Die hard Seat fans have waited a long time for the return of the Leon Cupra R, but with an expected release in 2010 at around £20,000 it may have been worth the wait.

For a little more than the price of a current Seat Leon Cupra owners will get a fettled 2.0 16V T FSI engine producing 263bhp, a 0-62 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.  Midly impressive compared to the Cupra’s 236bhp, 6.2 second 0-62 and 153 mph top speed.  The tweaks help more than the performance though as the Cupra R gains an extra 1mpg over the current Cupra’s 34mpg on a combined cycle.  There is no indication whether Seat have managed to drop the CO2 emissions however.

Aesthetically the Cupra R will be splashed with liberal amounts of Cupra and R motifs inside and out… just in case you forget what your driving.

I’ve always liked the new Seat Leon, I would have had one too if I wasn’t about to be a father and my Mazda wasn’t such a steal.

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Seat Leon Cupra R Exterior

Seat Leon Cupra R Exterior

Seat Leon Cupra R Exterior

Seat Leon Cupra R Exterior

Seat Leon Cupra R Exterior

Seat Leon Cupra R Interior

Seat Leon Cupra R Engine

Due to its size power will be drawn from an efficient mid mounted 4 cylinder engine, most likely to be the 200bhp Volkswagen/Audi 2.0 TFSi with a tuned version likely to arrive shortly after its release in 2013.

Read more at Auto Express

“The Audi TT clubsport quattro is a driving purist’s machine that’s still a TT, but shows just what can be done if you know how. A small-series production of this model is now being considered.”

Lower & Wider

The Audi TT Clubsport Quattro is more than just a chopped Audi TT, it is wider, lower, and more powerful than the standard TT with a lot of new and clever innovations. The body of the TT has been revised in the Clubsport and is now more aggressive with wider wheel arches to accommodate the new 80mm wider track. Perhaps the most obvious aesthetic change is the complete lack of a roof, not even a soft. The Clubsport has a short wrap-around windscreen with no supporting A pillars emphasising the concept of a purists driving machine. There are also small visual changes, like the symbolic four rings of the Audi badge. These are not found on the grille like you would see on most Audi’s, but instead are located on the bonnet. There are also no door handles; the car is opened by remote instead. Painted in Daytona Grey the bodywork is in sharp contrast with the bright orange of the brake callipers and interior design.

Power to Spare

The Clubsport is fitted with the same 260bhp 2.0l TFSI engine found in the Audi S3 (Seat Leon Cupra etc.), but in this application the Audi engineers have massaged the turbocharged engine to produce in excess of 300bhp with the power being transferred to the Quattro permanent four-wheel drive. The Clubsport also makes use of a dual clutch and six speed S tronic direct-shift gearbox, the gearbox can be shifted manually with changes taking just a fraction of a second.

Under the bonnet (see the picture below) there is a noticeable lack of ancillaries in the sparse looking engine bay. Clever technical touches like housing the expansion tank within the strut brace help to keep the body rigid whilst removing the need for a dedicated tank. Examples of other components that you might not see would be the ABS, air con and charcoal filter which have been moved into the cabin to keep the engine bay clutter free. This has the practical benefit of removing obstructions to aid air-flow; important as the Clubsport has a racing air filter and restricted air-flow would result in increased air temperatures and starve the engine of the cold dense air it needs. In addition to the filter the car also has an adapted dual-branch exhaust system and modified intake manifold to help the engine produce over 300bhp. To help it stop the Clubsport has been fitted with non-fading ceramic brake to ensure constant stopping power.

Further Reading

You can find more information on the Audi TT Clubsport at Audi UK and in the specific press release here.

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