From the ever popular Volkswagen Golf GTI to the Honda Civic Type R, the Mercedes-AMG A45 and Audi RS3 Sportback, the hot hatch segment has become more populated, and more powefull, than ever. So much so, in fact, that a new term has been coined to describe the most potent of the lot, which are referred to as hyper hatches.
Apart from the aforementioned models, if, for some reason, you don’t fancy the Ford Focus RS or the Peugeot 308 GTi, perhaps you might want to check out Seat’s lineup. More specifically, the Cupra version of the Leon, which has recently being renamed as part of the Spanish automaker’s newly launched performance brand.
Riding on the same platform as the VW Golf R and using the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, too, it has 300PS (296hp) and 380Nm (280lb-ft) of torque in its latest iteration. It needs less than 6 seconds to hit 100km/h (62mph) from a standstill, and will keep going up to 250km/h (155mph).
On paper, that’s enough to top older supercars, but how would it cope with an additional 150PS (148hp)? MotorsportMagazine provides the answer with a video showing a tuned version of the Leon Cupra that puts out no less than 450 horsepower.
To demonstrate that it’s an entirely new beast, the clip displays its acceleration from 0 to 264km/h (164mph), with the redline at 7,000rpm, so you may want to grab a chair before checking it out below, as things unfold quite fast.