Cupra Raval, ID. Polo could get AWD after all
CUPRA has left the door open to a faster, potentially all-wheel drive version of its Raval electric hot hatch that could provide the Volkswagen Group (VAG) with the basis for a future Volkswagen ID.Polo R while ruling out Hyundai-style artificial gearshifts and engine sounds for its own performance EVs.
While a 166kW, front-wheel drive VZ will be the range-topping Raval when the model launches imminently in Europe and in 2027 in Australia, global head of product communications Arnaud Hacault told GoAuto that Cupra would not rule out pushing the MEB entry-based EV further in future.
“We always like to push the boundaries, and we don’t say no to possible future development,” said Mr Hacault.
“As of today, I know that the VZ is the hero model, and I think it really fits to the market. But let’s see what the future brings. It could be some food for thought in the future.”
The ultimate precursor to the production Raval, a concept presented at the 2021 Munich motor show called the Cupra UrbanRebel Racing, had dual-motor AWD that produced 320kW of power for a 3.2 second 0-100km/h time.
In June 2022, when Cupra confirmed that the UrbanRebel had been approved for production, the Spanish brand confirmed that the road going version would have front-wheel drive with 166kW and promised a late-six second 0-100km/h sprint, specs that have remained consistent ever since.
A further twist came in early 2023 when former Cupra chief executive Wayne Griffiths told Australian media he was lobbying fellow VAG brands to invest in AWD for the platform.
As well as underpinning the Raval, the MEB Entry chassis is used for Volkswagen’s ID.Polo and ID.Cross, and the Skoda Epiq.
The AWD push, which appeared to take a back seat as VAG ploughed investment into the Spanish factories which will produce all MEB Entry cars as well as their LFP and NMC battery packs, has now been reignited by Mr Hacault, who hinted that MEB Entry might be capable of supporting AWD after all.
“It could be. Let’s see what we can do. As of today, it’s exclusive front-wheel drive, but let’s see what comes next,” he said.
GoAuto understands that MEB Entry is indeed capable of being re-engineered for AWD through fitment of a compact rear motor, though expensive changes to the body-in-white, which includes a deep cut-out for under-boot storage area, would likely be needed to accommodate.
More exotic solutions like in-wheel motors have been generally considered by VAG, and they show potential for the future.
A higher-output Raval VZx, if approved, would create a technical pathway for a related Volkswagen ID.Polo R to sit above the recently revealed ID.Polo GTI.
Hypothetical AWD versions could target outputs of around 250kW/450Nm, placing them into territory occupied by larger electric hot hatches.
While Cupra is open to future performance escalation, the marque has ruled out simulated gearshifts and combustion-style engine soundtracks, even as rivals Hyundai and Kia have received acclaim for those features in the Ioniq 5 and 6 N and EV6 GT.
The Raval has its own shiftless electric sound that Cupra says is intended to create a modern EV character rather than mimicking the sounds of combustion.
“Probably, you could (add artificial gears) … but it’s more a positioning of the (Cupra) brand not to go with a fake ‘real’ sound of an engine and go more into this electrified experience that we bring from Formula E,” added Mr Hacault.
“If you look at Cupra, it is an eight-year-old brand with no real history … and we are always looking into the future, and in the past.”
But Mr Hacault agreed that the Volkswagen brand could end up making a different decision on artificial sounds and gears, given the long heritage of models from the GTI and R lines.
“They could do it. If Volkswagen feels like they want to do it because of the history of the model, then that’s their decision, and it’s totally fine,” said Mr Hacault.
“But in our case, we decided not to go towards that direction.”
