VW wants to bring another brand to the US, but it’s not the Scout

Volkswagen does not have the best time in the United States at the moment. So far, its sales are not terrible Scout has some prospects, he has a hard time selling electric cars and his newest, the ID.Buzzperhaps too late and too expensive. Despite the uncertainty surrounding Volkswagen’s electric future, it has decided to double down, potentially launching a new EV-focused brand in the U.S. that most American customers have never heard of: the Cupra.

Cupra is a spinoff of the sub-brand. It began as a high-performance model line for Seat, the Spanish automaker under Volkswagen an umbrella There have been some great high-performance cars with the Cupra nameplate, such as the Seat Leon Cupra R hot hatch. In 2018, VW decided to separate the Cupra from Seat and focus its lineup around electrified small crossovers. Of the seven models of the brand, only one called the Ateca works exclusively with a combustion engine. However, Cupra doesn’t just plan to enter the US market by 2030 – it wants to bring out a range of models with different powerplants, including the old internal combustion engine.

surprisingly Cupra plans for the US distribution is not entirely clear. One of the models will be built at one of Volkswagen’s North American plants, but the brand has not said where the others will be built. Cupra is also partnering with Penske Automotive Group to help with distribution. The official headquarters location and final US model lineup will be announced at a later date.

Much of the Cupra’s underpinnings come from its parent company, so you can expect any models headed to the US to perform similarly, if not identically, to their VW-badged counterparts. However, the Cupra has been separating itself from styling since becoming its own brand in an attempt to attract younger buyers. Thomas Schaefer, the company’s CEO (and indeed CEO of VW’s global passenger car business), said at the Los Angeles Auto Show that his plan is working well, even calling it a “very unique European phenomenon,” according to Automotive news.

But it seems that Schaefer is not satisfied with Europe’s adherence. While Cupra has already expanded beyond Europe into Australia and Mexico, it is hoping for further growth. “Everybody needs to grow somewhere, have another leg to stand on, and Cupra is exploring how to possibly get into other regions,” Schaefer told media in Los Angeles. “North America alone.”

At first glance, offering Volkswagen’s rebranded Cupra in the US doesn’t seem like a good idea, given VW’s predicament here. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be successful. Most customer complaints about modern VWs are their confusing user interface and bland styling. If Cupra can bring the enthusiasm to attract younger customers – and many of its cars really do look great – with a better interior, maybe there’s a chance those buyers will come on board. Brands like Tesla and Riviansky proved that Americans are ready to give new upstart brands a chance. Maybe Kupra is thinking, “Why not us, too?”

Any tips? Send them to tips@thedrive.com