Cupra 'guaranteed future value' program likely

Cupra may offer a guaranteed future value program in Australia to reassure customers looking to take a leap of faith on an unfamiliar brand.

Speaking to CarExpert ahead of the brand’s launch announcement, Cupra’s Australian brand director Ben Wilks said the idea of a future buy back or guaranteed future value program is definitely on the agenda.

He stopped short, however, of officially committing to the brand launching with one.

“Particularly with a new brand I think it’s quite valuable for us to offer a guaranteed future value package to customers because that’s one of the questions they might ask and I think our customers will be pleasantly surprised by how we see that future value,” Wilks said.

Sales of Skoda have continued to increase over the last few years (COVID-related anomalies aside) and that’s in part due to the confidence the brand provides buyers by offering a buyback and finance program.

“I think there is a good opportunity there so it’s a nice way to give certainty to the customer over the transaction as to where they will be over the next few years and also for us to keep in touch with the customer over that period as well,” said Wilks.

According to Wilks, the oppurtunity to keep the customer happy and engaged over their ownership period is a potential way to keep them within the brand.

“We have the opportunity to talk to them again about their next Cupra, we have a fantastic future line up, which will expand and move into different areas and it would be great to offer those opportunities to [existing] customers in future years.”

Cupra will launch in the Australian market in early 2022 with a three-strong range comprising the Leon, Ateca and Formentor.