The CUPRA Ateca was CUPRA's calling card as an independent brand. It is a compact SUV with a sporty design that perfectly encapsulates the CUPRA brand values of uniqueness, sophistication, passion and sportiness.

The origins of CUPRA date back to 1996, when the Ibiza Kit Car won SEAT's first world title in the 2-litre World Rally Championship for Makes and the first road model with the CUPRA name, an acronym for "Cup" and "Racing", appeared.

Since then, CUPRA models became SEAT's ultimate expression of sportiness. Finally, on 22 February 2018, CUPRA became a SEAT group brand with its own personality and the aim of captivating car enthusiasts around the world. CUPRA aims to occupy a position between the generalist and premium brands by developing high-performance models together with SEAT.

CUPRA's launch took place at the Terramar racetrack near Barcelona. On that day, its first model, the CUPRA Ateca, was unveiled. It was based on the highly successful Ateca compact SUV, powered by the 300 HP engine from the latest SEAT Leon CUPRA R, linked to a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission and 4Drive all-wheel drive system, as well as an improved chassis. The result was a sporty SUV, with the spacious cabin and boot of an SUV, impressive technological equipment and great dynamism.

The CUPRA Ateca went on sale at the end of 2018. Its historic significance lies in the fact that it was the first model from a new brand, and it made a decisive contribution to establishing CUPRA as a special brand for special people. Actually, CUPRA’s Ateca was the first sports car in the C-SUV segment with a 300 HP power output – so CUPRA’s first was a car type previously not available on the market.

The exterior design is striking without being extravagant. The sporty accent is reinforced by a uniquely designed bumper, the honeycomb grille, the twin exhaust pipes on the edge of the rear diffuser and the 19" diamond cut alloy wheels, which hide a powerful braking system, as well as various glossy black details and the copper CUPRA logo.

As soon as the doors are unlocked, LED in the exterior mirrors project the CUPRA’s logo and lettering onto the ground. The interior is stylish and functional, with sports seats upholstered in Alcantara, sports leather steering wheel and aluminium pedals and door sills. The new Digital Cockpit instrument board allows it to be configured to the driver's liking.

As for the powertrain, the turbocharged, direct injection 2.0 TFSI engine delivers sensational performance, combined with 4Drive transmission, which analyses various parameters in real time to quickly and progressively deliver the required power to each wheel. In addition, the DCC dynamic chassis control features six driving modes, including a CUPRA mode.

The SEAT HISTÓRICOS unit had been part of the brand's press fleet. It was registered in September 2019 and is painted in the elegant Rodium grey colour, one of the six available in the CUPRA Ateca range (five of them metallic).