebel concept and a high-riding SUV. Commentators cautiously speculate that it may point toward a production model, though CUPRA itself emphasizes that Tindaya is above all a vision and design statement rather than a confirmed project.

As a result, the Tindaya is more than a highlight of the Munich show. It is a declaration of intent: a bold fusion of technology and emotion, a car that challenges conventions while keeping the driver firmly at its heart.