It is not his first attempt.
Italian Luca de Meo has become a master in brand creation.
At Fiat, he relaunched Abarth.
At Seat, he transformed the sporting signature Cupra - short for Cup and Racing - into a brand in its own right.
And now at Renault, he dreams of Alpine becoming the French Ferrari.
Each time, the strategy stems from the same ambition: to increase the average selling price of the range.
With Cupra, symbolized by an inverted and virilized copper-colored triangle, de Meo used great means.
Not content with rebadging bewitched Seat models, he has paid for the luxury of developing a vehicle that will not have its equivalent within the parent company.
Taking its name from a cape located at the northeastern tip of the island of Mallorca, Formentor does not leave you indifferent.
With a few features borrowed from the latest Seat, this vehicle triturates with a certain brilliance the theme of the SUV to deliver a crossover that seems to have flirted with a coupe.
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Camped on 19-inch wheels and lowered by 100 mm compared to the Ateca, the Formentor is more like the enhanced sport sedan - barely 60 mm higher than the Leon - than the leisure vehicle that the ecologists want to remove from the landscape.
And to give shape to the Cupra recipe, this new vehicle first arrives with the 4-cylinder 2-liter TFSI 310 horsepower that it shares with the Audi S3.
Six engines will eventually be added to cover a multitude of needs: gasoline, diesel and plug-in hybrid, from 150 to 245 horsepower.
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When the doors open, the Formentor reminds us of its origins.
Economy of scale requires, despite air vents and upholstery stitching highlighted in copper, the Cupra logo in the center of the steering wheel, a multimedia system based on a maxi-format touch screen (12 inches) and full bucket seats ( + € 1,500 in petroleum blue leather), the dashboard refers to the latest Leon.
With its good and bad sides.
Navigating the screen menus is so risky that we regret the removal of all the buttons, especially those for the air conditioning.
The presence of plastic, especially in the lower parts, testifies to the desire to tighten prices.
Honor is safe.
As with Ferrari, the starter button is on the steering wheel and the customizable digital instrumentation regales the driver by showing a huge tachometer in the center of the screen, the torque and power used in real time and the Gs undergone at acceleration.
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From the Leon and the VW Golf 8 with which it shares the MQB Evo platform, the Formentor inherits the latest technologies in terms of comfort and safety.
Well seen: the main ones are standard.
This is the case of the hands-free opening, including the rear hatch which lifts by passing the foot under the bumper, the reversing camera, smartphone charging by induction, adaptive cruise control, reading signs, automatic braking, lane keeping and blind spot monitoring.
The Formentor does not forget that it remains a family-oriented vehicle.
The rear space is generous both in knee length and headroom and the trunk offers a satisfactory capacity of 420 liters.
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From the first kilometers, the Formentor VZ 310 delivers sensations quite similar to an Audi S3, apart from an elevated driving position.
Combined with a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, the 2-liter turbo is distinguished by its smoothness and flexibility.
Acceleration is similar to that of a GT - 100 km / h is reached in 4.9 seconds - and the pick-ups, assisted by a comfortable torque of 400 Nm, are still vigorous.
After dropping the kids off at school, enjoying the temper of the engine on a twisty road is hardly a punishment.
This crossover turns flat and connects the curves with great confidence.
The all-wheel drive contributes to this, allowing perfect traction, especially in the rain.
Steering wheel-operated Cupra mode, the steering, suspension, gearbox and engine adopt sporty settings.
The sensitive vertebrae will appreciate the controlled damping which varies, it is undoubtedly exaggerated, the firmness on 15 levels!
To take full advantage of the temperament of this crossover, we recommend upgrading the equipment with Brembo brakes (+ € 2,250) including large diameter front discs (370 mm) and 4-piston calipers.
Our opinion
Launching a new brand is always a risk.
In the case of Cupra, it is calculated.
The new Spanish brand can draw on the technology and know-how of the VW group.
With the Formentor, Cupra is not far from having achieved a masterstroke.
It enters a booming SUV market with successful dynamic styling, family versatility and a price / performance ratio unmatched on the market.
There remains a black point: this crossover is penalized by a penalty of 7,851 euros.
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Technical sheet
Engine: 4-cylinder turbo petrol, 1,984 cm3, 310 hp, 400 Nm
Transmission: all-wheel drive, 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission
Dimensions: L. 4,450, l.
1,839 h.
1,511 mm
Weight: 1644 kg
Safe: 420 liters
EU consumption: 8.2 l / 100 km
EU CO2 emissions: 186 g / km
Speed: 250 km / h
Price: 44 670 €
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