SEAT Leon Cupra R - Frankfurt catchup

The SEAT Leon Cupra R making its official debut at Frankfurt

The SEAT Leon Cupra R – featuring the same 265bhp engine as the Golf R – has made its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

We thought we’d vindicated ourselves yesterday with our report on the SEAT IBZ Concept from Frankfurt. We knew we’d missed out covering SEAT, but the IBZ was the main launch. But apparently not. We’ve had umpteen emails moaning that we didn’t cover the SEAT Leon Cupra R launch. Persistent people, SEAT fans.

But we did cover it – just not from Frankfurt. SEAT sent us all the details on the Leon Cupra R back in August so there really wasn’t much more to say. But we aim to please, so let’s reprise…

SEAT launched the Leon Cupra R at Frankfurt last week. The Cupra R is the most powerful full production SEAT to date, with the 4-pot, turbocharged, 2 litre engine from the Golf R/Scirocco R planted in the nose. It delivers 265bhp and a 0-60 mph of around 6 seconds (although the Golf R quotes 5.5 seconds). The Cupra R also gets XDS – SEAT’s electronic diff to help handling.

The Leon Cupra R gets a set of 19″ alloys and uprated brakes to cope with the extra oomph, which is 25bhp up from the regular Leon Cupra. Economy is none too shoddy – 35 mpg – just as long as you take it easy. Not that you will, or there was precious little point getting the Cupra R.

SEAT hasn’t given us UK prices for the Leon Cupra R yet. Or when the first cars will arrive in the UK. We’ve updated the Leon Cupra R photos below with an couple of extra shots, plus one from the Frankfurt show at the top. You can also read all there is to read from SEAT in the Leon Cupra R Press Release.

There. I thinks that’s SEAT at Frankfurt done.