At the heart of every Mk1 Leon Cupra is a 1,781cc 20-valve turbocharged petrol engine. It's mounted transversely and drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. All cars come with ESP traction control but none were ever fitted with a limited-slip differential.
The 180hp Cupra has a K03 turbocharger, but this was uprated to a K04 for the first R model to free up 210hp, with help from twin intercoolers, new exhaust system and a reworked ECU. Further remapping of the ECU resulted in 225hp for the R in mid-2003.
Even today 200hp-plus is plenty as standard
Generally very strong, these engines can cover huge mileages with little trouble, but there are some key points to look for. The first is the viper's nest of piping under the bonnet that feeds the pressurised boost from the turbo. In standard form, the rubber piping is up to the job if in good condition, but it perishes with time and even the last Cupra Rs from 2005 will benefit from fresh hoses. Any sort of tuning, even a simple remap, should be accompanied by upgraded hoses as the standard items can collapse under boost. Tracing leaks can be a lengthy process, so a new set of hoses eliminates this worry.
A popular upgrade among Cupra owners is a cold air intake, such as the one often found from Jetex. Make sure this isn't wrong-footing the air flow meter and causing the car to run poorly. Also look out for aftermarket dump valves. This isn't a cause for concern so long as the dump valve is from the likes of Forge Motorsport.
Tuning, in general, shouldn't be a worry with the Leon if the part are from recognised specialists, have been properly fitted and seller has receipts to prove the provenance of the parts. An exhaust from Milltek is another popular modification, but make sure it's not too noisy if you intend to use the car every day for commuting.
Look after it properly and it'll prove toughness
The engine can use oil, so keep an eye on the dipstick. More of a concern is making sure the cambelt and water pump have been replaced at the recommended 60,000-mile interval. With R models, there is a second electrically operated water pump that can sometimes be heard running when the engine has been switched off. It can clog with sludge, so a good DIY clean will cure this.
SEAT fitted an exhaust gas recirculation (EGC) system to this engine and it can go awry and result in engine fault warnings on the dash. A blanking plate for the EGC is available from Forge Motorsport that removes this problem, but the engine will need to be properly remapped to account for this.
Rough running engines are likely to be suffering from a failed coil pack. This is easy to replace at around £30 per pack. Also keep an ear out for any rattles from the engine bay, which might be due to a failed dog-bone mount that secures the engine to the chassis. An uprated polyurethane mount from the likes of Powerflex will set you back about £25 and cures this problem.
Make sure the seller is the sort who lets the engine cool down after hard use. The turbos in Cupra models will usually last 100,000 miles before any work will be required or they start to blow smoke. Shortening the recommended service intervals for the Leon is a wise idea, so reckon on changing the oil every 10,000 miles or even sooner to help prolong engine and turbo life.
The gearbox is strong and you can expect a clutch to last 80,000 in normal use. A dual mass flywheel can begin to vibrate, which will be felt through the clutch pedal. Clutches themselves are relatively cheap to replace at around £180, but if the dual mass flywheel is included the cost will more than double. Also check the clutch pedal returns to its expected position after it's been depressed. If it doesn't, the master cylinder clevis pin has failed, though it's not a disaster as a replacement from SEAT is about £20.
PHer's view:
"Turbo intake pipes are liable to collapse if mapping is attempted without upgrading, the standard pipe is a pretty flimsy rubber thing which weakens with age. Some mapped cars running higher boost pressures have issues where the high pressure causes the pipe to collapse under the vacuum, which causes the car to read a low air-flow fault, and cut fuel, the car feels like it's hit a brick wall as the fuel stops flowing. The car then enters limp mode, runs rough as a badger's arse and won't rev about 2,500rpm or something. An uprated turbo intake pipe is worth having on a mapped car for this reason."
Dave Kemp