2020 SEAT Leon: Nurburgring Spy Video Shows Muted Cupra

We always suspected the current generation would be the last hardcore model, and a while back the boss of the performance brand confirmed that the new Cupra would debut in 2020 with a 245 horsepower engine. That's 65 HP less than the high achieved by the Cupra R.

Not only that, but it's going to be a hybrid too. Initially, we interpreted that as meaning they'll use a 1.5-liter turbo and an electric motor, similar to the setup in the Cupra Formentor and Skoda Vision RS. However, there's also a small chance that this is a mild-hybrid version of the 2.0 TSI used by the current GTI/Octavia RS. Keep your fingers crossed, because you can't really tune a 1.5-liter.

You can barely hear the Cupra engine over the sounds o the Nurburgring, but you can at least identify it by the two exhaust pipes coming out the back. They're small ones compared to the current model, and the body kit isn't that spectacular either. Is this from the same company that currently puts carbon fiber on its family hatchbacks?

In terms of design, the hot hatch isn't that different from the normal model, just a different bumper and slightly extended trunk lid spoiler. The suspension much be lowered by about 15mm, and this is probably one of the few Leon models to have independent arms at the back.

Powering the normal Leon will be a variety of familiar units, like the 115 HP 1-liter or the 1.5 TSI, which will optionally get a 48V setup for the Ecomotive fuel-sipping model. At least one diesel can be expected too, the 150 HP 2.0 TDI.