After being displayed as a thinly disguised concept model at this year’s Auto China Show in Beijing, the revamped Seat Ibiza Cupra has now been revealed in production form.
The facelifted model inherits all the styling changes seen on the regular Ibiza family including the wider front grille and then some more in the guise of a bespoke aero package with new front and rear bumpers, LED headlamps and rear combination lights, exclusive 17-inch wheels, black mirror caps and a rear diffuser housing a central trapezoidal tailpipe.
The interior revisions are limited to a new sports steering wheel with the CUPRA logo, and the shift paddles for the DSG transmission, plus new trim colors and a redesigned entertainment system.
Underneath the hood, you will find the same 1.4-liter petrol engine that uses a turbocharger and a supercharger as well as direct injection to deliver 178hp (180PS) and 250Nm (184 lb-ft) linked to a seven-speed DSG gearbox as before.
The latest Ibiza Cupra returns a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 142 mph (228km/h), with an average fuel consumption of 47.9 mpg UK (equal to 5.9lt/100km and 39.9mpg US).
Other performance upgrades over the standard car include a tuned and lowered chassis, Seat’s XDS electronic differential lock, a re-tuned ESP electronic stability system incorporating hill start, and an optional AP Performance braking system.
In the United Kingdom, the facelifted Seat Ibiza Cupra will arrive in dealerships in January of 2013 priced at £18,825, with order books opening next week.
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