Auto Express – August 07, 2019

34 7August2019 http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

JamesBrodie

[email protected]

@jimmybrods

NEWCARS SEATLeonCupraRSTABT

CupraRST’sexhaust,thetuningpackage

isasimpletweaktothecar’sECU.It’s

undetectableinnormaldriving;throttle

responsemirrorsthestandardCupra’s.

Butrampupthepace,pickSportorCupra

drivemodes,andABT’seffortsexplodeinto

life;awholenewlevelofstrengthreveals

itself.Thatgruntcan’timprovewhatisa

slightlylanguidDSGgearbox,butit’ssoeasy

toignorethisshortcomingandjustenjoy

therawpaceasyouventurepast3,000rpm

onfullthrottle.Itspunchisn’tinhyper-hatch

territory, butit’sasteptowardsit.

Thepowerworkswiththechassisset-up,

all-wheel-drivesystemandacompactsize

todeliveracarthat’saseriouspoint-to-point

performer.There’ssomuchgriptoexploit,

andthesteering,whileunremarkable,is

sharpanddirect.Thesuspensioniswell

judgedandthefrequencyofthedamping

atpaceisspoton.There’snochoppiness

orunwarrantedmovement,soit’sacomfy,

ifnoisy,choiceforthemotorway, too.

SEAT LeonCupraRST

FIRSTDRIVEBargain-priced ABTretune adds spicetosporty SEAT

WHENwedrovethenewSEAT Leon
CupraRSTinMarch(Issue1,567),we
singledouttheABTpackageastheoption
thatbuyersofthislimited-runhotestate
shouldthinkaboutpicking.We’renowgetting
ourfirstchancetodrivetheABT-tweakedcar.
Whatthe£500ABTEngineControlUnit
(ECU)givesyouonpapermakesitlooklike
abargain.Powersurgesfrom296bhpto
345bhp,withtorqueleapingup40Nm,too.
Butbestofall,it’smanufacturer-approved,
soitdoesn’tvoidSEAT’swarranty.
TheCupraRSTarriveswithsomebespoke
components,suchasadaptivedampers,
andsuspensionuprightswithadditional
camber.ThefrontbrakesarebyBrembo.
Itsturboengineisalmostunchanged
fromtheunitintheVolkswagenGolfR.But
theABTpacktakesittoanotherlevel,dragging
theCupraalongwayawayfrombeingjust
anotherbadge-engineeredVWproduct.
Alongsidesomeminor
alterationstothe

Exhaustgetssome

minor tweaks, while

dampersand brakes

areupgraded as well

Performancetweakstothe ECUlet

the ABTLeon blend performance

with the practicalityofanestate

Running costs

31.2mpg (official)

£64 fill-up

Pe

te

Gi

bs

on

MOREpowerdoesn’talways

meanmorefun,butinthecase

oftheSEAT LeonCupraRST,

theABTtuningpackageisa

no-brainer.Itmoveswhatis

alreadyathrillingandfast

familycarintoevenpunchier

territory,withlittletrade-off.

Bestofall,itcostsonly£500

more,sotheadmittedlynot-so-

cheapaskingpriceofthebase

cardoesn’tspiraloutofcontrol.

★★★★★

Verdict

EQUIPMENTCopper elementsare

Cuprastaple, and makeRSTstand out

from lesser Leons.Subtle ABTbadges

(below left) areonly markerstowards

this model’sexplosive firepower

BOOT SPACEThrow in the normal

car’s 587-litreboot and you’ve got a

hugely practical and devastatingly quick

family car.Interior is nicely individual,

with Alcantaratrim and sculpted seats

SEATLeon CupraRST

ABT350PS 4Drive

Price: £38,475

Engine: 2.0-litre4cylturbopetrol

Power/torque: 345bhp/440Nm

Transmission: Seven-speedautomatic,

four-wheeldrive

0-62mph: 4.7seconds

Topspeed: 155mph

Economy/CO 2 :31.2mpg/164g/km

ONSALE Now

Essentials