Design
The Colour & Trim department never loses sight of design, but this time they have gone a step further.
They have been experimenting with parametric design and additive manufacturing for years - a first
impression was already given: surfaces evolving thanks to parametric design, and even knitted parts
in the headrests of CUPRA DarkRebel and CUPRA Tindaya showcars as well as in some areas of the
Tribe Editions seats. Now the experts have taken it to the next level in the CUPRA Raval. 'The cover
is manufactured in one piece, with a single knitting machine and in one go. The result is a precisely
designed part that fits the seat perfectly and features a sporty, completely new design,' says
Francesca Sangalli, Head of Colour & Trim, Concept & Strategy at CUPRA.
Innovation
Behind this revolutionary concept in the automotive world is a team that has brought all their
experience to realize this project. 'It's a completely new process where we had to learn to implement
our design using a completely different manufacturing concept. Collaboration with our supplier Tesca
was crucial to achieve the desired result,' adds Sangalli. In traditional seat cover manufacturing,
several suppliers are involved, from textile production to dyeing, perforating, cutting, treating, and
assembling all the parts before they are adapted to the seat structure. However, in this system
everything is reduced to a single supplier: Tesca.
In their factories, each cover is knitted in one piece. 'It was a joint learning process with a completely innovative approach, where we interpreted the CUPRA design to adapt it to our software. This allowed the machines to knit every structure, every pattern, every seam, and even the parts needed to attach the cover to the seat with different yarns simultaneously. The result is a single piece that fits perfectly on the CUP Bucket Seat of the CUPRA Raval,' states Tesca.
Sustainability
Avoiding waste in the production of each cover is crucial, as the entire process is based on a
commitment to sustainability. The yarn is made from recycled plastics collected in the Mediterranean
and manufactured by local companies near Tesca, thus avoiding so-called 'material tourism.' The
covers are only produced on order, and everything is manufactured within 100 kilometers of the
CUPRA Raval production site.
The covers are not only made from recycled material but are also fully recyclable. 'It's very important that we keep the footprint we leave on the world as small as possible. We wanted to highlight this with our new way of designing the CUP Bucket Seat and thereby demonstrate that design, innovation, and sustainability can and must go hand in hand,' says Sangalli.
Authenticity
And what kind of seat awaits the person who gets into the new CUPRA Raval? 'A completely different
seat with a sporty design, where we have dared more than ever before thanks to the manufacturing
method. If in the future we find that customers prefer a different color or shape, we can easily change
the design and color as they are already type-approved, enabling us to update them very quickly,'
says the designer, adding: 'The possibilities are endless, and this is due to the process behind it;
because ultimately, an object is the result of the way it was manufactured.'
Press Contact:
Karin Huber
PR Manager
AMAG Import AG
Alte Steinhauserstrasse 12 + 16
6330 Cham
Phone: +41 79 788 59 22
Email: karin.huber@amag.ch