I've said this numerous times, the LCR isn't a bad handling car it seems people are far to quick to blame the car for their own lack of skill or control. Whats the saying "a bad workmen always blames there tools"
From track times on this post and other track times from evo etc the LCR has always been up there with other hot hatches. Yet your average joe slags the handling saying its not as good as such and such car yet most of the time its performs at least well on track with a competent driver behind the wheel.
interesting looking at some of the lap times from the top gear track
1:32.9 – SEAT León Cupra R
1:32.9 – Mercedes-Benz SLK350
1:33.0 – Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG[6]
1:33.0 – Vauxhall Astra VXR
1:33.1 – Noble M12 GTO[6]
1:33.3 – Volkswagen Golf Mark IV R32
1:33.3 – Cadillac CTS-V[6]
1:33.7 – MG ZT 260
1:33.7 – Volkswagen Golf Mark V GTI
1:33.8 – Renaultsport Clio 182 Cup
1:33.9 – Holden Monaro[9]
1:34.0 - Renaultsport Mégane 225
1:34.2 – MINI Cooper S Works
1:34.5 – Ford Mondeo ST220
1:34.7 – Jaguar XKR[10]
1:34.9 – Ford Focus ST[11]
1:35.0 – Volvo S60 R
1:35.2 – Ferrari 575M Maranello[6][3]
1:35.3 – Vauxhall Vectra VXR
1:35.6 – Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
1:35.6 – Lotus Elise[6]
1:35.8 – Citroën C4 VTS
1:36.2 – Aston Martin V12 Vanquish[6][3]
1:36.2 – Renault Clio[6]
1:36.5 – Honda Civic Type-R
1:36.9 - Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2
1:37.0 – Porsche Boxster[6]
1:37.3 – BMW Z4 3.0i[6]
1:37.4 – Honda S2000[6]
1:37.9 – Saab 9-5 HOT Aero
1:38.0 – Maserati Coupé Cambiocorsa[6]
1:39.4 – Bowler Wildcat
1:40.8 – Bentley Arnage T[6]
1:44.0 – Overfinch 580 S[6]
1:46.0 – Aston Martin DB5
[6] means wet track
taken from
http://www.jeremyclarkson.co.uk/content/view/18/39/
unfortunately the
mk2 leon cupra isn't listed but IIRC when it was tested in the top gear magazine it was just off the pace of the LCR and seemed to be a tad slower than the FR
