Cupra 280 v Cupra R pt 2

Apr 24, 2023
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Traction is another surprise. At 258 lb/foot I’m not surprised that in lower gears and wide throttle the Curpa regularly bothers the traction control…even in 3rd at 2k this can be a problem…but switch to the R and other than from a standing start I’ve yet to feel the traction kick in at all. I’m not sure as to why, could be the software has been remapped to be less intrusive or maybe it’s due to the suspension mods or maybe even the gearbox itself. Whichever way the traction on the R is astonishing and you have to remind yourself that this really is a FWD setup. And to think that I almost didn’t even test it because I thought what’s the point of more power in a car that struggles to handle it now.
I’ve heard the R has stiffer damping than the Cupra. I’m not convinced by that either. Neither car has the suspension polish of the hot Mk7 Golfs and you will feel and hear god awful crashes if you hit pot holes. But on regular undulating roads the R seems to cope better. I’d say it re-composes itself quicker than the Cupra and as such inspires you that it’s doing a better job of keeping the tyres and body as one with a choppy surface. This is probably due to the suspension changes around track and camber, but it just feels that bit more planted. It also has less lean and roll, although the Cupra certainly doesn’t have a problem here. Find a smooth road and both cars really shine.

Conclusion
I think the best way to summarise whether the R, definitely the better car, is worth the £5k price premium over the regular car is to list everything that Seat changed and think that if they had put every change on the Options list, which would you tick and where would the price fall out.
A lot of that is of course subjective, but for me the body styling including the copper details, wheels, carbon and exhaust system would be a must tick option, even if priced at £3k. After-market exhausts usually set you back half of this, and the body kit is that good that its worth every penny of £1,500.
Suspension, steering, brakes and revised damper settings are also must have items. These complete the way the car gets down the road, and massively impressive and satisfying that is too. Definitely a step up from an already good starting point and puts it right up there with the best FWD hatches on the market. I’ve no idea as to the price of this little lot but I’d pay about £1k for the revised brakes as they are that good.
And then on to the other bits – engine, 10 lbs/ft and hp over the std Cupra 300….not sure I’d bother. It would need to be a cheap option to tick…certainly no more than £200.
Equipment side – Alcantara wheel + gear knob, radar cruise, keyless and if reverse camera wasn’t std, yes. Seats and Beats – maybe. Again depends on the price. More likely to go for the Beats system v Seat sound though if the difference was a couple of hundred. Was winter pack std on the Cupra? If not then I’d add that too because to memory that was a cheapish option.
In total then I believe I’d pay at least £5k for the upgrades, and while I get this then becomes Golf R money this car I just so much more special than an R.

And I think that’s how I’d summarise it. What you are buying here is not only a car that looks amazing and drives pretty close to how it looks, but it’s something truly special. This is with thanks to Seat for pushing the boundaries and producing a car like this. They pretty much fettled everything that could be amended, all of it improving on the base and actually all of it working in harmony. It looks, sounds, drives and stops all in equal measure better than before and has a chunk of extra (useful) kit thrown in as well. And thanks for making it manual - DSG simply wouldn't be the same.

It's both a shame and a joy (to me anyway) that they did so in such limited numbers. I feel totally privileged to own this car, and sadly know that it’s among the last modern hatchbacks of its kind. The relentless move to the world of all out electrical goodness inevitably dials back driver involvement and therefore the pure pleasure of driving. While this car is with me, I intend to enjoy every minute that I’m with it.
 
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