Test Drive: Seat Leon Cup Racer
Just a huge trunk. Bought food for two weeks – not filled. The car has five doors and proven platform MQB folksvagenovskaya with shiny back mnogoryichazhka. Steering wheel adjustable for departure. Instead, the instrument panel – HD display, clear and informative. It derived tachometer and trip computer. The two-liter turbo engine is smooth and can spend less than 14 l/100 km. And, you can choose a box with two clutches and shift paddles.
All this gives the legal right to put in the top of the list Leon hot hatch that you want to buy Hoti. But it is even better! First, it became more powerful – 330 HP (More horses have been racing through the air filter, more powerful turbine, reprogram the control unit, the exhaust system made of stainless steel and more about productivity gasoline pump). Secondly, the springs and dampers for racing, with all kinds of regulations. At this early prototype, power steering, but the final version will be electric power, speed-sensitive. Obviously, this Leon – more than convincing contender for the Audi S3 and VW Golf R, with whom he had much in common in mechanics …
Does he have any weaknesses? In width it is almost two meters. There is a risk to break the head of a thick tube rollcage. Seat omitted low-low and push almost in the middle of the machine, so that the shoulders are at the B-pillar. Sinking into a deep bucket and wearing his seat belt racing, you can not get up and look above the dashboard. No traction control or ABS. No air conditioning. And you can not ride on the road: immediately arrested.
Yes, and do not want to leave it on a public road. Because it’s not just any Leon. This Cup Racer, touring car ready for everything from monokubka to World Touring Car Championship. And yet it is perfectly suited for high-flown raspugivaniya old Clio on track. Come on, shoo! Not to be confused under the wheels!
Snap your main ignition tumbler, shrugging silver starter button on the center console, and the engine comes to life. Squeeze the clutch, you undertake for the long gearshift lever (it grows out of the floor, like a stalagmite carbon) and includes a first, as a big motorcycle. Gently drop the clutch (to stop it is no longer needed), add gas – and get a good dose of power far greater than that given by the usual Leon … Let’s go! Race car Cup Racer is not too nervous, but you would not want to test that.
Our car with optional sequential gearbox – that is necessary for this fun! She asks switch up to full throttle and starts to stutter if you only under umaesh on how to take the foot off the gas. Switch down you need strong poke and brake at the same time – as sharply as possible. Otherwise Leon upset and rear tires released asphalt. I suspect that the car with paddle shift will be easier to do at high speed (if the pilot with extensive experience racing cars, of course) as ZF box only enhances the “swing” and distracts your attention.
The car weighs 1120 kg, and in the cabin empty, only carbon spots here and there. Flick on the metal floor, and hear ringing. This machine – a small echo chamber and the hot Spanish sun, where we had to carry out this test – and even torture chamber. Transmission howls, buzzes and drills brain. This classic sound Touring car perfectly familiar to fans touring races on rollers with on-board cameras. Live it sounds more metallic and viciously spat sarcastically, when you throw gas, coughing abruptly when the box clings to the next gear.
Steering is very light – even at the speed at which leave the garage. A stroke is gentle enough to feel a slight peck during braking and a hint of roll in cornering. Not ponderous buildup road machine, but the minimum that allows you to understand what makes a car or he was going to do. Of course, you can make more taut springs and stiffer shock absorbers, but it is unlikely and then Leon will give you in the face. Unless, of course, you’re warmed up slicks.
Seat Motorsport team for this medium-fast, but difficult route in Kasteloli to sowing ro-west of Barcelona, gave us a short box. So, today we have to switch early. Pull the lever. Gas to failure. Uuuuhhh! Switches back. Uuuuhhh! So grab at this turbine. The car is fast, but not scary. Developed kit presses it to the road on the straights. Otherwise only the mechanical grip. After a few laps you feel like the tires stronger eats into the road tires softened, as clay in the hands warm.
This version with sekventalkoy worth slightly less than 115,000 euros. With DSG – 90,000, about the same as the only ones for track days. BAC Mono, for example, will cost you € 120 000. In comparison, the Cup Racer is inexpensive and it seems a bargain. Yes, on a track machine will carry on the trailer, but if you take a box cheaper, save 25,000 euros. And they can buy another Leon, with a diesel engine – to pull a trailer …