SEAT reveal 2009 Leon Cupra - first look

[ZBOYD]

SEAT Press Release

New León CUPRA – completely new look

With the arrival of the 2009 version of the León, the SEAT range’s most powerful and spectacular car now features even more impressive looks thanks to several elements introduced on the interior and the exterior, making it the perfect extension of the León that is making phenomenal strides at the WTCC World Touring Car Championship.

The most obvious is the new silhouette, featuring sophisticated, innovative black honeycomb cooling vents at the front beneath the central grille. The front bumper houses two further black highlights, one at each side, with the word CUPRA immediately visible on the left.

The rear features a prominent black moulding at the bottom of the bumper, a polished steel oval tailpipe and the characteristic model name in the centre of the hatch.

A side look at the León CUPRA reveals a lower ground clearance compared to the basic León version, making the car look and feel more like a racing unit. The spectacular 18 inch rims, eye-catching wheel arches and black encased door mirrors are all distinctive traits of the SEAT model.

All the interior elements are black clad, replacing the usual light tones on other models. There is a leather steering wheel with aluminium colour inserts and the CUPRA logo at the bottom and a matching gearknob. Further sporty details are the white faced instrument dials and aluminium pedals.

Special mention goes to the Leon CUPRA seats, with their true racing bucket styling, featuring integrated headrests and the “CUPRA” badge displayed on the backrests. These seats offer tremendous side support when dealing with corners and driving comfort. An attractive new option is now available in black leather upholstery with white cross-stitching.

The same as on the previous version, the new León CUPRA 2009 is equipped with the powerful 240 hp 2.0 TSI engine, which provides brilliant performance and delivers exceptional fuel consumption figures. Top speed is clocked at 247 km/h, 0 to 100 km/h acceleration takes only 6.4 seconds, and it covers a standing kilometre in only 26.4 seconds. At the same time, average combined fuel consumption is listed at 8.3 litres for every 100 km.

The new SEAT León CUPRA features such standard equipment as the XDS system, ABS and TCS, ESP with EBA emergency braking, low tyre pressure warning, driver and passenger airbag, side airbag and head airbag, climate control, cornering foglights, trip computer, cruise control, sports suspension and CD radio + MP3 + 8 speakers + Aux-in, among others.

 

[warren_cox]

Mark, I'm struggling. New front bumper / grille changed.

Are the wheels new?

I suppose dash has been updated to new Ibiza format.

 

[RobsCupra]

Hmmm...... Not sure about that right now tbh.......

 

[NeilW]

Wow. Drastically different then.

Looks just like the new FR but with different wheels, mirrors, grill and pillar trim..... Hang on, haven't we seen that before.

Good things is it'll drive down the prices of the older MK2 Cupras to make them even more affordable for the likes of me.

 

[warren_cox]

bigger rear window and slightly reshaped lights....?

 

[Donnyboy]

Is that a photochop? Those are like Audi wheels. I also think they would have done the front bumper black in the middle as per the current Cupra.

It also has light cloth for the roof lining.

 

[ZBOYD]

Preview images, probably more to come at Barcelona.

I think the rumured Cupra R will be something more special, this is just a facelift revamp of the existing car.

Interior shots, same seats now covered in leather.

 

[ZBOYD]

Added press release to first post above.

 

[Donnyboy]

Diamond stitching like the Ibiza Cupra. Maybe that's the Cupra theme for the seats now.

I also says a TSI engine. Take that means it has the better pump and the newer engine? What are the other differences in the engine?

 

[AndyHazza]

I'm actually kinda liking that interior Looks like the Seat designers have taken a leaf out of the Porsche designers and made the smallest of changes to the new update LOL. I'm not sure on the wheels yet though.

 

[NeilW]

"Only" 29 bhp more than the FR now.... Is it exactly same engine as in older MK2 Cupra? Strange that FR engine was updated with facelift but Cupra not.

To my consipracy theorist eyes that means a Cupra R MUST be on the way soon....

 

[auto_3mocionado]

I was dissapointed 10 minutes ago but it's growing on me as quick as it can go from 0-60 everytime i look at it, especially when i think that it has a certain resemblence to the old cupra r which looked fantastically sporty and serious but never lost it's sex appeal from the original.

The current cupra is a sexy looking hot hatch but i have a feeling that motoring people don't take it as serious as other hot hatches because it just doesn't look serious enough. It looks quite soft infact, (nothing bad!) but these changes have toughned it up without loosing its sexy curves. So i believe it's a great change and hopefully it can be taken as seriously as it figures suggest.

Shame they didn't improve the performance side! All these changes asthetically without nothing to show for the performance just don't seem right to me, unless a cupra r is in the shadows.

 

[warren_cox]

Maybe they just feel that for VAG purposes they don't want to offer any more power through FWD system. VAG probably know its good for 260bhp despite the press figures of 240, so to push it further would be outside of their 'parameters' for a FWD car in it's current spec (lets face it the clutches and fuel pumps can't offer much more on the TFSi).

Maybe there will be an elevation when a TSi variant is put in, but there is no clever Revoknuckle malarky in the Cupra like in the Focus RS, so I wouldn't expect significant power gains.

 

[jdearden]

Not just german components...german styling!!?

hmmm not too sure if I like the bumper 'tache'...looks a bit too hitler for my liking

 

[CupraSport]

so a mild facelift thats good for residuals.. Wonder if that front bumper will fit on the existing car as the shape has not changed drastically at the front... the new wheels are nice as well, I wonder if they will be less prone to kerbing that the existing orions. Like the interior shots though, looks like they have stepped quality up a notch which is no bad thing.

From what I have read re "Revo Knuckle" it was developed to get around the patients Renault already had in place not I am sure VW group could come up with something as well... I mean I assume they have been bench marking the Leon against the Megane Renault sport and the Focus ST.
A lot of the questions re power and if there is or isn't an R which if there is I guess will be similar to the Supercopa in performance, is will they go out to match the Focus or follow the Renault Sport route and make the R more hardcore using the philosophy less is more. Ie similar power but less weight use of composite materials that sort of thing and maybe a real LSD not an electric one. I think that emissions etc will shape the route of performance cars to come hence the Ibiza Cupra running a high output 1.4 which has low C02 figures.

 

[Jedimaster65]

I think that looks awful, - just too fussy and cheesey somehow...

 

[ZBOYD]

Is that a photochop? Those are like Audi wheels. I also think they would have done the front bumper black in the middle as per the current Cupra.

It also has light cloth for the roof lining.

More than likely a pre-production chop, not uncommon.

 

[ZBOYD]

Diamond stitching like the Ibiza Cupra. Maybe that's the Cupra theme for the seats now.

I also says a TSI engine. Take that means it has the better pump and the newer engine? What are the other differences in the engine?

Leather seats are optional extra, according to the press release. However what is specified in Spain is not necersarily what the UK specify. In the UK they may go with leather as standard for example. SEAT UK negotiate with Spain in regards to what features are optional and those that are standard.

 

[CupraSport]

That would be good we shall have to wait and see, I like the nod to the original Cupra R with the extra vents in the bumper under the grill

I think they may seriously look at the leather etc as standard, try to increase basic specification to stimulate sales. Like the original Cupras came with Xeons etc, maybe they will do this with the seats then make them an option later down the line???.....

Any idea on prices yet even in Euros?? I'm thinking 20-21k without extras looking at the way the Golf etc has gone up in price though hoping it will remain the right side of 20k.

 

[ZBOYD]

On the flip side of that though, not everyone likes leather, it burns you in the summer and freezes you in the winter. So maybe it being an option gives customers more choice.