New SEAT Leon CUPRA R to debut at Frankfurt Motorshow

[EmDee]

I just want to say well done to SEAT for going with kiwi "yellow" and white wheels and badges. Reminiscent of the mk2 beefer. Just a shame it's not reminiscent of the mk1 LCR in any way shape or form. Could have at least gone with Brembos.
In response to the Focus RS lovers, I must say i dont mind a subtle body kit, but they could have diferentiated it from the Cupra and FR other than gluing a few plastic Rs to it. Still, at least it's better than the fake air intakes and fake carbon interior you get in the RS.

 

[wags]

Horrid colour not sure about the looks of it and as for calling it a cupra r all that they have done is add some badges

 

[Leonidas]

Horrid colour not sure about the looks of it and as for calling it a cupra r all that they have done is add some badges

And some extra power. I love the seats aswel

 

[thePHILosipher]

Spot on that man!

+1. it looks like the pre-face lift MK2 leon Cupra, couldnt they have but the touring car body kits on at least (as said before about the K1)?? or strip the car out like Renault did with the Megane cup??

 

[jaba101]

Well the Cupra R is a massive disappointment I had a Mk1 Cupra R for a we while before the little one's came on to the scene. The whole point about the Mk1 Cupra R was great looks, stunning Performance Before and after a remap) stopping power with big Brembo brakes and great handling, way above the lower spec'd Cupra. Now we appear to have two identical Mk2's running the same engine able to map the same and have the exact same interior with the phase two Cupra that’s just been released at least make it 4wd give you a fighting chance to out accelerate the Cupra, and I still recon the K1 is the better looking of the Mk2 series and still prefer the mk1 Cupra R looks above any other VAG model will have to get another one soon me thinks.
Well that’s my opinion anyway lol

 

[Suchley]

Good write up!

 

[cap r 225]

as above really... i'm so glad they made an "R".

would have thought they would've made it superior to the curpa though, otherwise whats the point!
4wd and a new turbo would have been good, even a proper limited slip diff would have made people take it a bit more seriouse! where are the proper brakes aswell???

 

[CJRamze]

Not impressed at all.

 

[DanGB]

as above really... i'm so glad they made an "R".

would have thought they would've made it superior to the curpa though, otherwise whats the point!
4wd and a new turbo would have been good, even a proper limited slip diff would have made people take it a bit more seriouse! where are the proper brakes aswell???

no need for a bigger turbo. This one can go to 350hp with a few simple mods.

The Mk2 Leon Cupra brakes are actually better than the mk1 brembo brakes.

 

[cap r 225]

no need for a bigger turbo. This one can go to 350hp with a few simple mods.

The Mk2 Leon Cupra brakes are actually better than the mk1 brembo brakes.

my point about the turbo was that it's nothing a normal cupra wouldn't do after a re-map, not so much a dig at the specific turbo, same with the brakes too really!
There's just not alot seperating it from the cupra and how much will you pay for the privelege of an "R" badge just seems like they've played with software, it'll still be cheaper to buy a cupra get a re-map and nick somebody's badges of there LCR

Also on the brakes front the mk2 is hevier than the LCR so it's not relative to compare the brakes!

 

[Leonidas]

I thought the brakes on the new R are bigger than the cupra's ....

 

[ZBOYD]

Nope same size 345mm x 30. Rear discs are supposed to be a bit bigger but not by much.

SEAT don't seem to have worded the math correctly in their press release, otherwise they don't have a clear grasp of metric to imperial conversion. They are claiming 17" inch brakes at the front, 345mm only adds up to about 13.5" inch discs which is correct.

I think what they mean is that anything under a 17-18" wheel would be unlikely to fit over the disc.

 

[Leonidas]

Thank god, If it was true then the brakes on the cupra would be bigger than the alloys on mine

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

they should have used the designer behind the Boca' as that just has got an agressive feature about it at all LCR 1M all the way for me

 

[TopTogs]

I gotta agree with jabba101 and cap r 225 here.

Though the new focus is running 300bhp FWD, they have had to make a lot of serious chasis and traction modifications to do it. Why not just go 4wd??

They have some of the best 4wd cars in the VAG group and the Seat Leon did come as a 2.8 v6 4wd version (like the golf) in europe. Why do they keep giving us front wheel drive.

That's a lot of power, that's the same as an STi, or the old s4 2.7 V6 Bi-Turbo.

I would need to drive one to make up my mind of course, but i am certainly sceptical, and i hope they prove me wrong.

TopTogs

 

[ZBOYD]

they should have used the designer behind the Boca' as that just has got an agressive feature about it at all LCR 1M all the way for me

Luc Donckerwolke is designing the next Leon he probably started it a few years ago.

However he didn't join SEAT until after the Mk2 Leon had been signed off for production and he has only really been able to do tweeks to it to make it follow the new range that he is starting to project with the Ibizas.

The Mk3 Leon, likely to surface next year as a prototype with production launch in 2011 should be very exciting if the Ibiza's are anything to go by.

 

[DPJ]

The Mk3 Leon, likely to surface next year as a prototype with production launch in 2011 should be very exciting if the Ibiza's are anything to go by.

Which platform is it likely to be on?

 

[ZBOYD]

Which platform is it likely to be on?

I would presume that the platform will be based on the MkVI (itself a modifed MkV platform) or the next gen A3 platform.

They are into recyling, the new Ibiza runs a modified chassis from the previous Ibiza.

 

[GREY 225]

Dont think there is a need for 4wd, only makes the car heavier and more complicated, better off going for a diff and with advances in tyre performance who needs 4wd, unless your interested in 0-60 times.
Cars seem to be getting more powerfull with big headline power figures, but they are also getting heavier, with a new model the weight seems to creep up aswell a few more kgs, adding 4wd can add up to 100kgs, not to mention extra losses of power through the tranmission.

 

[Oj 89]

Wow, Really dissapointed by this! They couldn't even put a splitter on the front just to make it a little lower to the ground! Other then that, I can only say +1 to most of the above... hopefully the mk3 will bring better taste...