Press Release
Engine-
Exclusive 240 hp engine with front-wheel drive
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0 to 100 in just 6.4 seconds
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The new CUPRA is the most powerful SEAT model to date
The title of this section says it all: the new CUPRA comes with all the substance to match its looks. It spearheads the portfolio of a brand whose mission is to make cars that are both sporty and innovative.
The drive unit under the bonnet of the new León CUPRA has been meticulously fine-tuned to enable it to take over the mantle of the old 225 hp 1.8T engine that powered the CUPRA R. The 2.0 TFSI fitted in a number of other SEAT models has undergone a series of modifications to raise its power output to 240 hp (177 kW), a benchmark figure for the major manufacturers in this segment.
It is also worth noting that it is the only Volkswagen Group model in its segment to achieve such a high level of power without having to resort to four-wheel drive. The outstanding re-engineering work carried out on the chassis means that the front-wheel drive of the CUPRA offers perfectly sufficient levels of traction, which ultimately benefits performance, fuel consumption and tyre wear.
Exclusive SEAT engine
The specific development work performed on the 2.0 TFSI unit makes the CUPRA engine the only one in the Volkswagen Group to deliver 240 hp. The SEAT Technical Centre focused its attention on two aspects in its quest to boost performance to such exhilarating levels: direct injection and turbocharger. The new turbocharger uses a larger turbine to create a higher charge pressure, resulting in a boost pressure of 0.8 bar.
An intercooler is used to produce a substantial reduction in the temperature of the compressed air, therefore lowering the mass of air necessary for complete combustion of the fuel.
The new TFSI engine incorporates pistons with more durable journals and strengthened connecting rods with new bearings for transmitting the high forces to the crankshaft. The engine block has also been reinforced, while the cylinder head is now made from a new ultra heat-resistant alloy.
The exhaust camshaft timing has been modified to make allowances for the increase in power. The fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber through high-pressure injector nozzles with a wider cross-section.
As a result of these measures, the 240 horsepower unleashed by the CUPRA translate into a top speed of 247 km/h and a 0 - 100 km/h acceleration time of just 6.4 seconds. Furthermore, it takes a mere 26.4 seconds to cover 1000 metres from a standing start. As for its in-gear acceleration, the León CUPRA engine picks up from 80 to 120 km/h in 6.4 seconds in fifth and 8.2 seconds in sixth gear.
In order to get the very best out of this powerplant, the León CUPRA is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox whose spacing and ratios have been specially-adapted for this engine. In addition to this, the gearing pinions have been enlarged to make allowance for the increased engine torque of the CUPRA.
Contrary to what one might expect in view of the power and performance at its disposal, fuel consumption figures for the León CUPRA are far from exorbitant. Thanks to the sophisticated TFSI technology, a mere 8.3 litres of fuel are burned per 100 km on average – a remarkable figure for a 240-hp sports car.
Music to the ears
Quite apart from being a pleasure to drive, the low purr of the new CUPRA's engine or the roar it emits every time the throttle is opened are also a pleasure to listen to, thanks to all the hard work the engineers in Martorell put in to tuning the engine's acoustics. To allow the sporty essence of the CUPRA to be experienced in all its glory, new SEAT ENGINE SOUND exhaust systems were developed whose principal purpose is to amplify the engine sound and its feeling of power at low rev speeds, most notably when pulling away from a standstill, performing low-speed manoeuvres and accelerating or decelerating at full throttle and low revs.
