Friday 11th January 2019

500hp SEAT Leon Cupra!

Oh sure, it costs as much as an RS4. But then it does have even more power...

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Despite not being not all that popular, there's a lot to like about the SEAT Leon Cupra ST. It's fast, it's stylish, it's decent to drive and it's good value. We liked it on track, we liked it against an Audi RS2, and the SEAT has even proved itself as a Nurburgring tool.

So it's good - we get that. But what if you need more from a Leon Cupra wagon? Step forward Siemoneit Racing in Germany, which has created a Leon with 520hp. Five twenty! Details on its press release are pretty vague, speaking only of "optimisation of performance by specialist in tuning hardware and software", but Top Gear seems to have more info. It mentions bigger turbos (the car now presumably running two, and surely contributing a lot to the 200hp power gain), new intercoolers, intake work and something called a 'RipJaw' exhaust. All the mods you would undertake to get big power from a turbo engine, basically, getting more cool air in and hot air out as efficiently as possible. The end result is SEAT estate capable of 189mph, passing 62mph in 3.4 seconds and presumably the rest of the speed not long after - wow. There's no mention of a warranty for 260hp per litre at this moment in time...

Additional tweaks to help contain a Golf GTI's worth of extra power include an upgraded clutch for the DSG gearbox, ceramic brakes from an Audi RS3 and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. Work has been done to the suspension as well, though it's unclear with the standard DCC dampers have simply been recalibrated and paired with some more aggressive springs, or if the entire arrangement is now new. Whatever the case, sat lower on forged 'Vader' wheels the Siemoneit car looks more menacing than any Leon has thus far.

The information that is available for now suggests the Siemoneit car will cost more than £50,000, including the purchase price of the car. A lot for a SEAT, sure, though broadly competitive for that sort of performance in a small estate. There's a lot to be said for having something a little bit different, too. For those that are interested, there are Leon Cupra STs for sale from £15k...

 

[Dale487]

I like it but not at £50K - an RS4 would be a better bet for reliability & resale plus the interior would be worthy of £50k car (I sat in an Cupra Ateca whilst my Leon was in for a service - I didn't feel it was any more special than my FR and not good enough for a car you can spec to over £40K).

But based it on an used one, it could be a £30K 520bhp car.

[Dale487]

Tom_The_Light_House said:

I am really confused.
I thought all of Seats sporty Cupras were going to be badged as "Cupra"
Hence the SUV Cupra thingy I have already forgotten about.

This still seems to be a Seat Leon Cupra ?!?!?!
Surely it should just be a Cupra Leon

The next SEAT Leon Cupra won't be a SEAT, it'll be a Cupra - SEAT & Cupra are leaving things as they are until a model is replaced. (I can't understand how anyone thought this was a good idea - its not even like the Cupra dealers are any different or special and there was no differentiation at my local dealer)

[Dale487]

1Rb said:

These are touching £20k on used market... very appealing.

They are, my local SEAT dealer has a nice 66 plate manual (they had a DSG too) in primer grey - shame the only ST manual within 200 miles when I bought my ST FR was an ex-SEAT press car; grey with orange wheels, mirrors, grill etc (vile isn't the word).