Seat Leon Cupra in Depth

Press Release

Design

• Striking race car image

• 18-inch wheels

• Bucket-style seats as standard

Form and function. These two aspects were fused into one when devising the details that make this León a fully-fledged member of the CUPRA family. Faced with a vehicle already boasting such sporty lines as the León, there would seem to be little scope for adding the vital touches needed to produce the intense aura of a pedigree sports car that surrounds any true CUPRA. But the design team at SEAT has managed just that.

A whole array of exterior details stand out. The enormous air intakes with honeycomb grilles incorporated into the imposing front bumper are certainly not just for show. They are actually of tremendous practical value as the greater quantity of air that is able to pass through them is needed to cool down the engine and front brake discs. Meanwhile, the licence plate carrier and the lower centre section of the bumper with their black finish resemble a mouth that relishes eating up kilometre after kilometre of road, further underlining the feeling of vigour that ripples through the CUPRA.

At the rear of the car, the most striking detail is the black-coloured moulding at the base of the bumper that is somewhat reminiscent of the diffusors fitted on the SEAT León WTCC. Although it fulfils a purely aesthetic function in the CUPRA, it nevertheless serves as a reminder that this is a vehicle derived from the SEAT León World Touring Car.

Looking at the León CUPRA in profile, it is immediately obvious that it sits lower than the basic León model. The difference is as much as 14 millimetres, reinforcing both its race car looks and sense of sportiness by giving the impression of being glued to the road. The first things that leap to your attention when admiring this sleek profile are the stunning 18" Orión wheels shod with 225/40 tyres, which are included as standard. The five sets of twin spokes give a clear view of the imposing brake discs behind as well as the brake callipers which are coloured red for an extra touch of sportiness.

All of these elements are joined by other features inherent to the CUPRA range which the León variant would not be complete without: the door mirrors with their ébano Black housings and the characteristic oval tailpipe in polished steel. And instead of bearing the model name in the centre of its hatch like the rest of the variants in the León line-up, the letters at the rear of the new range-topping model spell out the word CUPRA.

A "racing cockpit" interior

Inside, the León CUPRA offers a level of comfort one would expect to find in a higher class of vehicle, yet at the same time it bristles with the air of a race car cockpit. It does more than to just make you feel like a racing driver, it envelops you in an ambience that makes it impossible to forget that this is not just another car.

The CUPRA achieves this first and foremost with impressive bucket-style seats similar to those found in a race car. The head restraints are integrated into the seat's design and the word CUPRA in red takes pride of place on the backrest. Red is also the colour used for the seat's topstitching. Not only does the seat design make a lasting visual impression, it has a practical benefit too, offering levels of lateral support that are a match for any bend.

Taking the SEAT León's sports seat as a basis, the geometry of the side bolsters on the seat cushion and backrest has been optimised for the bucket seat in the CUPRA to maximise lateral support when cornering. Plus, extra steel rods have been incorporated into the seat frame which enable it to withstand a higher centrifugal force.

Despite all their sportiness, the seats in the new CUPRA have been designed for practical day-to-day use too, offering both excellent comfort and accessibility. The foam cushioning has been contoured in such a way as to provide optimum support for the occupant's body while maintaining a posture that is free of any discomfort. Manufactured using high-density MDI technology, the cushioning comprises zones of varying density that feature ultra-elastic nodule inserts and complement the ergonomic styling perfectly.

Having feasted your eyes on the seats, the next thing that cannot fail to escape your attention is the fact that the interior is trimmed in black throughout. The headliner, sun visors, handles… everything. The customary light tones therefore give way to a finish that is designed for focusing on driving as well as emphasising other details. Highlights in this respect include the striking perforated leather steering wheel with aluminium-effect sections, a red-coloured backing that matches the topstitching on the seats, plus the CUPRA logo at the bottom of the rim. The matching gearshift knob, marked with the six gears which extract the very best from the sensational 2.0 TFSI engine, rounds off the picture.

A further detail that communicates sporting excellence is the white instrument cluster, which gives a perfect view of how fast the dials' needles are rising. Finally, the CUPRA's brand of sportiness manifests itself again in the pedals which combine the metal of high-performance sports cars with the rubber of road-going cars – a fitting reminder that this is a vehicle offering the best of both worlds.