Cupra Rebel Racing Concept: Ride in the Race of Champions

Even before I get in, I know what I’m getting myself into: Not only does the all-electric car with its shark nose and massive rear wing look very aggressive, the performance data is also impressive: the UrbanRebel draws 320 kilowatts on its territory. peak, which is about 430 hp corresponds – with an unladen weight of only 1230 kg, pushes us from 0 to 100 in 3.2 seconds.

Result: as soon as the traffic light turns green, we are already at the first corner – even though the UrbanRebel walks on water only 80 millimeters high. Finally, the route runs on the frozen Baltic Sea at Pite Havsbad in northern Sweden. The icy ground also means that not many things go straight: ramps are the motto and the view ahead is great – mostly through my side window!

We whistle through the glacier, a drone hovering behind us, capturing the wild ride in spectacular television footage. Of course, the actual top speed on the narrow track is not that bad, but the occasional push makes you very happy: Only my driver, who was the 2003 World Kart Race Champion, has his hands full to keep us on track. In the end, son Oliver makes great speed on the same track and after two laps he is ahead by 0.856 seconds.

“Damn, unfortunately he is very good,” said Petter Solberg, who was beaten at the finish line, angry that he only passed on the best genes of the rally. Key keyword genes: The UrbanRebel also have them, as Adrien Tambay explains to me. The former DTM driver should know, as he is now a Cupra works driver and reigning champion in the ETCR, the world touring car championship for electric cars.

So Tambay has to do the latter himself. The 31-year-old laughs: “I’m not used to being here on the ice, but it’s fun, especially with the handbrake too much sliding. It’s the opposite here, that’s what you want.”

Not surprising with at least 550 hp. “Oh, that’s not much,” laughs the speedy Swede, “but it’s less about start-stop and more about carrying speed. It’s more of a dance than a drag race, a kind of dance on them Rock.” Or in this case ice. In the middle of March, Andersson starts playing again: Then the new Extreme E season starts at the Desert X-Prix in Saudi Arabia.