Friday 13th December 2013

Next SEAT Leon Cupra details

Honda - you may have a problem...

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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?

 

[MintyChris]

The Seat Leon Cupra's/R's have allways been pretty decent motors. Looking forward to the next gen. However I wonder if the R will be AWD considering the Golf R and S3 both are.

[Crafty_]

They won't go 4wd for fear of it stealing sales. Both Mk1 and Mk2 R's were 2wd, despite being sold at the same time as the S3 and R32, so why would it change now ?

Interesting though, I like the shape of the new Leon. It will be interesting to see where the new Cupra pitches price wise. £25k would be a steal..

[Mastodon2]

I had one of the "boy racer" Cupra Rs, as they'd put it I suppose, an R 225 with the wick turned up to 280bhp. A bloody brilliant car, had it not been so unreliable. Honda will have to work hard to make sure they don't end up with egg on their face here.

[Baryonyx]

How are they moving away from their Boy Racer past? By making the new car look like an MPV, just like the last model?

[aka_kerrly]

3 door Leon at last....

[TommyBuoy]

Crafty_ said:

They won't go 4wd for fear of it stealing sales. Both Mk1 and Mk2 R's were 2wd, despite being sold at the same time as the S3 and R32, so why would it change now ?

Interesting though, I like the shape of the new Leon. It will be interesting to see where the new Cupra pitches price wise. £25k would be a steal..

I wouldn't be surprised if it was AWD or not - it's based on the same architecture as the S3 & R32 isn't it?

Regarding sales, these are all part of the same group - 3 decent group cars competing with other manufacturers - better chance of the sale surely?

[Crafty_]

Baryonyx said:

How are they moving away from their Boy Racer past? By making the new car look like an MPV, just like the last model?

MPV ?


Looks like a hatch to me.

[Butter Face]

aka_kerrly said:

3 door Leon at last....

You can buy a 3Dr in FR trim now.

[aka_kerrly]

Crafty_ said:

MPV ?


Looks like a hatch to me.

Looks rather good to me!!

[jesta1865]

TommyBuoy said:

Crafty_ said:

They won't go 4wd for fear of it stealing sales. Both Mk1 and Mk2 R's were 2wd, despite being sold at the same time as the S3 and R32, so why would it change now ?

Interesting though, I like the shape of the new Leon. It will be interesting to see where the new Cupra pitches price wise. £25k would be a steal..

I wouldn't be surprised if it was AWD or not - it's based on the same architecture as the S3 & R32 isn't it?

Regarding sales, these are all part of the same group - 3 decent group cars competing with other manufacturers - better chance of the sale surely?

i was always led to believe that they use the next gen on chassis from golf and audi, so that if its pants to start with they have it fettled correctly by the time the golf and s3 get to market. certainly seems to have been in the past.

the wife has a mk1, still best looking of the models by a country mile, has just 60k on the clock and goes like a train.

a lot of newer cars are embarrassed by her 10 year old hatch

[DanielSan]

Old Cupra R wasn't as good as its rival, new one won't be either. VAG don't make fun cars and I don't doubt this will be no different. Quick but soulless

[decadent]

Looking forward to its release. I wonder if SEAT would consider a cupra version of the estate version.

£25k would be a great price.

[kambites]

It'll be interesting to see whether they price it above or below the Octavia VRS.

[Andy ap]

Will it still have planks of wood for suspension though?

I just don't get where these hot hatches are going, near on 300hp and with the obligatory remap and filter probably getting it to what 330/340hp its either gonna mean wring its neck and loose your license or be dull as dish water crashing over little bumps frustrating you because you just want to press the loud pedal.

[decadent]

Andy ap said:

Will it still have planks of wood for suspension though?

Yes the Mk1s and pre FL Mk2 had a jarring ride but the post FL Mk2 and Mk3s are a lot more refined over the bumps.

But no it's no 1990s exec saloon on high profile tyres.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

i can only wish for another R26.R mentalist-mobile, but i'm genuinely intrigued by this.

[TommyBuoy]

Andy ap said:

Will it still have planks of wood for suspension though?

I just don't get where these hot hatches are going, near on 300hp and with the obligatory remap and filter probably getting it to what 330/340hp its either gonna mean wring its neck and loose your license or be dull as dish water crashing over little bumps frustrating you because you just want to press the loud pedal.

I like the fact that you can buy a hatch with what is, realistically, performance that can't be used fully if you don't want to get in trouble at some point. It would be more dull not having the choice. I don't need a practical car but if I did these would peak my interest.

Agreed on where the line will be drawn - there is nothing stopping super car performance in an AWD hatch other than the number of people willing to buy?

[GTEYE]

TommyBuoy said:

Crafty_ said:

They won't go 4wd for fear of it stealing sales. Both Mk1 and Mk2 R's were 2wd, despite being sold at the same time as the S3 and R32, so why would it change now ?

Interesting though, I like the shape of the new Leon. It will be interesting to see where the new Cupra pitches price wise. £25k would be a steal..

I wouldn't be surprised if it was AWD or not - it's based on the same architecture as the S3 & R32 isn't it?

Regarding sales, these are all part of the same group - 3 decent group cars competing with other manufacturers - better chance of the sale surely?

They have actually done one before, but not in the UK.

There was a Leon Cupra 4 version of the Mk1, which used the usual VAG 4 Motion oily bits.

Edited by GTEYE on Friday 13th December 15:01

[Escort Si-130]

No offence PH, but more than likely we already know what the Cupra R or Skoda's VRS range would be. They would be 9 out of 10 times an engine from the VW group that is in the GTI or R and maybe similar or the exact BHP output.
There is nothing special in looking forward to them as more than likely they come out after the VW version and there is no "unique" engine in them.

[Crafty_]

GTEYE said:

They have actually done one before, but not in the UK.

There was a Leon Cupra 4 version of the Mk1, which used the usual VAG 4 Motion oily bits.

Edited by GTEYE on Friday 13th December 15:01

Thats right, it had the old Vr6 engine didn't it ?