The specifications of the brand new, electric Cupra Born and the now more than twenty-year-old Seat Leon Cupra show some striking similarities. Coincidence or not, it’s a matter of searched versus found speed.
A surprise when typing the technical data, always the first step in the creation of this section ‘The Predecessor’: for both the brand-new electric car and its predecessor, conceived shortly after the turn of the millennium, the same values ​​are on the table for not only engine power, but also the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h. At least, according to the factory data respected here. Chance? It could be, because the new Cupra brand has to be the sporty expression of the Volkswagen ID.3 at all costs and is therefore considered for higher performance. Or no coincidence? That is also possible, because an EV is usually not a priori aimed at being lightning fast. Rather, it is a pleasant side effect. The opposite was true in 2001 for Seat, which was forced to give substance to the misplaced image that Spanish cars were indomitable thoroughbreds. Actually? Spain was the country for which Renault built the seriously cold-blooded 7, a four-door 5-with-butt. And where the Corsa TR was immensely popular.
While mother Volkswagen failed to keep the good community for its (red) cloth, it did take steps to make the Seats Ibiza and Leon seriously fast. That was not done halfway, because the latter got a fat 2.8-liter V6 of 204 hp as the chosen power source. That’s exactly as much power as the Cupra Born has to give, as they both fly to 100 in 7.3 counts. That means an extra pat on the back for the EV, because it is no less than 260 kilos heavier. Here, the Born benefits from a lack of gear changes, while its dominant torque of 310 Nm remains usable from the start. On the other hand, the Leon is the only one with four wheels to distribute its forces. An acceleration sprint of the two cars – side by side – will illustrate beautifully how inflationary performance is. The old Seat Leon, with its revived, bellowing V6, rushing towards the horizon like a furious bull, with next to him the silent Cupra Born, shrugging such an everyday task. It’s almost unfair. Almost – just look at the top speeds.
Looking for such a first Leon with six-cylinder and four-wheel drive? You will find them here.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl