Back in 2002 the SEAT Leon 1.8 20VT was causing quite a sir in the motoring press, at £14,995 it was the bargain hot hatch of the day and I bought one. I liked that so much I bought the later 210bhp Cupra R too. Fast forward 13 years via a list of truly diverse cars and I'm back in a Cupra again so I thought I'd drop in and say hello.
This time it's a Cupra 280 DSG, I'm a DSG convert so it was always going to be the flappy paddler for me. It's a 6 month old car that has covered about £5k miles. I bought the car unseen from SEAT UK stock so wasn't sure of the exact spec so when it arrived with leather/winter, sound and assist packs it was a nice surprise. All the alloys being unmarked was an even bigger bonus.
By some strnage coincidence it seems I've paid almost exactly the same amount, adjusted for inflation for this Cupra as I paid back in 2002. According to the historic inflation calculator £14,995 then would be equivalent to about £21500 which is close to the price I paid. That makes the current technology laden Cupra an even bigger bargain in my eyes.
Back in 2002 the 20VT seemed a much easier choice to make. It's taken me quite a while to decide on the Cupra. I'm the sort of person influenced by the view of magazines like evo, YouTube track videos, track performance times and of course Nurburgring records. I wanted a car for everyday but also one that was fun when the right road and moment presented itself. The shortlist included the Cupra, Golf R (or briefly S3) and Megane Trophy 275.
The Golf R is as good as the motoring press say and based on full list price of the Cupra and the Golf I'd have chosen the Golf. The list prices are a little misleading though when the best Carwow offer I had for a new Cupra was significantly less than the Golf. Even if I could have sourced a Golf R with the same spec it would have cost me an extra £10k over the Cupra. Is a Golf R really 1/3 better than a Cupra? While AWD is nice to have I don't think it justifies the difference.
That left just the Megane 275 Trophy and it was a close run thing. I enjoyed owning and covering quite a few track miles in an R26.R so I know just how accomplished the Renaultsport cars are in the right environment. Ultimately it was the hardcore nature of the 275 Trophy that lost the argument. While I love the idea of those trick Ohlins dampers having to remove the wheels to change the damping is something I know from kit car days and isn't as much fun in reality. The ability to adjust the nature of the Cupra from comfort to hardcore hatch at the touch of the button was just too much to overlook. DSG sealed the deal. Although 50% of my miles are on the type of rural roads used by many magazine road tests the other 50% are the usual motorway and daily traffic, where DSG is just invaluable.
I do like the odd track day and although I've got other options for that the Cupra will probably see one or 2 track sessions during it's time with me. I like to know the limits of the car and the track is the only place to explore a car as quick as this. Talking of the track I am so impressed by the lap times the Cupra has been turning in. This lap is faster than my previous RS3 (1:15.4) could manage and that was the standard Cupra not a Sub8 equipped car.
So far I'm hugely impressed with the simplicity of the technology in the Cupra, the iPOD and phone linked perfectly first time. The front end grip is impressive given how wet it has been here this weekend. The only change I'm likely to make is a switch to Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres which I think are much better than the Potenzas and I'll have to try a set of Cup 2 if I do take the car out on track.
I enjoy virtual cars as much as real ones so if you are on Xbox One or Steam you'll find me using the same mbk72 gamer tag there. I mentioned the Megane earlier and I had a lot of fun matching the record 'ring lap on Forza 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqp7gzn89-U
I've had a long car history and enjoyed more than the odd trackday but rather than say any more for now I'll just add the link to all that fun for those interested.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MBK72
It feels good to be back in a Cupra and I look forward to learning more about the car from you and sharing my adventures with you.
All the best,
Mark
This time it's a Cupra 280 DSG, I'm a DSG convert so it was always going to be the flappy paddler for me. It's a 6 month old car that has covered about £5k miles. I bought the car unseen from SEAT UK stock so wasn't sure of the exact spec so when it arrived with leather/winter, sound and assist packs it was a nice surprise. All the alloys being unmarked was an even bigger bonus.
By some strnage coincidence it seems I've paid almost exactly the same amount, adjusted for inflation for this Cupra as I paid back in 2002. According to the historic inflation calculator £14,995 then would be equivalent to about £21500 which is close to the price I paid. That makes the current technology laden Cupra an even bigger bargain in my eyes.
Back in 2002 the 20VT seemed a much easier choice to make. It's taken me quite a while to decide on the Cupra. I'm the sort of person influenced by the view of magazines like evo, YouTube track videos, track performance times and of course Nurburgring records. I wanted a car for everyday but also one that was fun when the right road and moment presented itself. The shortlist included the Cupra, Golf R (or briefly S3) and Megane Trophy 275.
The Golf R is as good as the motoring press say and based on full list price of the Cupra and the Golf I'd have chosen the Golf. The list prices are a little misleading though when the best Carwow offer I had for a new Cupra was significantly less than the Golf. Even if I could have sourced a Golf R with the same spec it would have cost me an extra £10k over the Cupra. Is a Golf R really 1/3 better than a Cupra? While AWD is nice to have I don't think it justifies the difference.
That left just the Megane 275 Trophy and it was a close run thing. I enjoyed owning and covering quite a few track miles in an R26.R so I know just how accomplished the Renaultsport cars are in the right environment. Ultimately it was the hardcore nature of the 275 Trophy that lost the argument. While I love the idea of those trick Ohlins dampers having to remove the wheels to change the damping is something I know from kit car days and isn't as much fun in reality. The ability to adjust the nature of the Cupra from comfort to hardcore hatch at the touch of the button was just too much to overlook. DSG sealed the deal. Although 50% of my miles are on the type of rural roads used by many magazine road tests the other 50% are the usual motorway and daily traffic, where DSG is just invaluable.
I do like the odd track day and although I've got other options for that the Cupra will probably see one or 2 track sessions during it's time with me. I like to know the limits of the car and the track is the only place to explore a car as quick as this. Talking of the track I am so impressed by the lap times the Cupra has been turning in. This lap is faster than my previous RS3 (1:15.4) could manage and that was the standard Cupra not a Sub8 equipped car.
So far I'm hugely impressed with the simplicity of the technology in the Cupra, the iPOD and phone linked perfectly first time. The front end grip is impressive given how wet it has been here this weekend. The only change I'm likely to make is a switch to Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres which I think are much better than the Potenzas and I'll have to try a set of Cup 2 if I do take the car out on track.
I enjoy virtual cars as much as real ones so if you are on Xbox One or Steam you'll find me using the same mbk72 gamer tag there. I mentioned the Megane earlier and I had a lot of fun matching the record 'ring lap on Forza 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqp7gzn89-U
I've had a long car history and enjoyed more than the odd trackday but rather than say any more for now I'll just add the link to all that fun for those interested.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MBK72
It feels good to be back in a Cupra and I look forward to learning more about the car from you and sharing my adventures with you.
All the best,
Mark
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- On my third fast Leon now and it's something else. My shortlist was an Octavia Vrs or Golf gti, reckon this was the right decision for sure. Yours looks very good in black 
