In most automobile designs, full-scale clay models embody a highly coveted chance in gauging proportions of one’s design. For the SEAT CUPRA Terramar, this stage was particularly significant in highlighting its 4.5-metre length, especially as it enters the SUV segment.

As Alberto Torrecillas, exterior designer of SEAT CUPRA reflects, this tactile approach is important: “We nurtured the bonnet on the SEAT CUPRA Terramar carefully and thanks to this material, we knew right away the lines and shapes we were after.”

The Stunning Design: Where it all Started

The design process for the SEAT CUPRA Terramar starts with a sketch, where the understanding of the model is drawn first. This is then translated digitally to gain its volumes. However, to really authenticate the proportions and surfaces, full-scale clay modeling is crucial.

Sporty Proportions in Focus

In the initial phase of its design, the full-scale clay model of the SEAT CUPRA Terramar was studied in CUPRA’s Technical Centre.

Half of it was covered with vinyl for the painted look and the other half was a pure clay structure with more than five thousand kilograms of material sculpted into it, which ensured millimetric accuracy in its definition of proportions.

“Proportions are very important in our models. While they are drawn and detailed on the computer, it is in the physical clay that they really become alive,” Torrecillas describes. “In the case of the SEAT CUPRA Terramar, as an SUV, we sought to accentuate its 4.5-meter length by drawing attention to the body color while keeping the sculpture sporty.”

The Critical Role of Clay

Indeed, even with the advancement of digital technology, clay modeling is still well worth considering studying the play of light, shadow, and surface details. “This material is very interesting because you can use it to examine the sections,” Torrecillas adds.

The tactile quality of clay also allows designers to evaluate and refine surfaces. “By simply touching the surfaces, we can tell if they’re going to work in terms of design,” says Torrecillas.

Looking Ahead

To ensure that the CUPRA’s bonnet lines strongly frame the iconic CUPRA emblem, Torrecillas have perfectly used this same process. As he concludes: “With clay, we directly identified and envisioned the areas of which we used to highlight the features.”

The SEAT CUPRA Terramar comes with a comprehensive blend of both craftsmanship and latest technology in an impressive design form that captures all the bold facets of the company’s first all-electric SUV.