500hp SEAT Leon Cupra!
Oh sure, it costs as much as an RS4. But then it does have even more power...
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...
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.
Whilst I too find this interesting I can’t see them selling many, despite the appeal of its apparent power and performance
Firstly, I’d want to see some sort of cast-iron warranty from them (although I’m not sure how SEAT would react to any warranty claim on a modified car, irrespective of what the claim was for)
Secondly, for the price I too would be looking at a used RS4 or similar, comfortable in the knowledge that it has been fully developed by the manufacturer, and hopefully proven and reliable (plus it will have he balance of the manufacturers warranty..)
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
I'm very happy with my FWD manual with 380-ish hp (original turbo, optimised for response rather than outright power). Much helped by a 1400kg-ish kerb weight. This is key, because while it may sit in the market as a 'small' estate, unless you need to sit tall people it the back ( I don't), it is suitably large with a 590l boot. Which is on paper larger than many a 'big' sporting estate putting 500kg extra or more on the scales...
Is the engine as over-engineerd as those Japanese ones from 80s-90s? Somehow I have my doubts... Suddenly RS4 with V6 sounds like a safer and better bet
It actually annoys me that so much effort goes into achieving incredible performance from a platform that is so dull.
It's no sleeper, just a waste of R&D to produce a technically proficient boy-racer that's financially out of reach of most boy-racers.
If you're going to do it, base it on something that looks good, or start from scratch.
t engine makes no sense.In the end very different offerings obviously (XFR boot slightly smaller..) , just pointing out that an XFR estate has basically nothing in common besides perhaps the power figure...
My tuned FWD manual Cupra ST matches the XFR for power to weight but I consider it a much better drivers car for me (with a few mods it's a very capable track car), much more affordable running cost with my mileage also... Of course I see the appeal of a big V8 but it doesn't help me in my driving.
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