Seat Leon ST Cupra 280: driving test and video
Posted on 09-03-2015 at 16:00 by CasperH – 25 Comments”
With fast drives, do you think soon to an Audi RS4 or Mercedes C63 AMG. But what if you have less than half of that budget to spend? We were looking for from the or Seat a nice answer in the form of the Leon ST Cupra 280.
[ First look, then read? Watch the video HERE! ]
The Seat Leon we know. The Cupra 280 also, that reed Wouter. But what if these two merge? Then you get a car that you all ways: on the Saturday of mothers and kids to the Swedish gehaktballenfabrikant that furniture does not sell, stay comfortable in the boot after an evening steps completely out of the claws is escalated, but on Sunday at the circuit to erase. And on Monday morning do you get back to the top of the food chain between the slow medeforensen.
First, let’s make the numbers even, handling: 280 stands for the number of pk’s via a mechanical limited slip differential between the front wheels on the asphalt is released. Sprint to the 100 do you do in 6 seconds (or 6.1 with the manual gearbox) and the top speed is a governed 250 km per hour. Torque is also enough: 350 Nm seems to be more than enough for a hearty robbertje black road marking application.
“There are C-segment stations with the same numbers?”, are you wondering. Concerngenoot Skoda has the Octavia RS, but that comes no further than 220 hp. The Focus ST is another obvious competitor, but that is not further than 250 hp. Both are also really a bit less comfortable and costs more than this Leon ST Cupra, but more about that later.
In terms of looks, the Leon ST, in any case, the wind. It is not the most beautiful car ever, but the segment is one of the better looking cars. If Cupra 280, the Leon ST is completely thick, with the more aggressive front bumper, side skirts, diffuser and thick wheels. With the optional Performance Pack to come to that some other knick-knacks such as the larger brakes. With the White, Black and Orange lines, there may be to your liking also what color accents are made to the exterior, such as the edge around the grille and the inside of the (standard 19 inch) wheels. Orange is me, too busy, already emphasizes the sporty aspirations of this car.
The interior is a lot thicker than the schraapdiesel of your neighbor: the thick sport seats sit neatly, they would be a little more lateral support. Nice combination of alcantara and leather, and also a kind of original composition. Furthermore, there is good sprinkled with pieces of carbon for a sporty ambience to create and the Cupra sports steering wheel is comfortable in the hand.
The dynamic chassiscontrole (DCC) is standard on the Cupra 280, and gives you the ability to choose from Comfort, Sport and Cupra. If you would prefer a combination build of chassis – throttle response and other settings, you can save it in your personal Cupra-profile.
We get the car on the public road, where immediately stands out that the DCC ensures that you are not constantly in a kind of stuiterbak’re on the go. In his cage Comfort, and even in Sport it is fine to keep, even on the not always great Spanish tarmac on which we drive. In his cage Cupra will be better, but even that is not unbearable. The testauto that we receive it is with a DSG performed.
Whilst we come to know that the ST Cupra is not as great feeling as the exterior dimensions suggest. The Cupra will send eagerly in and at a certain point I don’t even know lift-off oversteer to create, that neatly let absorb with a small tegenstuurreactie. Generally feel the Leon is very neutral, and if you have the mechanical limited slip differential know how to use them, you can racing a turn off. The trick is to send the gas to use and if you notice that the inside front wheel traction lose understand gas so that all of the grip to the outer front wheel and the bend puts it. A great game that is very addictive, in line with the history of the Cupra-merkje know this Leon ST my inner hooligan quite to excite. The combination of a traditional handbrake and DSG with launch control also that even your grandma burnouts. Pull on the handbrake, left foot on the brake, right foot on the gas, wait until the revs rise to 4000 rpm and your foot of the brake. Instant smokescreen guaranteed!
An even safer place to Leon ST to the limit to tergen is on the circuit. Seat has for us is a part of the program on the circuit planned, so we went with the safety margins the Leon on and over the limit can help. The first round I need a pacecar follow. The director of the Leon Cupra (not ST) puts me already at work. I have the DSG bake, of course, on the transmission put in and when accelerating out of the first turn, I want to be as high as possible, the rows in before I turn. I flipper, he can switch to 3, and a second later to 4. Everything is in his cage hardcore but still, the people of Seat required me to patronize with a “foolproof” DSG automatically turns off, which I now rap meters, losing by a lack of torque in too high a gear. I pinball back soon and try for a turn two a little later, to brake in order to gain ground on the pacecar. Overconfident on the dusty circuit, this is slightly too wide exit, I hold my foot next to the gas and put me bracing for the coarse, raunchy runoff-asphalt. Fortunately, it is not directly gravel, after the kerbstone, and I can say my road. Leermomentje, shall we say.
We drive after this quick round a quiet round to the lot to cool off and go back to the pits before I “released” on the circuit. With the driver of the pacecar analyze my “wait a minute,” and he pressed me on the heart: “steer more, and more power next time”, if I happen again, “the diff will pull you back in”.
After this wise counsel, I’m going to restart the job on to cameraman Martijn what shots to make. Because he is only one shot per round can make it and we within not too long of a time in the direction of plane should I am seriously on the pitch as soon as possible, going around and as many picture as possible to collect. A huge load for a car that is not specifically for circuitgebruik built, but the Leon ST Cupra 280 won’t budge. The game with the differential is more fun and more enjoyable. Of course, you should always take into account the force of gravity that at a certain moment of the grip of the tires, but you can really terrible antisocial angles with this drive.
A fine thing for on the circuit and at the same time, especially the civilized behavior on the road no problem. This car houses two totally different characters, and if you like the orange goodies omit has probably 90% of the other road users do not notice that they stoplichtsprint’re going to lose. The Leon ST is a piece of candy. Perfect it is not (lateral support of the seats and the self-shifting DSG as the main complaints) but a lot of value for your money offers the Leon ST Cupra 280.
We pick up the competition as well, since we’re talking about money. The 220 hp Skoda Octavia Combi RS costs € 38.790 euro. The 30 hp more powerful Ford Focus ST Wagon is at the moment for € 38.110 euros in the price list. The price of the Seat Leon ST Cupra 280 is € 36.450 euros for the version with manual gearbox, the DSG costs € 2,000 euros more but to be honest, I would skip. Anyone who doubts still there? Autoblog advice: opt for the manual gearbox, so you have more control (and 2000 euro can spend) and you have really a wonderful car on the ST Cupra. At least thirty hp more, with a mechanical limited slip differential in my opinion the best looking car of the three, and even for less money.
And then there’s that lap time on the Nürburgring: the battle between Seat and Renault continues unabated, but the Leon ST Cupra could be a new asset for the Spaniards. He is 70 pounds heavier, but the Leon ST has a lot less wind resistance than the regular Leon, thanks to the extended roofline. As a result, the Leon ST Cupra 280 may be faster on the Nürburgring than its smaller brother, something that Seat no doubt is going to test. Or we Sub8 pack on the Leon ST Cupra 280? Maybe get the package a different name, but we rely on the fact that Seat soon announce that they will again be faster on the ‘Ring. Movie!
Gallery: Seat Leon ST Cupra 280
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