The New Seat Leon Cupra

The new Seat Leon Cupra is hitting the roads - a vehicle in which SEAT has implemented all of the knowledge gained during the current successful World Touring Car Championship season; the Spanish make is, in fact, one of the favourites for the WTCC constructors and drivers championship. For SEAT, whose goal is to create sporty cars with cutting-edge design and the latest technology, the arrival of the new Seat 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 hp, the new model sits at the top of SEAT's sporty range. The Seat Leon Cupra's advanced engineering, allied to its agile chassis, looks set to create a stir in the increasingly competitive hot hatch market.

Winning 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 Seat Leon Cupra.

From the outside, the Seat Leon Cupra demands attention. Its exclusive front bumper has larger air intakes than usual in order to enable sufficient airflow to cool the 240 hp engine, which purrs away under the chiselled 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 focussed 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 colour 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 Seat Leon Cupra's key feature, the reason why customers will go for this model over any other: its spectacular 2.0 TFSI 240 hp engine. This is the most powerful engine ever installed in a SEAT production car.

With this engine, the Seat Leon Cupra achieves performance worthy of a WTCC track car with a top speed of 247 km/h, or 153 mph. The Cupra accelerates from 0 to 100 in only 6.4 seconds. Furthermore, it covers the first 1000 metres in only 26.4 seconds. In terms of in-gear acceleration, the Seat Leon Cupra goes from 80 km/h to 120 km/h in fifth gear in 6.4 seconds. In sixth gear, this takes 8.2 seconds.

Even though the car's performance is highly sporty, it is also capable of returning impressive fuel consumption, with an average of only 8.6 litres per 100 km (around 32.8 mpg). (Performances and consumption provisional).

A racing chassis

In order to successfully transfer all of the engine's power to the road, the suspension elements of the Leon's proven and effective agile chassis have been adapted, while its weight has been reduced. The power steering system has also been modified in order to give the Cupra an even sharper feel compared with other Leons. These changes provide the highest levels of driving precision, as expected from the most focussed and sporty model in the SEAT range.

The Cupra's high performance capabilities require brakes that are equally impressive - and the new model delivers, with a powerful system featuring striking red-painted callipers. The front ventilated discs are sized at 345x30 mm, which is larger than those used on the rest of the range. And if that was not enough, the Cupra can also be fitted with an even more capable Brembo brake system as an option. This four-piston system offers enhanced stopping performance and improved resistance to high temperatures.

Circuit sound

Another Seat 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 manoeuvres, accelerating and braking at full speed and at low revs.

Limited edition for Seat Leon

Fresh for the imminent ‘08’ plate change SEAT is giving its most potent road-going model – the muscular Leon Cupra – the option of an even more sporty look courtesy of a dramatic limited edition styling kit version.

The impressive additions to the Leon’s already lithe lines give the 240 PS, turbocharged 2.0-litre Cupra even more of the look of the race-winning SEAT Sport BTCC car, which is set to compete for top honours again this year.

Boasting a bespoke K¹ boot badge, the limited edition car’s comprehensive styling additions include extensively re-worked front and rear bumpers, smart side skirts, a more pronounced tailgate spoiler and unique chrome-tipped, centrally-mounted, oval exhaust.

The car’s enhancements come in a range of eye-catching colours: Inferi Black, Emocion Red, Luna Grey and Candy White, and it is available to order now through the SEAT UK dealer network.

Great value at just £1,000 RRP over the standard Cupra, the K¹ additions arrive at the same time as a change to the Leon range-topper’s equipment manifest. Powerful Bi-xenon headlights, complete with AFS dynamic bend lighting that follows the turn of the steering wheel to help ensure the beam is always pointing precisely where the car’s headed, are now a £870 option.

At the same time new, optional, 18” Orion alloy wheels in black or white are made available at £205 RRP.

The best news for Cupra fans, though, is that the standard car’s price has been trimmed, from £19,695 RRP to £19,495 RRP, to make the 153 mph flier even easier on the pocket. The body kitted K¹ therefore costs £20,495 RRP.

SEAT UK’s Head of Marketing, Steve Robertson, said of the Cupra changes: ‘The K¹ styling kit gives the car even more road presence, and clearly recalls the look of our super-quick BTCC competitor.

‘Together with the optional black or white Orion alloy wheels, it ensures the Cupra has an outstanding look to match its outstanding performance.’

The new Seat Leon

NEW SEAT LEÓN ECOMOTIVE
Sporty nature that also cares for the environment
• Only 119 g/km of CO2 emissions
• 100 km at 3.9 litres of fuel consumption
• Efficient 105 hp 1.9 TDI engine with DPF particulate filter
SEAT has demonstrated how it is possible to combine the sporty character of its models with its concern for preserving the environment. At the last Frankfurt Motor Show, SEAT unveiled the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE, whose CO2 emission figure of 99 g/km made it the least polluting model in its segment.
SEAT has now gone one step further with the development of an ECOMOTIVE version for the León. With its emissions reduced by 16 g/km, or from 135 to 119, this model can take advantage of tax benefits in many European countries. In Spain for example, a person buying the León ECOMOTIVE is not required to pay any registration tax.

Making the car more ecological did not require modifying its outward appearance. The only difference on the new car is the "ECOMOTIVE" badge on the rear, which identifies it and the Ibiza as SEAT's greenest versions with the lowest CO2 emission levels.

Not only does the car feature low emission levels and tax benefits, but also reduced fuel consumption figures, making it an economical choice for customers within the León range.
From the León to the León ECOMOTIVE
In order to reduce the CO2 emissions of the León, engineers at the Technical Centre worked on four fundamental areas: the engine, the gearbox, the weight and the tyres.
105 hp 1.9 TDI engine with particulate filter

The León ECOMOTIVE is equipped with one of the SEAT range's most efficient engines - the 105 hp 1.9 TDI, which has undergone extensive improvements to its electronic management. Optimisation work on the central control unit and the gearbox's new ratios reduced CO2 emissions to 119 g/km compared with the 135 of the basic version.

Regarding the engine, the León ECOMOTIVE has been fitted with a DPF particulate filter as standard equipment, filtering the typical (but small amount of) soot particles that most diesel engines produce. When left unfiltered, these particles remain in suspension and attract other harmful elements. Approximately 0.3% of diesel engine emissions are made up of gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide, and nitric acids as well as soot.

The engine's control unit constantly checks the state of the filter, and activates regeneration in order to burn up the accumulated soot particles. In other words, thanks to this system the particulate filter requires no maintenance during the car's lifetime.

The new León ECOMOTIVE features outstandingly low fuel consumption figures, with a reduction of 0.6 l/100 km on the extra-urban cycle. These new figures make it possible to drive the León ECOMOTIVE for almost 1,500 km without refuelling.

New gear ratios
The Martorell Technical Centre also modified the car's gear ratios in order to deliver lower CO2 emission figures.
The new gears are 8.2% longer overall. By maintaining the first and second gear ratios and lengthening third, fourth and fifth - the latter by 16% - compared with the former version, emissions on the León ECOMOTIVE have been further reduced by 7 g/km.
Nevertheless, these modifications do not hamper engine performance at all. With its engine torque of 250 Nm at 1,900 rpm, the 1.9 TDI still delivers excellent in-gear acceleration and top speed. Furthermore, the new model's dynamic capability has even been improved, giving 1 km/h faster top speed, while 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is 0.4 seconds and 0 to 1,000 metre acceleration is 0.6 seconds faster - or 186 km/h, 10.9 seconds and 32.6 seconds respectively.

Limited maximum weight
On a car such as the León, with its high standards of safety and comfort, it is difficult to reduce the vehicle's minimum weight. But the maximum weight can be limited by eliminating certain options, such as the 17 inch alloy wheels and combinations of equipment if this exceeds the maximum weight of 1,320 kg compared to the current 1,405. This considerable difference has been achieved not only by working on the basic car itself, but by taking a close look at the additional optional equipment in order to keep the car within the desired weight range.

Lower resistance tyres
Another feature of the León ECOMOTIVE is lower resistance tyres, making it possible to mount 195/65 tyres on 15 inch wheels or 205/55 tyres on 16 inch wheels.

Available with Reference and Stylance equipment
The León ECOMOTIVE will be available with two trim levels. The Reference version features ABS and TCS, double front airbag, side airbags, head airbag, 16 inch steel wheels, 205/55 tyres, Isofix anchoring points, front electric one-touch and anti-trap windows, heated electric body colour door mirrors, air conditioning, CD radio with MP3 and Aux-in and six speakers, among others.

The Stylance version has volumetric alarm, ESP with EBA emergency brake assistance, tyre pressure sensor, 16 inch seven spoke alloy wheels, foglamps, dual zone climatiser, rear power windows, door mirrors with electric park position, leather steering wheel with audio controls, leather gear knob, cruise control, trip computer, coming and leaving home function and two extra speakers.
The special Sport Limited version builds on Reference with sport seats, leather steering wheel, 16 inch alloy wheels, foglamps and black door handles.