SEAT

León CUPRA 4 V6 2.8L Mk1: the spicy compact from the brand's golden age with connectable all-wheel drive and a top speed of 235 km/h

There are those who say that the golden age of motorsport was in the 60s, however, many people believe that between 2000 and 2010 a new golden age of launches of many interesting models exploded, and one of these models was the SEAT León CUPRA 4 V6 2.8 Mk1 , an interesting spicy compact that was manufactured between October 2000 and April 2004.

Although it was the heaviest version of the León, it also aspired to be the sportiest, even above the mythical 20V version with 180 hp.

The SEAT León CUPRA 4 Mk1 V6 2.8 204 CV was the pinnacle and although the dynamic differences with the lower versions were not so many, the model was and still remains a coveted object of desire, which in its day was quite expensive, around 27,000 euros.

The model entered a disputed market - where diesel predominated - with a V6 engine of 2.8 liters aspirated by gasoline that was also mounted in other models of Audi and Volkswagen.

The SEAT León Cupra 4 V6 Mk1 2.8 204 HP could stand out from the rest thanks to its muscular front bumper - with three air intakes - and rear bumper with an exclusive design and a specific honeycomb grille. The model equipped skirts that visually lowered the height and helped to further integrate the 17-inch alloy wheels with tires in 225/45 R17 dimensions. The wheels partially revealed a braking system consisting of ventilated brake discs with a diameter of 312 mm on the front axle and rear axles with a diameter of 256 mm - this system was generally criticized for being the same as that of other lesser performance models.

At the rear, in addition to a version-specific denomination, the model displayed a chrome-plated dual exhaust outlet and an airfoil located at the top of the lid that had a fully integrated third brake light.

This muscular appearance of the bodywork translated into the following dimensions: 4184 mm long, 1742 mm wide, 1457 mm high, 2513 mm wheelbase and wide front and rear overhangs of 1513 mm and 1494 mm respectively.

Inside, the model also had specific details, such as the Recaro seats upholstered in leather - with the CUPRA logo engraved on the backrest and a gray surface with the CUPRA denomination on the headrest, the instrument panel with a white background, the sports steering wheel three-spoke leather and aluminum pedals. Optionally, customers could choose to equip a navigation system located in the console with a titanium gray finish.

Although these were some of the differentiating elements, what most distinguished it from the rest of the models in the range was the 6-cylinder 'V' engine. It was a naturally aspirated 2.8-liter V6 engine, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The model had all-wheel drive switchable via a fully electronic Haldex clutch and a switchable electronic stability control.

This mechanic, which actually required 98-octane gasoline for its perfect operation, developed 204 hp at 6,200 rpm and 270 Nm of torque at 3,200 rpm. This mechanic allowed the model to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and reach 235 km/h. The main problem at the time and even more so today is that the model announced a combined approved consumption of 9.17 km/l, a figure that in normal use could easily rise - hence the success of the turbodiesel versions of the León.

To date, the model has a good number of votes to become a good modern 'youngtimer' and that's because its exclusivity and its price go hand in hand. While finding a unit in excellent condition is difficult given the model's approach and the number of hands many have gone through, it doesn't seem like a spicy compact evil to enjoy the weekends.

SEAT's mythical yellow tone was spectacular and distinctive in this car, although units in white, gray, black and red could also be found.

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