CUPRA DarkRebel

The CUPRA brand, which was only founded in 2018, is deliberately non-conformist: “Our goal at CUPRA is to provoke, arouse desire, heighten emotions to the maximum and design something so powerful that it reflects our pure passion for discovering the unexpected,” says Jorge Diez, Head of Design. With this rebellious image, the CUPRA is aimed specifically at a younger audience of digital natives who are looking for a stronger fusion of analogue and digital. A show car like the CUPRA DarkRebel, which was first designed in collaboration with CUPRA fans in the metaverse and then transformed into a working show car, is an ideal brand ambassador: It allows visions to be tested for feasibility, innovations to be trialled and the boundaries of what is possible to be pushed. Indeed, the DarkRebel makes full use of these possibilities: “This show car demonstrates completely different approaches to bold car design,” said the jury. “It almost resembles a sculpture on wheels – no matter where you look, there is something new and innovative to discover.” This applies to the design of the exterior and interior and to details such as the combination of transparent elements and painted parts as well as the invisible integration of the lights into the front. Light plays a key role in the design of the DarkRebel. Starting with the logo and the striking headlights, through the interplay of light, shadow and reflections created by the sharp character lines and the striking surface design of the bodywork, to the use of light as a quasi-tangible material in the interior. The monochrome interior, which is covered by an elastic textile structure (“skin”), serves as a canvas for projections, while transparent glass elements capture or refract the light. Glass and light are also used as a symbol for digitalisation, which is reflected throughout the interior to evoke a gamified driving experience. In terms of the sustainability innovation factor, the focus was placed on 3D printing-based lightweight construction and the development of new materials, among other things. When rebellion is combined with so much innovation, a DarkRebel quickly becomes the brand’s flagship.