CUPRA and Its American Fantasy

CUPRA is undeniably making a very impressive journey in Europe, but beware of burning your wings.

CUPRA is definitely the mischievous troublemaker of the Volkswagen family. After making its parent company Seat seem outdated, to the point of even threatening its existence, the rebellious Spanish manufacturer believes that the European continent is too small for its ambitions. So what could be better than a launch in the American market?

The brand has already announced its ambition to enter the American market by the end of the decade, but simply shipping cars across the Atlantic isn’t enough to make money. It has therefore announced that it has entered preliminary talks with Penske Automotive Group to establish a partnership in the United States. Motorsport fans are well acquainted with Penske, but behind its sporty facade, “Captain” Roger Penske’s company is a giant in automotive logistics, employing over 70,000 people and operating 250 massive dealerships across the U.S. to showcase up to 40 brands. An undeniable mark of quality and certainly the best possible partner. Another positive point is that CUPRA can take advantage of Volkswagen’s American factories to assemble its models, thus avoiding hefty customs duties.

So everything seems to be going well in the best of all worlds, with just one small detail. The only European brands that truly thrive in the United States are Ferrari, Porsche, and to a lesser extent Lamborghini. Mostly luxury sports car manufacturers with decades of history and prestige behind them, enabling them to compete with local productions. For the rest, Americans are making cars and doing it better and better. So why would they buy a European car, even if it has a youthful image and a stylish appearance? The only non-American manufacturer truly appreciated in Uncle Sam’s country is Japanese Toyota, but it took half a century for it to be accepted in this highly conservative market. And Donald Trump’s new mandate is unlikely to make things any easier. So, being ambitious is good, but being reasonable isn’t a bad idea either.

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