SPANISH maker SEAT's Cupra sporting offshoot will be giving a clear indication of its future as a major player in its own right with a sexy new concept car which will be unveiled at the forthcoming Frankfurt motor show.

The Cupra Tavascan Electric Concept is a crossover in the same mould as the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLC blending the presence of a large SUV with the sleekness of a sports coupe.

Although it has already announced production of plug-in hybrid models, including the Formentor crossover, next year, this is the company's first road car to use a 100 per cent electric powertrain with two electric motors providing a total power output of 302bhp - good for a 0-60mph sprint time of under 6.5 seconds - and driving all four wheels.

The Tavascan - which is named after a village in the Spanish Pyrenees - is based on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform with a 77kwh battery pack housed under the floor. The company claims a range of up to 279 miles.

Says Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths: "Besides the Cupra Formentor, which will be launched in 2020 alongside two other high-performance plug-in hybrid models, we have already proved our technological capabilities by developing the world's first 100 per cent electric touring car, the Cupra e-Racer. With the presentation of the all-electric Cupra Tavascan concept, we are translating this vision into the streets and proving that performance can be electrified."