First Cupra Championship race cars arrive in the UK

[ZBOYD]

Exclusive first peek at the stunning new Leon Cupra racing cars.

Earlier this week our own AndyB had the opportunity to visit the SEAT Sport UK workshop in Northampton. He snapped some photos of the first 14 new Leon Cupra race cars to arrive in the UK for the 2007 SEAT Cupra Championship.

We think you'll agree, they look stunning in red!

Read more at SEATCupra.net...

 

[Ruddmeister]

WOW they look fantastic.....should be a cracking series next year

" AndyB had the opportunity to visit the SEAT Sport UK workshop in Northampton. He snapped some photos of the first 14 new Leon Cupra race cars to arrive in the UK "

Who let him back in the Country

 

[darrenh]

Wow!!

 

[ZBOYD]

Couple more images here i didn't put in the article.

 

[tommmineh]

sexual

 

[Syphon]

Seriously mean as fu

Scott

 

[Timthebrief]

Looking seriously : Almost ferrari-ish in the red paint job. Shame they will have to spoil the clean look with all those sponsorship stickers

 

[spyke85]

Looking cool....what are the covered cars at the end though?

 

[ZBOYD]

Looking cool....what are the covered cars at the end though?

Leon Cupra R race cars.

 

[NeilW]

If only the new Cupra looked the same. Loving the splitter! Why is the front grille covered up? Surely this restricts air flow / cooling to the engine?

 

[ZBOYD]

They are pretty open at the front end though. And its not like they do the daily commute in these things. And read the report we've added, they have had no reliability issues, and the test cars have been ragged silly for several months on several race circuits. As well as a proven formula in Spain.

Tom Boardman recently won his last race out in Spain this season. He's supposed to be back in the championship here next year, as well as possibly contesting the Spanish championship at the same time, as and when they don't clash. He'll have a big advantage with experience.

They are much like the Leon R race cars they replace, in that all the wide arch etc is to run wider rubber, bigger track for grip. They won't go to the expense on a road car.

 

[DanGB]

Niiiice!

 

[Saul]

the grilles will be blanked to improve aero. no doubt the large ducts in the bumper will be directed up, thro and out to maximise cooling and aero efficiency

 

[andyb]

If only the new Cupra looked the same. Loving the splitter! Why is the front grille covered up? Surely this restricts air flow / cooling to the engine?

aerodynamically, you want the air intakes down really low due to pressure build up by the splitter. Hence the big low air intake. Also cleans up the air flow for the radiators and engine cooling.

A air intake high up on the sloping part of the bonnet disrupts the air a little over the bonnet, while at the same time, some of the air that 'should' go into the main grille continues to flow over the bonnet, making it less efficien than a lower air intake.

Same with the BTCC/WTCC cars. If you look closely, its a dummy grille

 

[gazjones]

wow they look ace are teams allowed to change the colour of the car! if so they should be baned if they do they look ace in red!

 

[ZBOYD]

Yup the teams can change them to suit their colour schemes. They actually buy the cars, so they are theirs to do with as they please with the liveries. They must of course also incorporate the series sponsors too.

But they obviously can't start changing anything mechanically, that would infringe on the series rule book.

 

[darrenh]

Just out of interest, anyone know how much they flog them to the teams for?

 

[Craig Senior]

Just out of interest, anyone know how much they flog them to the teams for?

£40,000

See here

 

[Ruddmeister]

So could you buy one as a track day car for £40k or do you have to pay the entrance fee for the SCC on top

 

[Craig Senior]

So could you buy one as a track day car for £40k or do you have to pay the entrance fee for the SCC on top

I would guess that the championship entry fees are extra.

I maybe wrong though