Cupra has decided to abandon bright colors to maintain a clear brand identity. The palette of future models will include gloomy matte shades. The brand’s creative director stated that they will leave red and yellow colors to Ferrari.
Abandoning bright colors
At one time, ordering a bright yellow Cupra seemed like the main goal. Those days are over. The sports brand of the VW Group has decided that its future cars will only be available in a carefully selected palette of more subdued shades. This step is designed to increase the distance between Cupra and its origins from Seat.
Before becoming an independent brand in 2018, Cupra was a badge for sporty versions of Seat models. Early hot hatches based on the Ibiza and Leon were offered in bright yellow shades, which later became synonymous with the Cupra name.
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However, in recent years, the company has chosen a different path, introducing copper accents as a signature feature and gradually moving towards a more restrained color palette.
No more red and yellow
Francesca Sangalli, head of color and trim at Seat and Cupra, told Autocar about their strategy:
Cupra is a neutral color with a twist, and that’s why we place much greater value on matte finishes and very oily color treatment.
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She confirmed that a red or yellow Cupra will not return.
We will leave that to Ferrari or other brands with bright colors. It’s tied to their brand identity, but it doesn’t suit us.
It seems that buyer reaction does not worry her. The logic is: people who are attracted to the brand are attracted by what the brand already is, and the limited color palette is part of that.
Almost ready for change
Although the Terramar was launched with the red Desire variant, the rest of the Cupra lineup already follows the new rule. In fact, the Manganese Green Matte of the new Raval and the Dark Forest of the updated Born are among the few non-gray colors with sophisticated names.
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Meanwhile, Seat is doing the opposite. The updated Ibiza and Arona are available in colors like Liminar Red, Hypnotic Yellow, and Fiord Blue — names that Cupra now completely avoids.
Cupra is not alone in taking color seriously as a strategic issue. Fiat made its own statement back in 2023, announcing it would stop selling gray cars in favor of livelier roads.
This move by Cupra is part of a broader trend in the automotive industry, where brands are increasingly using color as a tool for differentiation and creating a unique identity. Abandoning bright colors in favor of matte, gloomy shades may be risky, but it clearly signals Cupra’s ambition to position itself as a more mature, sophisticated, and premium brand, moving away from its mass-market origins. It also shows how different brands within the same group (VW) can choose completely opposite strategies: Seat bets on brightness and accessibility, while Cupra bets on restraint and exclusivity. Time will tell if this approach pays off, but it undoubtedly makes Cupra more recognizable in the oversaturated automotive market.