Seat Leon Cupra is the fastest in history
Since 1999, the Leon Cupra has been synonymous with an above-average driving experience. The latest version of the Spanish sportsman has set the bar very high with active suspension, progressive steering and a mechanical differential lock.
Seat successively introduces the following versions of the compact Leon. After the 3- and 5-door hatchback, station wagon and FR sports version, it's time for an offer for those who really want to feel the thrill. The 280-horsepower Leon Cupra won the title of the most powerful serial Seat. With a 5,7-3 mph time of XNUMX seconds, it is also the latest model in the history of the Spanish marque. For the first time, the Leon Cupra will also be offered in a XNUMX-door version.
How to recognize the flagship version of Leon? In addition to 18-inch or 19-inch wheels, the Cupra has a front bumper with additional air intakes and a black plastic strip that holds the license plate. The fog lights were removed and the dummy air intakes surrounding them were replaced with clear mesh, improving engine bay cooling. Changes have also occurred at the rear, where two oval exhaust pipes and a bumper with a spectacular diffuser appeared. The interior equipment has been enriched with Alcantara upholstery. The leather on the steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake is stitched with gray threads, and Cupra version logos appeared on the instrument panel, steering wheel and sills.
The closest relative of the Leon Cupra is the Golf VII GTI. Cars are created on the MQB technology platform. The team working on the sporty Seat took Active Suspension (DCC), Mechanical Differential Lock (VAQ) and Progressive Steering from the company's shelves. All solutions are included in the list of standard equipment of the Leon Cupra. In the Golf GTI, we only get the progressive steering system for free.
A common element of the German and Spanish athlete is also the EA888 turbocharged unit. A distinctive feature of the two-liter engine is the gasoline supply system, consisting of direct and indirect injectors. The solution improves flexibility and gas response and eliminates carbon deposits on the intake valves that are common in direct injection engines only.
The Golf VII GTI engine produces 220 hp. and 350 Nm. The Golf GTI Performance has 230 hp at the driver's disposal. and 350 Nm. Leon Cupra is also available with two engine versions - both, however, are much more powerful than the German athlete. The Cupry 265 engine develops 265 hp. at 5350-6600 rpm and 350 Nm at 1750-5300 rpm. In the more expensive Cupra 280, you can count on 280 hp. in the range of 5700-6200 rpm and 350 Nm at 1750-5600 rpm.
The engines provide high traction already from 1500 rpm and linear power output. Their full potential is revealed above 4000 rpm. The regular use of high speeds clearly affects fuel consumption, which during dynamic driving on mountain roads can exceed 15 l / 100 km. However, Leon Cupra also has a second, economical face: it can consume 7 l / 100 km on the highway and about 10 l / 100 km in the city.
The Leon Cupra comes standard with a drive mode selector. The driver can choose between Comfort, Sport, Cupra and Individual programs. The latter allows you to independently set the performance of the engine, gearbox, suspension, differential lock, air conditioning. Sport modes reduce the amount of assist, sharpen throttle response, and open the throttle in the exhaust system. The Leon starts to sound interesting and puffs out every time you change gear, but we won't ignore the higher decibels and deeper bass. The exhaust system sounds very conservative.
When setting the mode to "Individual", the user of Leon will find that some components have the function ... Eco. The seat does not throw words into the wind. In a Coupre with a DSG gearbox, the algorithms of the Eco function predict the clutch disengagement after taking off the gas - the car stops braking with the engine, and the use of an impulse in certain situations can have a positive effect on combustion.
Sport mode works in a completely different way, as it tries to maintain at least 3000 rpm. The DSG gearbox has a Launch Control function. There are less sporty solutions - even in manual mode, after tightening the engine to the limiter, the top gear is engaged. Higher gears are controlled smoothly. Downshifts, especially across multiple gears, take longer.
The 265-horsepower Leon with DSG accelerates to “hundreds” in 5,8 seconds. The Cupra 280 takes 0 seconds to accelerate from 100 to 5,7 km / h, while the Leones with a standard manual transmission need to add 0,1 seconds to both resistance values. For dynamic driving, automated transmissions are better suited - the paddles on the steering wheel allow you to quickly select a gear and facilitate engine braking. To the extreme positions of the steering wheel is only 2,2 turns. The steering gear ratio is diversified so as not to interfere with maintaining the direction when driving straight, and at the same time not to put your hands on the steering wheel on a mountain serpentine.
Powerful torque does not jerk the steering wheel. Reducing the amount of assist in Sport and Cupra modes makes it easier to feel traction reserve. You need to get used to the operation of the electro-hydraulic Shper. As we try to get closer to the grip limits, Leon manages to deviate a bit from the pilot's set track. A fraction of a second later, the diff closes and the Seat begins to close the arc a bit. The VAQ system is so fast that there is no question of wasted grinding with the inner wheel when exiting corners.
Until now, Leon with the stiffest suspension has had the FR version. Cupra has become lower by 10 mm, received 10% stiffer springs and the thickness of the rear stabilizer by a millimeter. The car reacts very calmly to any load changes. Braking on a corner, slamming on the gas pedal, or making a quick turn at the top of a hill can only cause an oversteer trail. Even when driving on the highway, the ESP system practically does not work. Introducing Cupra makes it easier to sport mode with traction control disabled and shifted ESP intervention point. You can also turn off the electronic assistant.
For those who prefer to ride on the edge, the Leon Cupra 280 should be chosen. 15 hp difference. it is hard to say. 19-inch wheels with 235/35 Bridgestone RE050A tires make a noticeable difference in grip. The Cupra 265 gets 18-inch wheels with 225/40 Continental SportContact 5 tires. Seat is preparing another surprise for sports fans. From the middle of the year it will be possible to order sporty, heavily profiled seats - most likely, these will be Recaro buckets, which we already know from Audi and Volkswagen.
Seat, however, won't charge extra for full LED headlights, automatic air conditioning, or a multimedia system with a color display. Yellow, which has been Cupra's trademark since 1999, is not in the offer. Is the Spanish brand aiming for a more serious image of the sporty version of León? Time will tell. There are a few more unknowns. There have been rumors for some time about a Cupra station wagon, as well as a Cupra R with all-wheel drive and a 300 TSI 2.0 hp engine. Seat itself adds fuel to the fire, preparing a surprise for the Geneva Motor Show. The video posted on the manufacturer's website indicates that it will be linked to the Nürburgring track. In a dozen days, we will most likely find out if the Leon Cupra 280 can beat the time of the wildly fast Renault Megane RS 265 Trophy and win the title of the fastest car with front-wheel drive on the Ring.
The first Leony Cupra will arrive in Poland at the beginning of June. Price lists have not yet been prepared. However, we know that beyond the Oder the base version of the Cupra costs 30 euros. In Poland, weaker Leons are slightly cheaper than in Germany. If the price could be calculated at 180-110 thousand zlotys, Seat could make a mistake in the segment of sports compact vans. Otherwise, it will be difficult for Seat to win the race for buyers, for example, with the 120 hp Focus ST, which starts at 250 zlotys.
