New Leon Cupra Specification 2.0 TFSI 240 hp

[xJib]

As he says above - the basic mk 2 leon's look different enough to stand out. My mate Antman (on here) has a TFSI Sport and he says it is still a head turner. Pics never do the new Leon justice - seeing them in the flesh is sooooo much better.

Have to agree. When people see ours with the aero kit I've only had complements. I even get people staring at it when out driving round town (Or they could just be admiring the driver )

And they could do a even more pumped up version when they bring out the CupraR

 

[dalepearson]

Hmm I am still not sure. Guess when I see it at the motorshow I will decide, still no regrets on not waiting.

 

[mister.c.]

On the basis of the pictures then it really does nothing for me but you need to see it up front before you can really make a decision. After reading loads of threads since we initially saw some spy shots then it is nice for somebody not to say 'it looks like an MPV'...

 

[ZBOYD]

bump for the non weekend crowd!

 

[Ol' Timer]

I went the dealers yesterday to look at the new Leon FR and while I was there I asked the salesman what he thought of the Cupra. He said that he hadn't seen any photos of it as none had been released until the motorshow this week. I tried to persuade him that they were available but he obviously didn't believe me and gently patronised me for the next few minutes. He was still talking about central exhausts and reversing cameras so I guess he thought I was referring to the various prototype and spy shots.

So I don't know how you got the photos but well done Cupranet. It shows you can't rely on dealers for reliable information – just listen to ZBOYD and m0rk.

 

[ZBOYD]

We came very close to being the World exclusive, i think only a spanish car blog site beat us to it. But images weren't supposed to be released 'officially' until tomorrow.

We did actually have our collars felt by SEAT on Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't our fault, someone at SEAT.com released the info a tad too early, so hopefully we've been forgiven. It was well spotted by m0rk, it was a section of the site that hadn't even been on our radar, as we'd been hovering over the press sites.

But many more photos, and hopefully some further details will be revealed tomorrow too, m0rk will be at the motorshow press unveiling, and im taking the day off, to be able to receive his pics direct from the show to get them up on the site a.s.a.p, and any other details we gather.

 

[Spanky]

Err, (crash helmet on) is it just me, but I dont like the Cupra, I can't belive its exactly the same as the F-R (being honest, it is) which isn't far off the normal Leons, which is not good at all..... the Aero kit should have been standard.....

 

[Ol' Timer]

I assume SEAT haven't cleverly leaked photoshopped pics of the FR under the guise of the Cupra so that we can all be disappointed. Then on Tuesday they will reveal the REAL Cupra, dripping with huge bumpers, skirts, wheel arches and spoilers on a 4wd chassis.

 

[m0rk]

Not based on the email I got on Saturday, it was more info than they'd released to Autocar/Express

 

[Ol' Timer]

Not based on the email I got on Saturday, it was more info than they'd released to Autocar/Express

Ah well, that's my conspiracy theory sunk!

 

[Saul]

i like it, i like it a lot

tbh, if it came with all the bells and whistles hanging off it, wide arched and spoilered, how many of you would buy one and how many would think "thats too much for me"

i dont think yellow suits that shape to me, the red i think is a great colour and a pearlescent deep blue would suit also

i definately want one

 

[El Vic]

I assume SEAT haven't cleverly leaked photoshopped pics of the FR under the guise of the Cupra so that we can all be disappointed. Then on Tuesday they will reveal the REAL Cupra, dripping with huge bumpers, skirts, wheel arches and spoilers on a 4wd chassis.

that would be truly awesome If they do that, I'll get one, otherwise, I'll stick to my LCR for a while.

 

[ZBOYD]

I assume SEAT haven't cleverly leaked photoshopped pics of the FR under the guise of the Cupra so that we can all be disappointed. Then on Tuesday they will reveal the REAL Cupra, dripping with huge bumpers, skirts, wheel arches and spoilers on a 4wd chassis.

I can't see them ever doing that, especially here, it'll price it right out of its market segment, its already creeping upto the Golf GTI, the extra gubbins we'd like would push it right into Audi territory.

Now for us, we probably wouldn't care, and we'd find the premium, but as much as we'd like to think it, (and i've said this before) were not the only people who buy SEAT's, and though im sure there are a few of us who would like huge wings and fins and aggresive spoilers, and 4WD, and huge rollerbearing turbos etc, there are an equal if not majority, who don't, and they won't pay for it.

SEAT have to cater for the minority and the majority, a hard task for any car manufacturer.

Personally, I believe they've done a great job of the Cupra.

 

[GAmbrose]

It's not convinced me to cancel my Focus ST-3 order.

Love my 210 LCR from the front and side on (Back has never looked that nice to me) and the Focus ST looks very similar to the LCR.

Going to the Motorshow next Saturday, so i'll see one then.

Gary A

 

[SixDegrees]

Looks very nice too me, but as with nearly ALL top-o-the-range sports VAG cars SEAT have opted for the subtle, yet look closely sporty styling. New R32 isn't a agressive as the old one but a better drive, new S3 spy (ish) pics make it hard to tell from an S-Line model, new Octy vRS is more subtle than the old one and so the Leon Cupra seems to have followed the same path.

Could be for a number of reasons, but my top two are a) VAG are opting for subtle yet powerful, understated cars that don't look like they have the power to delivery, or b) each of the brands have another higher spec, more agressive, out-n-out car yet to come, ie RS3, R36, Cupra something-or-other.

Who knows why its not more of a stand out than the others in the range, but for me thats a good thing. I don't want to look Chav like with spoilers and have the car I drive be associated with Chavs and boy-racers, ie Civic Type R or Focus ST !

 

[ZBOYD]

A factor im aware of too, is the rise in carjackings, and it maybe that companies are toning down their sporting models, so they don't say 'LOOK AT ME' though it kind of negates this when its bright yellow.

But I'd personally say, though i like my quick cars, i prefer it them be more of a low key affair. The R's do stand out, but the platinum colour doesn't seem to nearly attract as much attention as say the yellow ones do.

 

[sportbilly]

Low key yes but better than the original Mk1 Leon Cupra (pre 2001) which did look a little plain.

The new one is not too 'in yer face' but has subtle differences which suit it - ok it might have looked nice with a larger spoiler and some 19's like on the proto but you cant have everything...unfortunately !

 

[SixDegrees]

A factor im aware of too, is the rise in carjackings, and it maybe that companies are toning down their sporting models, so they don't say 'LOOK AT ME' though it kind of negates this when its bright yellow.

But I'd personally say, though i like my quick cars, i prefer it them be more of a low key affair. The R's do stand out, but the platinum colour doesn't seem to nearly attract as much attention as say the yellow ones do.

Aye, but how many people actually buy yellow ones (a few)? Yellow is a great colour for promo and brochure cars, but in reality is not the colour most people buy, Silver, Red and Black are which align themselves with the 'subtle' approach VAG are taking.

 

[sportbilly]

Sure we'll see other colours soon... lets just hope its a metallic black this time!

 

[fivetones]

- lower front bumper? looks a bit more agressive, reminds me of a Ferrari Modena
http://www.leane.it/categorie/Applicazioni/1/ferrari modena.jpg

I thought that too. I think there's some deceptive camera shots there though. Look from the side and you see it's not as low as that front shot.