At the IAA Mobility 2021, Cupra caused a stir with the UrbanRebel Concept. The small car study with a racing car look (XXL spoiler, gullwing doors and rims with aero attachments) should give a preview of the production version of the electric car announced for 2025, which is located below the Cupra Born. But even then it was clear that the production model (won’t be called UrbanRebel) would be significantly defused.
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Now the Spaniards are showing the next stage of evolution. The UrbanRebel is no longer called Concept, but it is still a study – this time a production-based one that makes a little of the Lamborghini Urus at the front. AUTO BILD was already in it! (These electric cars are coming by 2026!)
The first study of the UrbanRebel was a spectacular concept with a sweeping wing!
The UrbanRebel mutates into an SUV
The UrbanRebel looks more like a small SUV than a small car. The height of 1.58 meters (plus 14 centimeters compared to the first study) and a ground clearance of almost 22 centimeters confirm the first impression.
The paint is reminiscent of a flip-flop paint that changes from green to gray to purple. Cupra says the paint job is undefinable.
At 4.04 meters, the new study is four centimeters shorter than the UrbanRebel Concept and a whopping 28 centimeters than its big brother Born. The width of 1.98 meters (including the futuristic exterior mirrors) and the huge 21-inch rims make the electric car look bulky on the MEB platform.
Beefy is also the right keyword when it comes to the front. The huge maw of the concept has been adopted, just without the sweeping front splitter. Parts of the apron and the wheel arches of the UrbanRebel look like they are made of carbon, but they are made of what is known as Natural Fiber Composite.
The front is reminiscent of the Lamborghini Urus
The front is characterized by the so-called shark nose (shark nose), which is reminiscent of the 650 hp super SUV Lamborghini Urus. The split headlights are triangular and are meant to reflect the brand logo. Cupra used a design trick for the Greenhouse: the A-pillars are black, which makes them appear as one unit with the windshield, similar to a helmet visor.
With a little imagination, clear parallels between the Urus (image) and UrbanRebel can be seen on the front.
In contrast to the Concept, which only had two (wing) doors, the UrbanRebel is a four-door model. The overhangs are short at the front and rear, and the wheelbase is long at 2.60 meters. The contrasting colored roof is sporty, the C-pillar is tilted forward.
The rear with a continuous light strip and a central Cupra logo is very similar to that of the first study. But: The new two-piece roof edge spoiler is a few sizes smaller.
Futuristic interior of the study
While the exterior design, with minor exceptions such as the illuminated logo on the hood or the huge rims, is quite close to the series, the cockpit still looks very unconventional, almost futuristic. The door opens without a handle via the touch surface. In the interior, the Spaniards speak of a floating dashboard with a curved display and invisible air vents.
Getting on is allowed, but I have to empty all my trouser pockets beforehand and I should move as little as possible on the seat – after all, it’s still a sensitive study. The strongly formed bucket seats are electrically adjustable. The backrest, including the integrated headrest, is rigid and not steep enough for my taste, but something will certainly happen here before the series production, the final version will come up with a much more conventional solution.
Playstation-style steering wheel
Let’s look ahead: the entire cockpit is geared towards the driver and overall appears very clear. Like the dashboard, the uncluttered center console appears to be floating. Behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel (with a small impact absorber and 12 o’clock marking) is a digital instrument display with a 3D view. The steering wheel buttons (left control pad, right buttons) could also come directly from the Playstation controller.
A particular highlight is the head-up display, which projects content across the entire width of the lower part of the windscreen and even the side windows. It sounds spectacular, and it is. It remains to be seen whether this high-tech feature will go into series production, but there is still time until 2025.
Compared to the UrbanRebel Concept, the rear has been significantly toned down. What looks like carbon is natural fiber composite.
Unusual for a study: Not only the interior check, but also a look into the trunk is allowed. My first thought: it’s not very big. But a Cupra employee explains to me that this is due to the technology of the study and that the production version is equipped with a larger luggage compartment. There are no concrete figures yet, but the targeted volume should be on the Ibiza/Arona level (355 to 400 liters).
The UrbanRebel is based on the MEB platform
There is still a lot of time until the market launch in 2025, but the most important facts are already known. The UrbanRebel, whose final name should be different, is based on a shortened MEB platform that it will share with the VW ID.1/ID.2 and comes exclusively with front-wheel drive.
Range of up to 440 kilometers
In contrast to the UrbanRebel Concept study, the power was reduced to a maximum of 320 kW (435 hp/continuous power 250 kW or 340 hp). Cupra reveals that the top version will be launched with a maximum of 166 kW (226 hp). For comparison: the basic Born model has an output of 150 kW or 204 hp. The sprint to 100 km/h takes 6.9 seconds and the maximum range is 440 kilometers. Below the top model, two smaller power levels will be available.
The base price should be around 25,000 euros
And even though it will be more than two years before we see the production version, we already know something about the price: Cupra has already announced that it will start at 25,000 euros. This would make the UrbanRebel around 5000 euros more expensive than the platform brother from VW. At the same time, that’s only a tenth of what a Lamborghini Urus costs.
