SEAT Leon Cupra R
Now at showrooms, this is the new 2010 SEAT Leon Cupra R. It is actually the fastest SEAT ever built in the 25 year history of the brand and certainly looks like it has been designed with performance in mind.
That 265 PS power peak is the product of a tuned2.0-litre, four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine – revised by the engineers at SEAT’s state-of-the-art Technical Centre in Martorell to make it more potent, even, than the current Leon Cupra which is good for a still impressive 240 PS from its 2.0-litre powerplant.
The 16V petrol engine features a new, high-pressure fuel pump injector to satisfy the greater performance demands and allow it to meet strict EU5 emissions standards while revisions to the electronic engine management system, plus increased maximum turbo pressure (1.9 bar at max output and 2.2 bar at max torque, versus 1.8 bar for the 240 PS 2.0-litre TSI in Leon Cupra) complete the powerplant changes beneath the SEAT’s svelte ‘clamshell’ bonnet.
The torque generated by the new Cupra R’s refined and willing engine is, arguably, even more impressive than its power peak. No less than 350 Nm is on offer at just 2,500 rpm – that’s a full 50 Nm more than the already muscular Leon Cupra.
XDS – SEAT’s clever electronic system which uses enhanced ABS functionality to mimic the operation of a traditional limited slip differential – ESP stability control, TCS traction control and EBA emergency braking assistance are among the new car’s standard-fit kit and work together to help keep things on the straight and narrow.
Of course, what does all this mean without giving you the figures? Well, the new SEAT should be good to cover the 0-62 sprint in 6.2 seconds and on to a limited 155 miles per hour. Quite impressive I’m sure you’ll agree.
As impressive, perhaps, is the new Leon’s frugality. Combined economy of 34.9 mpg and CO2 limited to just 190 g/km make the newcomer among the ‘greenest’ ultra-hot hatches around. Not green enough to qualify for the brand’s Ecomotive badge, of course, but markedly more environmentally responsible than a number of rivals which have CO2 emissions of 220 g/km and above.
Personally, I think this just shows how far we’ve come in terms of mating performance with economy and perhaps more importantly low emissions. For a car of this type, 190g/km is very little indeed.
The new ebony black front seatbacks even give rear seat occupants a taste of the Cupra R cabin upgrade, while the prominent ‘R’ logo incorporated on the seatbacks leaves no one in any doubt about the identity of this super-quick SEAT. The car also features 19 inch wheels that really set the car off.
UK pricing for the new Leon Cupra R is confirmed at £25,205, production is limited to around 500 in a full year, and the first customer cars are due to be delivered within weeks.
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