Together, CUPRA’s team of designers and engineers tackle the challenge of transmitting emotion through the model’s electric sound
Martorell – In a melody, musical notes combine to convey emotion. And what happens in nature? The sound of wood crackling, stones rubbing against each other or wind rushing over the surface of a copper part are all sensations that can now be felt in the CUPRA Born. This is how CUPRA’s team of designers and engineers have managed to turn nature’s music into CUPRA’s electric sound.
A holistic experience
Achieving a whole that goes beyond the sum of its parts. This was CUPRA’s approach to creating the sound of the Born. The brand’s first 100% electric vehicle has zero emissions but will generate a myriad of emotions. To achieve this, the design team created a whole sensory universe. “CUPRA’s design is inspired by nature. Not in its romantic version, but in its most authentic, unrefined one: in stones, wood, minerals… And this inspiration shaped its design, materials and colors, and the sound it makes as well. We created a holistic experience, where everything tells the same story” says Francesca Sangalli, head of CUPRA’s Color&Trim team.
Emotions that can be heard
From this inspiration, CUPRA’s sound engineers applied the latest technologies in the search for these emotions. The musical notes were defined, and with them the score had to be written. “In many ways the creative process was similar to music production, using a dynamic combination of recorded natural sounds and electronically synthesized ones. It was quite a fascinating and totally novel process and we believe the result will be equally thrilling for drivers and onlookers as it drives past” says CUPRA sound engineer Adrián Mateo.
Nature in motion
As in the wild, CUPRA’s electric sound is not static, but transforms and evolves. “We worked closely with the engineers to develop the three pillars we rely on to generate these emotions: mystery, tension and expression” explains Francesca. In doing so, they created a dynamic sound that flows between these three concepts. “We wanted the sound to convey different emotions dynamically, depending on how the vehicle is being driven at any given moment. For example, it can evolve more or less rapidly depending on the acceleration, producing different sensations associated with these three concepts” Adrián adds.
Sound for the CUPRA universe
This sensory creation can already be heard as the new CUPRA Born takes to the streets and roads around the world, starting this November, and will be the hallmark of the brand’s electric models. “I think we’ve achieved an amazing sound, with metallic tones, without being harsh, and the warmth of wood, which is calmer and softer. And then there’s the copper, which generates a lot of light. It’s really a very well-orchestrated experience” Francesca concludes.
