Want to go racing? The Volkswagen Group will gladly hook you up with the right equipment. Especially in the TCR class, for which VW offers the Golf GTI TCR and Audi the new RS3 LMS. Now the Seat brand is getting in on the action, too, with the new Leon Cupra Evo 17.
Based on the new Leon Cupra 300, the Evo 17 is designed for the track. But instead of only competing in the company’s own Leon Cup, the Evo 17 is eligible for one of the fast-growing, lowest-cost touring car classes.
The engine is based on the same 2.0-liter turbo four architecture. But where the road-going model (the most powerful Seat has ever produced) “only” manages 296 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the Evo 17 boasts 345 hp and 310 lb-ft.
The muscle is channeled to the track surface through the front wheels via a self-locking electro-hydraulic differential and the client racer’s choice of a sequential manual gearbox or a dual-clutch automatic.
The brakes have been upgraded to 378 mm at the front and 272 at the rear, the suspension has been returned, and electronic systems including ABS and ESC help keep it under control for even the novice racer.
Look for the new Cupra Evo 17 to debut alongside the street-legal Cupra 300 (as well as the new Ibiza) at the Geneva Motor Show next week.
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