What is it?
Militant in matt black or grey, the latest Cupra R is a new high-water mark for fast Seats. Limited to just 799 examples, it represents the most powerful road car the brand has built, and the culmination (for now) of a procession of increasingly hardcore Leon variants.
The mechanical setup will be familiar to many, Volkswagen Group’s turbocharged ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre TSI driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox that remains unchanged from the previously most potent Leon, the Cupra 300. Developing 306bhp from 5800-6500rpm, on paper this engine is an identical sibling to the thunderously effective unit found in the trackday-ready Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S.
The Cupra R has 10bhp more than the Cupra 300, channelled through the same electronic locking differential. But it gets unique adaptive dampers, which along with the steering and throttle mapping are changeable through five selectable modes, including a new Cupra setting.
Styling enhancements include wheelarch extensions that shroud wider tracks, front and rear. There are also numerous new parts fashioned in carbonfibre, including a snow-scraper of a front splitter, side skirts and a neat rear spoiler with a corresponding diffuser below it. Meanwhile the front intake blades, 19-inch wheels, door mirrors and various badges – inside and out – are thrown into relief by a copper shade of paint. Consider also the paint finish on our test car and you’ll be hard pushed to find a more divisively styled hot hatch.
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xxxx
£35,000 v the £31,000 Type R Price
To be honest the last paragraph sums it up, the Cupra isn't worth any more than the Type R, it's only advantage is it's more understated.
Either way the Focus, S3 and Golf R represent better value for money at pretty much the same price or Less but have 4WD.
Being a limited run SEAT think they can add £4,000 to the price, and, they have!
typos1 - Just can’t respect opinion
Will86
Too much power
Would be nice if Seat offered something with similar chassis and suspension upgrades but maybe 200bhp. Would be fast enough to have fun but still be enjoyable on the road.
maximilian
..the Cupra R isn't quite as engaging as the cheaper Honda Civic
Maybe, but it's a damn sight better looking!
Maximus
Spanner
Why is it not electric.
Surely electric cars would smash this to pieces. Not figuratively, but actually. Like bash it up. I can see Elon musk with a hammer on a pedestal beating this to pieces in a straight line.
This post makes about as much sense as many of the posts on electric cars.
Wellsi
Trouble with this car in the
Trouble with this car in the UK is you just can’t effectively put 300bhp down through the front wheels in damp/wet conditions which, lets be honest, is most of the time! I got tired of wheel spin and torque steer at 200bhp so moved to a Golf R. There’s a reason why manufacturers are moving to 4wd (even latest M5!!).
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