Cupra will bring gas, hybrid, and electric cars to US

Volkswagen Group’s Cupra brand has given an update on its plans to launch in the U.S.

The Spanish performance marque still targets a U.S. arrival by the end of the decade, but a previous plan to only sell electric vehicles, starting with a pair of crossovers, has been abandoned.

Cupra now expects to offer gas, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles in the U.S.

A local Cupra USA division has been established to oversee the U.S. market, headed by Bernhard Bauer, Cupra’s former head of the German market.

Cupra may team up with Penske Automotive Group to establish a sales channel. Cupra said it is in talks with the dealer group about a possible partnership.

In a statement, Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths said a strong distribution and retail strategy is essential for success in the U.S., and that Penske Automotive Group’s presence in the market and past experience with other Volkswagen Group brands, makes it a promising potential partner.

Cupra primarily operates in Europe but has already expanded to some international markets, including Mexico and other Latin American countries. For the U.S., Cupra has previously said it will initially operate in select states on the East and West Coasts, and along the Sun Belt.

Cupra started out life as a performance sub-brand of VW Group’s Spanish brand SEAT, but in 2018 was repostioned as a standalone brand offering a range of sporty, emotional vehicles with striking design and platforms mostly shared with models from Volkswagen. Since then it’s sold about 750,000 vehicles globally, including 230,739 vehicles last year alone, its best year on record.