Golf R and Leon Cupra (my thoughts)

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 3, 2012
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Car Length In Front
Using all the same site...

https://www.carfolio.com/

...for the figures now I've found one:

1395kg 2017 Cupra 300 Manual 5 Door
1497kg 2017 Golf R 310 Manual 5 Door

1421kg 2017 Cupra 300 DSG 5 Door
1530kg 2017 Golf R 310 DSG 5 Door

1545kg 2017 Cupra 300 ST 4Drive DSG
1593kg 2017 Golf R 310 DSG Estate

So using the estates for reference, the R's 4WD accounts for ~50kg and the extra refinement another ~50kg.
 

LouG

Active Member
Dec 1, 2017
1,319
481
Nelson, New Zealand
Tyres and the torque arm insert clearly make all the difference? The FWD Cupra is already as fast as you ever want to go on public roads, it’s an insanity wagon, you can be comfortably deep into three figure speeds on wet, bumpy, twisty roads; :)

On the weekend we went over the Rimutaka Rd heading out of Wellington. This is a very twisty stretch of road, like some Euro alpine roads, but with shorter straights. The Cupra is an absolute monster through there. I was hitting 100-120 km/h between corners, about the same as my bike would. The bike has better acceleration, but the car gets closer to it's limit through corners. Even through some wet stretches it would grip and drive hard through the bends. Passing in the outside lane through tight corners was a doddle
What astonished me was comparing it to our GT86, the Toyota would just go sideways if you were in the power band and nailed it just after the apex, the Cupra gripped and drove. It's got a really effective diff in it.
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
On the weekend we went over the Rimutaka Rd heading out of Wellington. This is a very twisty stretch of road, like some Euro alpine roads, but with shorter straights. The Cupra is an absolute monster through there. I was hitting 100-120 km/h between corners, about the same as my bike would. The bike has better acceleration, but the car gets closer to it's limit through corners. Even through some wet stretches it would grip and drive hard through the bends. Passing in the outside lane through tight corners was a doddle
What astonished me was comparing it to our GT86, the Toyota would just go sideways if you were in the power band and nailed it just after the apex, the Cupra gripped and drove. It's got a really effective diff in it.

That sounds like a nice road :) I’m also lucky to be surrounded by amazing, largely deserted roads and have driven everything across them from Caterhams, high power RWD track orientated nutter wagons, M cars, Audi S3’s to add AWD flavour and quite a few others. The Cupra with arguably the biggest disadvantage of “FWD” never fails to surprise.
 

kanyewest

Active Member
Oct 4, 2018
549
168
NW
That sounds like a nice road :) I’m also lucky to be surrounded by amazing, largely deserted roads and have driven everything across them from Caterhams, high power RWD track orientated nutter wagons, M cars, Audi S3’s to add AWD flavour and quite a few others. The Cupra with arguably the biggest disadvantage of “FWD” never fails to surprise.
share some cool driving roads man!
 

SteA

Active Member
Jan 12, 2016
226
61
Shrewsbury
share some cool driving roads man!

Lots of very cool roads around Shropshire and heading across country towards the Welsh Coast, just avoid the main tourist routes and there are lots of gems. Some of the main roads are still great, but have both traffic and speed cameras. Especially good are some of the routes across Snowdownia from Llynclys; you can see for miles at the start of some sections, fast B road with sweeping bends, twists, turns and even some hairpins thrown in. :)
 
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Deleted member 103408

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I can recommend the Lincolnshire Wolds lots of great b / c roads running around the fields with dykes either side and no road markings.

Cupra is set up for these roads.
 
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LouG

Active Member
Dec 1, 2017
1,319
481
Nelson, New Zealand
State Highway 8, Cromwell to Clyde. Beautiful sweepers following the Clutha river. a steady 180 - 210 two up on the bike.
We slowed for Clyde and there was a cop just leaving and heading our way.:harhar:
 

Tara

Active Member
Jan 21, 2008
591
215
Bournemouth
Some great roads up towards the Highlands and Skye plus I just got back from the Peak district and done Snake pass and the one from Shefield to Manchester (forget the name) really nice but a lot of lorries lol
 
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Deleted member 103408

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@Tara you should come to the north west meet and look at and talk to some off the modded car owners
 

Tara

Active Member
Jan 21, 2008
591
215
Bournemouth
@Tara you should come to the north west meet and look at and talk to some off the modded car owners

I would love to but me and the missus just had a few days off and ended up in the Peaks but we are all the way down in Bournemouth so it would be a bit of a hike.
 

Deleted member 103408

Guest
well you are welcome if you fancy another weekend out
 

Lmbarrett83

Active Member
Sep 8, 2017
1,538
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Sheffield
Some great roads up towards the Highlands and Skye plus I just got back from the Peak district and done Snake pass and the one from Shefield to Manchester (forget the name) really nice but a lot of lorries lol
Definitely agree! That's my neck of the woods.
I was really impressed with my 280 on snake pass.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
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kiddo

ST Cupra
May 30, 2015
1,151
99
Lancashire
Some great roads up towards the Highlands and Skye plus I just got back from the Peak district and done Snake pass and the one from Shefield to Manchester (forget the name) really nice but a lot of lorries lol
Agree with North West Scotland for fabulous driving roads. Admittedly I've never taken my car there but regularly go on 2 wheels and try to get up that way at least once a year on the bikes. Very little traffic and decent road surfaces make for some cracking riding ;)

I have done snake pass in my 280 family wagon and was well impressed how it handled when pushed hard for such a lardy car. Luckily I was on my own so could push on without being screamed at to slow down by the misses :)
 
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Maypack

Ambassador for Cumberland Sausage
Apr 20, 2014
3,175
2,328
Gods Country - West Cumbria
I have done snake pass in my 280 family wagon and was well impressed how it handled when pushed hard for such a lardy car. Luckily I was on my own so could push on without being screamed at to slow down by the misses :)

I’ve done exactly the same with my Cupra300 heading home from the last meet at Castleton. Great road but very foggy when I was on it.

There are some great twisty roads in the Lake District too. Only problem is that the amount of traffic on the roads means you usually end up driving at 30mph anyways
 

Lmbarrett83

Active Member
Sep 8, 2017
1,538
619
Sheffield

Definitely shows the traction advantage of the VW and then potentially the weight advantage of the SEAT.

If both are DSG then reduces requirement on driver skill in this type of race.

That said though I don't know the specs of either vehicle.





Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
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kanyewest

Active Member
Oct 4, 2018
549
168
NW
That sounds like a nice road :) I’m also lucky to be surrounded by amazing, largely deserted roads and have driven everything across them from Caterhams, high power RWD track orientated nutter wagons, M cars, Audi S3’s to add AWD flavour and quite a few others. The Cupra with arguably the biggest disadvantage of “FWD” never fails to surprise.
send location
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 3, 2012
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Car Length In Front

Definitely shows the traction advantage of the VW and then potentially the weight advantage of the SEAT.

If both are DSG then reduces requirement on driver skill in this type of race.

That said though I don't know the specs of either vehicle.





Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Having had the 280 ST in DSG and now what is effectively the 300 ST 4Drive, after that initial get away the 280 is quicker.
 
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