A few weeks ago we drove an early prototype of the
Honda Civic Type R
, and were told (again) that it will be the fastest front-wheel drive car around the Nurburgring. But now we're wondering if making such a song and dance about that development target was really a good idea - what will Honda do if the goalposts are radically shifted before the Type R gets its chance?
No pics of the new car until 2014...
The reason we're wondering is the new SEAT Leon Cupra, revealed in the metal at a hush-hush SEAT future products preview this week. Full details - and pictures, we're sorry to say - won't be officially released until 8 January 2014, but we can tell you what SEAT told us. And it's deeply intriguing.
The three key points are that the Cupra will be available in a pair of 2.0-litre turbo petrol power outputs - 265hp and 285hp - come with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) as standard, and be offered with an optional Performance Pack that includes Brembo brakes and softer compound tyres. It will also, according to SEAT executive vice president for research and design, Dr Matthias Rabe, "be the fastest front-wheeler on the race track". Hmm.
The DCC adaptive dampers will come with a choice of Normal, Sport and Cupra modes. Normal is compliant enough for "London to Barcelona in comfort" we're informed, while Cupra delivers "race track handling". We're then joined by SEAT CEO Juergen Stackmann, and shown a pair of static five-door examples.
... so old model will have to suffice for now!
SEAT is deliberately eschewing its "boy racer" past at present - yes, the firm uses that phrase - but the first car is still surprisingly subtle. Finished in a slightly grey white, the only obvious cues are a set of 19-inch alloys, stylised chequered flag badges (rather nice) and a pair of fat, flattened oval tail pipes lurking just below the rear bumper. With that promised power output, this isn't a hot hatch, it's a stealth bomber.
Extroverts relax. In Europe at least, the Cupra will also be offered with 'colour packs'. Hence the second example we're shown, which is grey with orange wheels and door mirrors - like the Cup Racer from Worthersee. It also features a mild set of side skirts and a bigger roof spoiler - but anyone hoping for a reprise of K1 aggression levels will be disappointed.
Three-door SC variants as well as the five-door will be offered, while at least some internal parties are also arguing for a Cupra version of the ST estate - though we stress this isn't confirmed.
Don't forget the original Leon Cupra too
What is confirmed, however, is that the Cupra has already been hard at the Nurburgring in hands of ex-WTCC driver Jordi Gene (Marc's older brother) - and there are plenty of third party videos on
YouTube
to prove it. While reluctant to give the game away totally at this stage, Stackmann and Rabe can't help but grin and claim a "series production" SEAT has already gone "much faster" than the 8 minutes 8 seconds record of the Renaultsport Megane...
Officially we'll have to wait until the 2014 Geneva Motor Show to find out more, but Honda is now facing a moving target. Time to juice up that Type R engine a little further?