Seat has announced its first ever performance-focussed estate. The Leon ST Cupra 280, which will sit alongside the Nürburgring-owning Cupra 280 in the range, goes on sale in the UK from March 2015.
The biggest change is obviously the estate body, which brings with it a 587-litre boot (up from 380 litres in the Cupra 280) with the rear seats up and 1,470 litres if you fold them down.
A 2.0-litre TSI petrol tuned to 276bhp (280PS) provides the oomph. 0 to 62mph is said to take six seconds, which is only two-tenths of a second slower than its hatchback sibling. The top speed tops out at a plentiful 155mph.
Gear changes can be done via either a six-speed manual or DSG automatic – the former increasing the 0 to 62mph sprint to 6.1 seconds.
Impressive fuel economy figures of 42.8mpg for the DSG and 42.2mpg for the manual suggest the Leon ST Cupra 280 will be relatively cheap to run given the performance on tap. CO2 emissions from 154g/km, meanwhile, means the annual tax bill will be bearable, too.
Those who crave even more performance opt for the £2,025 Sub8 Performance Pack, which includes beefier Brembo stoppers, unique 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels in black or orange and body-coloured side skirts.
There’s also the option of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres for £460 if, say, you ever want to chase the Leon Cupra 280’s old record of lapping the Nürburgring in less than 8 minutes – the first front-wheel drive car do to so.
Standard equipment comes in the form of LED headlamps and LED rear lights, sports seats encased in Alcantara and interior ambient lighting. A choice of White Line, Black Line and Orange Line packs can be specced for added personalisation, all of which paint aspects of the car in the respective colour.
Seat says UK pricing and specification details will be announced shortly. We’ll keep you posted.
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