Behind the Scenes: Crafting a clay CUPRA Terramar

Alberto Torrecillas, the brand's exterior designer, began with a simple sheet of paper, outlining the bold shapes and athletic stance of the Terramar. However, the journey from initial sketch to design freeze involves countless iterations, tweaks, and sculpting to perfect the proportions.

“We draw the essence of the model and transform it digitally to grasp its volumes, but to truly feel the surfaces and verify that the proportions work, we need a full-scale model,” says Torrecillas. Enter clay—a timeless tool that remains pivotal in automotive design.

Inside a restricted-access room at CUPRA’s Technical Centre, the Terramar takes shape as a full-scale model. On one side, it’s wrapped in vinyl to simulate paint. On the other, it’s a raw clay mock-up, weighing over five tonnes, milled with precise parameters and manually polished to perfection.

“Proportions are essential,” explains Torrecillas. “In the Terramar, we highlighted its 4.5-metre length and athletic silhouette through the clay model to ensure it carried the sporty essence we envisioned.”

While digital tools play a crucial role, clay models remain indispensable for refining designs. “Clay lets us study sections, shadows, and the play of light,” Torrecillas notes. Designers also physically interact with the model, feeling its surfaces to ensure every line and contour conveys the intended effect.

Clay’s malleability allows instant feedback. Key elements, like the bonnet’s prominent lines framing the CUPRA logo, were perfected using these full-scale replicas.

The result? A striking SUV that embodies CUPRA’s new design language.