The character of a car marque often reflects the people leading it. That has certainly been the case with Cupra since it was expanded from a Seat performance badge into its own brand seven years ago.

Cupra’s showy, almost brash styling is in tune with the manner of former boss Luca de Meo, who created the brand during his time at the helm of Seat, and his successor, Wayne Griffiths. Both were very different leaders but shared an ability to draw attention, exactly what a new brand such as Cupra needed to make an impact.

Griffiths abruptly departed Seat-Cupra at the start of April, and for the past six months Markus Haupt has held the reins as CEO, initially on an interim basis, stepping up from his role as the firm’s production and logistics boss.

On first impression, he’s a very different leader from his predecessors, not least because his background is in engineering and logistics rather than sales or marketing. But he sounds genuine when he says he’s “passionate” about Cupra and his enthusiasm shows when I talk to him.

A German of Spanish descent, Haupt trained in Spain and spent the first 10 years of his career at Seat before moving around Volkswagen Group brands in a variety of roles. He helped to prepare Seat’s Martorell plant to build the Audi Q3, led logistics for the group’s A0 small car platform, worked on VW’s EV projects and ran VW’s plant in Spain before rejoining Seat-Cupra in 2022.

“When I returned, I found something completely different,” he tells Autocar. “Two brands, lots of success – and the image of Cupra was growing and growing.”

Part of the reason for putting Haupt in charge is likely to have been to reduce distractions during an important year for Cupra. The firm has been what Haupt calls “the clear leader” of the Volkswagen Group’s critical project to develop £22,000 ‘urban EVs’ on the MEB Entry platform.

The Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq and VW ID Polo and ID Cross will all be built in Barcelona by Seat SA, the parent firm of the Cupra and Seat brands. In total, £8.7 billion has been invested in the project, which, notes Haupt, is “the biggest industrial investment in corporate history in Spain”.

Beyond the industrial significance for Seat SA, the urban EV project is huge for Cupra. The Raval will be its seventh and smallest model yet and should help drive volume. Crucially, insists Haupt, the Raval will reflect Cupra’s premium performance brief and represent “100% of our DNA. The chassis is lowered, we have sporty suspension and more precise steering.”

Growth plans involve both further product line expansion and launching into new markets. Plans to enter the US have been shelved and the focus shifted to the Middle East. “We have lots of feedback from this region from fans, dealers and investors,” he says.

“The region is growing in terms of finance and it’s the logical next step.” The recently revealed Tindaya concept will enter production early next decade as the brand’s biggest model yet, sitting on the VW Group’s new SSP platform.

Haupt describes the radically styled vehicle as “the maximum we can get out of our design DNA” and says a D-segment SUV “is a step we need because it would fit into markets such as the Middle East, Turkey and Mexico.

“We need a portfolio that allows us to be present in different markets. We’ve launched seven cars in seven years and we need to keep growing. We’ll always be exploring if there’s room for more, and in the future we’ll explore more segments, different cars and new markets.”

Although Cupra is growing, the future is less clear for Seat – but Haupt insists the 70-year-old brand still has a bright future and “is the perfect complement to Cupra, addressing completely different customers in different markets. And we are investing in Seat.” Updated Ibiza and Arona models are imminent and Haupt says having two brands adds valuable flexibility.

In early September, more than five months after he assumed the interim role, Haupt was named permanent CEO of both Cupra and Seat, with company president Thomas Schäfer – also CEO of Volkswagen – citing Haupt’s efforts in readying Martorell to produce the small EVs as making him “the ideal leader” for the firm.

Haupt, for his part, is excited about the future. “We have a wonderful board and team who are engaged and motivated,” he says. “Being the leader of this company, together with my team, is an honour for me. My heart feels this company.”