The list of “forbidden fruit” cars that Americans can’t get is frustratingly long, from long-roof BMWs to quirky, affordable EVs. That said, there’s a bit of good news on this front, though to avoid raising your hopes, we’re not getting an M3 Estate anytime soon. Cupra, part of the VW family, recently announced its plans to bring two models to the U.S., including an electric Formentor crossover and a larger SUV.
Alright, two electric family haulers aren’t exactly what enthusiasts want from Europe, but everyday car buyers do. Cupra manufactures vehicles in North America, including Mexico, and said it would sell the vehicles via a new distribution model, though it didn’t elaborate on what that would be. The automaker’s sales were up 51 percent last year from 2022’s numbers, and the United States is the brand’s next big sales prize.
Though Cupra is coming to the States, it won’t sell cars everywhere. CEO Wayne Griffiths told reporters, “We want to leverage synergies within the brand group core by producing this crossover SUV in Mexico. Cupra will be launched in selected states where we assure we can find customers that are linked to the Cupra brand and respond to the Cupra brand, mainly in the East and West Coast and Sun Belt states.”
The brand will be Volkswagen’s second new entry in the U.S. this decade. Scout, an iconic American brand name, will return with a new electric SUV and pickup truck in a few years. It joins VW’s brand portfolio with a factory in South Carolina and operations near Detroit. At the same time, VW proper feels that it is no longer competitive as a brand. Late last year, its costs had risen, and productivity had fallen, leading it to eye layoffs, early retirements, and other cost-cutting measures to right the ship.