Seat’s Cupra Leon Brings Supercar Pace to the Masses
Spanish carmaker Seat brings supercar performance to the masses with a Cupra Leon boasting a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.8 seconds.
That type of performance would usually be the preserve of vehicles nudging the $100,000 price range, yet this new station wagon claims it thanks to a hybrid powertrain that boasts 303bhp and 295ft-lbs of torque.
The car employs a 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged gasoline engine and, for now, will only be marketed as a station wagon. It will also boast Seat’s 4Drive all-wheel drive that constantly monitors the vehicle and driver inputs to deliver power to the wheel with the most grip when required.
While the car will come with lower specification power outputs of 240bhp and 294bhp, it’s the range-topper that will steal the limelight at next month’s 2020 Geneva Motor Show. Less exciting but more economical is the first use of PHEV technology in the range with the Cupra Leon eHybrid.
This car features a 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine with 145bhp and 184ft-lbs of torque, coupled with a 110bhp electric motor and a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It claims an electric-only range on WLTP of up to 37 miles and can fully recharge in as little as 3.5 hours, using a 3.6kW AC Wall box, or six hours from 230V domestic socket. Claimed CO2 emissions should be below 50g/km on WLTP.
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in London. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_
