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ABT Cupra Leon Goes Official With up to 365 HP, New Wheels and Stiffer Springs

Ask any driving enthusiast with knowledge of the European car industry to do a top 5 most sporty-looking C-segment hatchbacks in history, and the SEAT Leon is definitely getting name-dropped. The first-generation model dates back to 1998, while the current fourth-gen Leon offers the most diversity we’ve ever seen with this nameplate, as far as powertrain configurations and even branding.
2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline 9 photos
Photo: ABT Sportsline
2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline2021 Cupra Leon by ABT Sportsline
A few years ago, SEAT decided to make Cupra a standalone brand, as opposed to just a sporty moniker – kind of like how AMG became Mercedes-AMG. That’s when we started seeing models such as the Ateca, Born, Formentor and of course the Cupra-badged Leon and Leon Sportstourer (station wagon).

The Cupra Leon can be had with both 242 hp (245 ps) and 296 hp (300 ps) 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engines. It sits closer to the road compared to a regular Leon, by 25 mm (0.98 inches) at the front and 20 mm (0.78 inches) at the rear.

You think that’s good enough for tuner ABT Sportsline though? Hardly, which is why they bumped output all the way to 355 hp (360 ps) for the 5-door model and 365 hp (370 ps) for the Sportstourer, with peak torque now rated at 332 lb-ft (450 Nm).

That’s not all. Customers can also get a set of ABT suspension springs, dropping the ride height even more, while the 20-inch ABT Sport GR wheels complete the look, with either a matte or glossy black aesthetic.

If you want all this stuff for your Cupra Leon, it will cost you 5,990 euros ($7,000), taxes included. The funny thing is that even if you give ABT all that cash, on top of what you already paid for your new Cupra Leon, you’ll still end up saving a couple grand compared to what you’d have spent on a brand-new (and less powerful) VW Golf R.
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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
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Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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