CUPRA AND THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Seat’s Cupra-branded models have developed a committed and passionate following in the UK. Dan Prosser joins the club
With Cupras and their owners coming from Reading, Bristol, Cambridgeshire and the Midlands, our chosen meeting point – the A338 in west Berkshire – is not only conveniently central but also happens to be one of the best places in the south of England to test and photograph performance cars.
Pretty rolling hills and a wide variety of road surfaces make this pocket of countryside a regular Autocar haunt, and it is here that we meet four Seat Cupra owners one Sunday morning.
The oldest car in our quartet is Karl Smith’s first-generation Leon 20VT. The original Leon, first introduced 20 years ago, is still a handsome thing. Following a quick once-over at a nearby jet wash, the car’s paintwork brought back to its best, there’s no real indication that the basic design of Karl’s Leon is now two decades old. It looks fresher than that somehow.
This particular car is a 2002 model with a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine that features an unusual 20-valve head. With three inlet and two exhaust valves per cylinder this engine is more efficient than an otherwise comparable 16-valve motor would be, and with 177bhp in standard tune it’s certainly not short on power.
Karl bought the car 18 months ago from a friend. “It’s the first Seat I’ve had,” he says. “I liked this model even before my friend bought it, so I knew I wanted to own one some day. Other than an induction kit the car is standard. It’s actually gone up in value since I bought it, which is nice, but I really like it because it’s both comfortable and fun to drive. I’ll definitely have another Seat Cupra because they’re that bit sportier than other models in the VW Group empire.”
Stuart Kelly’s first-generation Leon Cupra R was the immediate successor to Karl’s car. It uses the same 1.8-litre fourcylinder engine, albeit with power ramped up to 222bhp. Stuart’s is a pristine 2004 example. “I’ve owned this car since
I’LL CONVERT IT TO FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE, FIT A BIGGER TURBO AND GET IT UP TO 400BHP OR SO
2006,” he says. “But before that I had a similar Cupra R as my company car.
“When I changed jobs and handed that one back I went straight out and bought another because they’re such good cars. I’ve always driven hot hatches and the Cupra R had everything: the looks, a really good engine and great handling. It also came really well equipped as standard.
“I can’t get rid of it now. I love the car to bits and I’m at the stage now where even if I do buy a new car, I’d still keep this one. I like the fact that Seat is part of the Volkswagen Group so you know the quality is there.
“This car is my daily driver, which is one of the reasons I haven’t modified it, but I do take it to shows. Even with 100,000 miles on it the car still looks immaculate.”
From Stuart’s first-generation Leon we skip forward to a second-generation model. The Mk2 Leon was introduced in 2005 and continued Seat’s then recently introduced design language, which combined flowing curves with sharp, almost feline details. Jon Holland’s Leon Cupra R is the most striking car in our group, its already eye-catching design perfectly accentuated by bold blue paintwork. Jon’s is the most heavily modified of the four Cupras, too, with its power output boosted to 370bhp.
“I started with a remap, which is where most people start out,” he says, “and later on I added an aftermarket intercooler, a highpressure fuel pump and a turbo-back exhaust system. I didn’t just want a faster car that I couldn’t handle, though, so I’ve also uprated the suspension and brakes. I’ve had it just
over 18 months now. I like the styling of the Leon, particularly the curves and the rounded bodywork, but I also like that most people have no idea from looking at it how fast the car actually is.
“I’m at the limit now of how much power I can put through the front wheels, so the next modification will be converting it to fourwheel drive. With that done, I’ll fit a bigger turbocharger and get it up to 400bhp or so.”
The final car in our foursome is Scott Fulton’s Leon Cupra 300, a 2017 example and the only third-generation Leon in the group. It is also the only car here with a DSG dualclutch automatic gearbox. As the owner of the seatcupra.net website, Scott is as hardcore a Cupra enthusiast as they come. “I’ve had this car for a year and a half and before that I owned a Cupra 280,” he says. “I’ve been through all the generations, starting with Seat Ibizas and working my way through the Leons, so this car is actually my seventh Seat.
“I’ve always been a massive fan of the brand because it’s a bit different to the norm and not so common. With Seat you also get a lot of kit for your money, but the big thing is the Cupra community here in the UK. For all those reasons I’ve become completely brandloyal. I wouldn’t consider anything else.
“This latest Cupra 300 model is sublime to drive and I love the DSG gearbox. I’ve been through the whole modifying thing over the years with my other Cupras, but this car is so well sorted out and so powerful that it simply doesn’t need any upgrades.”
Over Sunday lunch at the nearby Queen’s Arms, Karl, Stuart, Jon and Scott discuss their shared love of Cupra.
Time and again the same themes crop up in our conversation. So much so, in fact, that by the time our main meals have been cleared away it’s clear to us all not only why Cupra owners are drawn to the brand but also exactly what the new-look Cupra brand will need to arm its forthcoming cars with in order to keep these owners, and others like them, on side. Those factors are performance, driving fun, head-turning styling, ease of tuning and above all else, individuality. Make a note, Cupra, your public has spoken.