The new Leon Cupra is hitting the roads – a vehicle in which Seat has implemented all of the knowledge gained during the current World Touring Car Championship season. For Seat, whose goal is to create sporty cars with cutting-edge design and the latest technology, the arrival of the new Leon Cupra is not just a source of satisfaction and pride; it is also essential.
The new Cupra is also a record-breaking car: it is the most powerful Seat passenger car to date. With 240 bhp, the new model sits at the top of Seat’s sporty range. The Leon Cupra’s advanced engineering, allied to its agile chassis, looks set to create a stir in the increasingly competitive hot hatch market.
Sporty Looks
One outstanding feature of the Cupra series has been its powerful and aggressive styling compared with the rest of the range. This is also the case for the new Leon Cupra.
From the outside, the Leon Cupra demands attention. Its exclusive front bumper has larger air intakes than usual in order to enable sufficient airflow to cool the 240 bhp engine, which purrs away under the chiseled bonnet.
An outstanding feature at the rear of the car is the lower section’s black finish, which emulates the Leon WTCC’s diffusers. Another unique Cupra feature is the polished steel oval exhaust pipe. The word “CUPRA”, which appears below the rear logo, marks out the new model from other versions. In profile, the Cupra’s most striking feature is its stunning, exclusively designed 7.5J x 18” wheels, as well as the ‘ébano’ black door mirrors.
But to really appreciate the feeling of being in a true sports car, you actually need to step into the new Cupra. The ultra-sporty Seats are the first feature which catches the eye. In fact, the Cupra’s Seats are so focused that they could genuinely be racing car Seats. They surround the body and include an integrated head restraint.
The second feature that sets the Cupra apart from other versions of the Leon is its black interior. The car’s pillars and roof are black instead of the usual cream-grey combination. The Cupra’s interior color scheme perfectly sets off its key features: the striking leather perforated steering wheel against a red background, the gear stick, the white instrument panel and the sporty metal pedals. Each and every one of these parts bears the unmistakable Cupra logo.
A Racing Car at Heart
Now let’s turn to the Leon Cupra’s key feature, the reason why customers will go for this model over any other: its spectacular 2.0 TFSI 240 bhp engine. This is the most powerful engine ever installed in a Seat production car.
With this engine, the Leon Cupra achieves performance worthy of a WTCC track car with a top speed of 153 mph. The Cupra accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in only 6.2 seconds. Furthermore, it covers the first 1000 meters in only 26.4 seconds.
Circuit Sound
Another Leon Cupra feature worked on by Seat is the all-important soundtrack from the engine bay. New Seat SOUND exhaust systems have been developed so that drivers can really experience the sporty nature of the Cupra. These systems boost the richness of the engine sound and the feeling of power at low revs, and can be experienced both outside and inside the car.
The feeling of sporty acoustics and sheer engine power is accentuated when moving off from a standing start, performing low-speed maneuvers, accelerating and braking at full speed and at low revs.
