seat/cupra on tour 2019: liverpool

seat/cupra on tour 2019: liverpool

by admin / Comments Off on seat/cupra on tour 2019: liverpool / 558 View / June 25, 2019

SEAT/CUPRA show off the future while historical division show the past.

SEAT/CUPRA are currently touring the globe showing off the future to their markets, while SEAT’s historical department is showing off the past and where better to start than the new capital of European football, Liverpool.

The setting for the event was the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool city centre, a built up industrial area which is going through major redevelopments just as SEAT is, CUPRA long known to be SEAT’s top of the range model is now a standalone brand and have a lot to shout about.

CUPRA & CUPRA Racing

Formentor, E-Racer, New HQ, 50% more staff, special edition CUPRA Ateca and CUPRA Leon

CUPRA for those who don’t know can find their DNA in cars such as the MK2 Ibiza GTI Cupra, MK1 Leon Cupra R and of course SEAT Sport’s WRC,WTCC and BTCC programmes. SEAT Sport is now known as CUPRA Racing and they also have a new toy to shout about, the E-Racer (more on that later)

CUPRA have already released their first car, The CUPRA Ateca a rebadged hot version of the SEAT Ateca with 300ps, But CUPRA were in Liverpool to show off their newest creation, the new CUPRA Formentor. The Forementor which was initally shown off at the 2019 Geneva internation motor show is CUPRA’s first car that is 100% designed by CUPRA. Powered by a 1.5TSI Hybrid with 245ps and packed with connectivity and technology. CUPRA are keen to move into the premium car market and a quick look round the formentor really cements this, Leather bucket seats are one of the highlights, but not the usual bucket seats found in Leon Cupra, Seats that would be more at home in an RS Audi.

The Formentor is really a car that you can say “the pictures don’t do it justice” and is an exciting look into the future of CUPRA.

CUPRA announced a few more things in Liverpool, CUPRA is to build a new CUPRA HQ in Martorell and is expected to increase its staff levels by 50%. CUPRA will release a special edition CUPRA Ateca towards the end of the year which is suspected to be the CUPRA Ateca ABT (same module as Cupra R ST ABT), CUPRA will announce a CUPRA Leon and CUPRA Leon ST in 2020 (based on the MK4 Leon) , both are expected to be hybrid and will also announced 2 more models in 2021.

CUPRA Racing announced the CUPRA E-Racer programme in 2018, a fully electric race car based on the successful Leon TCR programme, the car comes with 680ps , 0-62mph in just over 3 seconds , 40 mins 0-100% charge time and recovers charge during braking. Jordi Gene has been behind the wheel doing the testing the future is exciting for CUPRA Racing!

SEAT Leon Cupra R ST & Cupra R ST ABT

SEAT UK have 150 SEAT Leon Cupra R ST’s arriving shortly, most of these have been snapped up now so if you would like one you better get down to a SEAT dealer quickly. The Cupra R ST is still a SEAT and not a CUPRA Leon.

The highlight of the SEAT Leon Cupra R ST is the ability to order it with a £500 optional extra ABT tuning module that bumps the car from 300PS to 355PS while still keeping the warranty. The Cupra R ST like its predecessors such as the Cupra 280,290,300 comes fully loaded with all the toys and now includes the copper SEAT badges and accents, The R also gets carbon fibre splitters and black CUPRA flag badges. Powered by the bulletproof 2.0TSI EA888 engine which is also found in the VW Golf R, Audi S3 and the CUPRA Ateca. This is expected to be the very last SEAT Leon Cupra model to be launched before the new MK4 Leon arrives and therefore the CUPRA Leon production starts.

LeonOC got some behind the wheel time of the Cupra R ST ABT, but the Liverpool traffic dictated the pace and therefore no real tests were completed, LeonOC are hoping to get the keys to the car again for a few hours soon.

The question all current Cupra owners are asking!

LeonOC was able to put the question that all current Cupra owners are asking to SEAT UK Director, Richard Harrison

“Are there any plans for SEAT UK to allow retrofitting of the ABT tuning module to current Leon Cupra 280/290/300/310/R and CUPRA Ateca models”

The answer at the moment unfortunately is No! Not to say it won’t happen but they have no plans at the moment, so if you want ABT you need to buy a Cupra R ST I’m afraid.

SEAT el-Born and Mii Electric

SEAT was also keen to show of its electric future, in the form of the el-Born and Mii Electric.

The el-Born made its first appearance along with the CUPRA Formentor at the 2019 Geneva International motorshow, its SEAT’s very first all electric car and has a range of 420km, 0-100 in 7.5s and 47 minutes to recharge the battery to 80%, 204ps power output. Expected to be on the road in 2020 and will come fully loaded with all the new technology.

The Mii Electric is based on the current Mii but comes with a 81ps 36.8kwh battery pack that produces 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds and has a range of 160 miles. Updated with fresh 16″ wheels and the first car to come with SEAT Connect as standard.