Cupra DarkRebel battles dragons—and status quo

Maps of old would often indicate unexplored lands with the label, “here be dragons”, warning travellers of mysterious, potentially dangerous regions. For Cupra, that’s more of an invitation than a deterrent. The self-proclaimed rebel brand is tapping into this spirit of adventure and self-determination with its latest concept, the all-electric sports car, DarkRebel.

“While some people are afraid of the unknown and leave the unexplored, unexplored, that is not how we do things at Cupra,” Chief Executive Wayne Griffiths told media at a recent press event at IAA Mobility. “We believe in discovering what’s hidden in the dark.” Teased as a virtual image in April 2023, fleshed out in the following months with online feedback from the Cupra Tribe (the fanbase), this vision took physical form at IAA. The event marketing material played heavily on the ‘here be dragons’ and exploration theme.