The Cupra configurator is a pretty sombre place right now. There are most certainly some good cars on there, including the Leon, Born and Tavascan, but man is the colour palette boring. Needless to say, the new Cupra has its target demographic and an image it wishes to convey; surely, though, the world doesn’t need any more grey cars.
And certainly one model line-up doesn’t need as much grey as the current Leon. Of the seven shades available, from NCO to £2,055 matt option, four are some kind of grey. Add those to a black, a white and Fjord Blue - which is as bright as might be expected given the name - and it’s a really drab choice of colours. While there will always be launch colours and those preferred hues used for marketing, it’s disappointing that those who want something more colourful are so limited in choice.
Wasn’t always this way, of course. And we aren’t just talking about yellow SEAT Cupras of yesteryear; while the previous Leon moved towards blacks and greys at the end of its life - think of the Cupra R, for example - there were some fun colours available during its life. Alor Blue, as this one is, was most definitely one of them. It’s vibrant, it’s interesting, and it really pops in the sun.
It’s the ideal colour, in fact, for fondly remembering the last Cupra. Back when hot hatches were far more numerous, it sometimes struggled for attention in a crowded marketplace, but in essence it was a more powerful, more affordable version of the best Golf GTI in yonks. Which is a pretty good start. Perhaps some of the edges were a tad rougher and the interior not quite so plush, but just a few years later seeing a sensibly sized screen flanked by buttons looks pretty fantastic. Same goes for the manual gearbox.
Indeed the old Leon was always a sharp look in all its guises, a tad more eye-catching than the Golf without trying too hard. As well as the paint, this one is helped in that regard by the 19-inch multispoke wheels, some lowering springs and a few bodykit bits from Maxton. Maybe not to all tastes - the joys of modifying - though you can bet a standard one will look a bit flat without them.
As well as those changes, this Cupra has an exhaust upgrade, so it should sound as good as it looks. Add that to recent brakes, suspension, and Michelin tyres, and there’s plenty in the SEAT’s favour beyond just the colour. These were always quite frisky front-wheel drive fun, perhaps a tad overpowered in truth, but in an increasingly staid fast car world there’s a lot to be said for that. For less, as always, than the equivalent Golf GTI as well. Here’s to standing out for all the right reasons.
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