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MK3 Leon Cupra, what we know

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
Strange that on the sportiest model you have to delve into the infotainment system to change the setting rather than have a separate button. Does it remember the setting, or do you have to set it each time the car is started? If it's the latter that is a major PITA.
 
Mar 13, 2011
697
0
Strange that on the sportiest model you have to delve into the infotainment system to change the setting rather than have a separate button. Does it remember the setting, or do you have to set it each time the car is started? If it's the latter that is a major PITA.

Yeah, I agree. Wonder why they ditched the hard button?
 

boltonredgt

Active Member
Mar 25, 2014
147
0
Bolton
Would not recommend leaving it off on normal roads, even having to do evasive action for that d...head that pulls out on you makes the car go wild. Fine for a track day or agood bit of road you know like the back of your had. Remember280PS through the front wheels is a hand full without electronics
 

robdf2

Yellow is the best
Feb 21, 2006
3,605
2
location , location
Would not recommend leaving it off on normal roads, even having to do evasive action for that d...head that pulls out on you makes the car go wild. Fine for a track day or agood bit of road you know like the back of your had. Remember280PS through the front wheels is a hand full without electronics

No having it off is safe as long as you drive sensibly
280 bhp through the front wheels is nothing these days , traction control or not.
You want to try an old school car with about 230 bhp with no abs or traction control that's a proper drivers car , people have it too easy these days with traction control , most drivers would t even have a clue what it does or even notice the symbol flashing on their dashboard when it engages.
 

boltonredgt

Active Member
Mar 25, 2014
147
0
Bolton
No having it off is safe as long as you drive sensibly
280 bhp through the front wheels is nothing these days , traction control or not.
You want to try an old school car with about 230 bhp with no abs or traction control that's a proper drivers car , people have it too easy these days with traction control , most drivers would t even have a clue what it does or even notice the symbol flashing on their dashboard when it engages.

So whats the point of turning it off and yes as you say old school 230 bhp was a proper drivers car and would bit you if you got it wrong big time. Its not a case of having it easy, it would be so hard to drive on normal roads and use the power that a car with less power but just as good handling would make a fool of you.
 

splitzyx

Guest
Yeah, I agree. Wonder why they ditched the hard button?

In Finland you can directly leave the ESC off from dashboard- don't know why its different in different countries?! Press once ESC sport, twice ESC 100 % off :lol:
And yes, its not that difficult to drive without ESP/ESC, that's all imagination stuff in your head or just not bothered with "hard driving" (joke).
The point is that you can feel the car without any of the ESP traction control interfering with the handling, and its quite nice to feel the power to be in control. The car brakes annoyingly (ESP) when hard cornering etc. I understand a 600 hp car is harder to drive without ESP but 280 hp hardly. You have to take some lessons from Räikkönen or Alonso :D.
 
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Yep, the slip diff works all the time... Put the 280 manual through the paces the other day and WOW... What a difference in cornering ability compared to my mk2 Cupra (pre-facelift). I went through a 270° motorway ramp down to the motorway with starting speed around 35mph (60kph) and was doing around 85 when coming out of the ramp... No understeer at all and felt like the slip diff is THE thing on this beauty! I could've never done that kind of acceleration in my mk2 because of understeer... I love the car. Maybe it's one of the Northernmost Cupra280? I live north from the Arctic Circle
 

naollie

Active Member
Feb 15, 2009
28
0
Hey someone can tell me, if the motor of the 280 cupra is the same, that the s3 8v and the golf 7r ? Thanks
 
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