Once the Volkswagen Group’s biggest underachiever, SEAT is succeeding at last. The evidence? In Germany it’s now a top-ten brand, and in the UK, it was just 47 cars behind Fiat in January.
The big factor behind the success has been the acceptance of the Leon range as a proper alternative to the Golf, Focus, Mégane and Astra. Aided by previous generations of sporty FR and Cupra R variants, an image shift has been taking place, with the latest Cupra hatchbacks deserving their genuinely sporty credentials. An ST Cupra ST (estate), revealed at the Vienna motor show last month, joins the SC Cupra (three-door) and five-door range in the spring.
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SEAT has split its high performance Leon line-up into two variants: Cupra and, as reviewed here, the Cupra 280. The cheaper version has 265PS compared to the 280 of the top-spec car and buyers can choose from the standard six-speed manual gearbox or a DSG with the same number of ratios. Torque is 350Nm for both engines.
The 280, which is SEAT’s most powerful model yet, became the first front-wheel drive production car to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in under eight minutes, with a 7:57.44 time, something Honda’s new Civic Type R had the challenge of beating. The 280 can reach 62mph in a claimed 5.7 seconds, and the 265 also attains this speed in under six seconds.
Modifications for both 265 and 280 include a mechanical front axle differential lock, a progressive steering system that is said to sharpen turn-in, DCC Dynamic Chassis Control (to alter the suspension settings between sportier or more comfort-oriented), and two-stage deactivation of the electronic stability control (ESC) – including the ability to turn it off entirely.
Variations of this new model available in the UK are as follows: SC Cupra 265; SC Cupra 280; SC Cupra 280 DSG; five-door Cupra 280; and five-door Cupra 280 DSG, with the estates to come.
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By GlobalDataAccording to its maker, the Leon Cupra needed to “adequately display its sporty characteristics, but do so without being overbearing; SEAT is increasingly moving away from a ‘boy racer’ image that it perhaps cultivated with the last generation of conspicuous Cupra models”. Perhaps? I would say it definitely cultivated that image, but now it’s all change. The new car is all about discreet speed rather than being a caricature of a high performance hatchback.
Setting the three-door 265 apart from other variants are big air intakes and full-LED headlamps, plus a diffuser and two oval end pipes at the rear. There are also unique alloy rims, red brake callipers and tinted side and rear windows.
The 280, which can be ordered as an SC or five-door in the British market, has further detail changes including unique 19-inch wheels with a titanium paint finish, a poiler on the rear roof edge, CUPRA lettering on the brake callipers and black exterior mirror housings.
Inside the as-tested five-door car, various trim elements are finished in gloss black, the sports steering wheel has a thicker rim and there are sports seats in dark grey Alcantara finished with white stitching, while the pedals are aluminium.
This is SEAT’s first car to feature DCC Dynamic Chassis Control, although the FR variant also has a less sensitive version of it. In a nutshell, DCC instantaneously adapts the chassis characteristics to the road conditions. Does it work? It certainly appears to as for a car with strong roll resistance when cornering enthusiastically, the ride never gets too harsh.
Another modification is a so-called progressive steering system. This gives you less steering movement and therefore more accuracy and sensitivity thanks to variable toothing on the rack.
Even with all that torque and power going to the front axle only, traction is just not an issue. Much of this is due to a differential lock. This uses a multi-plate package that is hydraulically actuated and electronically controlled. Maximum locking force is 1,600Nm and, in extreme cases, all drive will be sent to the wheel/tyre which has grip. SEAT claims the diff lock eliminates torque steer. While I wouldn’t go quite that far, it pretty much prevents it in most conditions.
BorgWarner is the supplier of the clever diff, and the Tier 1 brands this as its front cross differential (FXD). The company says the system utilises AWD system components such as its fifth generation electro-hydraulic multi-plate clutch. The FXD receives input on steering angle, engine torque and yaw rate from the car’s sensors. There is also a torque vectoring effect as more power is directed to the outer wheel to reduce inner wheel slip. BorgWarner claims that stability is improved as power is transferred to the inner wheel, creating a yaw damping effect. A corollary of this is less need for intervention by the brake-based stability control system.
Something I didn’t get to sample as it’s only just been announced is the ‘Ultimate Sub8 Performance Pack’. This new GBP4,200 option package has been designed to mirror the front-wheel-drive production car which managed the less than eight-minute lap around the Nordschleife.
SEAT says even with the extra cost of Sub8, the Cupra 280 costs GBP5,020 less than its closest direct rival, the GBP36,430 Mégane Renaultsport 275 Trophy-R. Or, closer to GBP7,000 by the time the latter’s Performance Brake pack, electric door mirrors and satellite navigation extras are added in. I would also point out that the Leon has four seats, where the Renault has its rear seats missing in the interests of saving weight.
As part of its own diet, the Leon loses four of the usual eight speakers, the centre console armrest and rear air vents, along with the storage boxes under the front seat. The pack also offers the choice of some special lightweight alloys. These are a 19-inch multi-spoke design in either black or orange, and the upgrade also bundles in 30mm larger brakes with Brembo callipers and body-coloured side skirts. Semi-slick Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres can be included too for an extra GBP460.
The image boost the Cupra cars give to the Leon line-up can only make things even better for the brand. At a worldwide level, SEAT ended 2014 having delivered 390,500 vehicles, 10% more than in 2013 (355,000) and its best result since 2007. The expansion in overall volume has been 21.7% in the last two years, almost 70,000 vehicles more than in 2012 (321,000). The main factor in SEAT’s new found success has the Leon family, which now even outsells the Ibiza. In 2014 it saw a 50% increase, reaching 154,100 units, 51,300 more than the previous year.
After the setback of its withdrawal from China, SEAT does now seem to be on solid ground globally, with the top three markets of Germany, Spain and the UK seeing good growth across the vehicle ranges. Britain is a particular stand-out success, with 2014 the fourth year in a row for a rise in deliveries. These exceeded 50,000 cars for the first time (53,400; +16.8%).
Coming next for SEAT will be a mid-life facelift for the Alhambra – an update for its VW Sharan twin will have its debut at next month’s Geneva show – which seems likely to help it improve on its performance in 2014 (23,000 sales worldwide, up 16%). Updates for the Mii and Ibiza are also expected this year, while the Altea will likely be phased out after 11 years of production. Two more facelifts are due in 2016 (Toledo and Leon), as is the brand’s first SUV which will be manufactured by Škoda. Then comes a new Ibiza in 2017, and then probably a new Alhambra for 2018 to be followed by replacements for the Leon, Toledo and Mii in 2019/2020.
