VW Group’s CUPRA brand has started production of the CUPRA Terramar model at the Audi factory in Györ, Hungary.

The brand says the sporty SUV moves CUPRA upmarket and ‘into the fastest growing segment in Europe’.

Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA said: “With today’s milestone, CUPRA takes an important step forward in the brand’s journey. With the CUPRA Terramar, we will not only grow our product portfolio but at the same time help our brand grow-up by bringing the CUPRA mindset to new customers and new growing segments, without losing our rebellious and challenger spirit.”

The collaboration between the German and the Spanish companies goes back to 2011 with the start of production of the Audi Q3 at the SEAT S.A. factory in Martorell, with nearly 800,000 units manufactured, and the Audi A1, with close to 400,000 units produced since 2018.

Györ will become Audi’s first factory to produce vehicles of a sister brand.

With over 12,000 employees and a yearly production volume of over 170,000 vehicles and more than 1,600,000 engines, Györ is the largest engine plant in the world. Producing the CUPRA Terramar in Györ offers several advantages, CUPRA says, including process optimisations.

“By leveraging the combined expertise of CUPRA and Audi, we have successfully integrated and optimised our processes. This was made possible through our adaptability and the synergies within the Volkswagen Group. This project is a clear example of how joining forces benefits us all, making us more competitive and setting the stage for future collaborations that will allow us to continue to grow,” said Markus Haupt, Vice-President for Production and Logistics at CUPRA.

The CUPRA Terramar pays homage to the place where the brand was first introduced to the world in 2018: The CUPRA Terramar race circuit in Sitges. Premiered at the America’s Cup in Barcelona earlier in September, the CUPRA Terramar is available in petrol, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.