autoevolution
 

SEAT Leon Cupra 290 vs. 280 Exhaust Sound Comparison Reveals a Difference

We believe we were the first English-speaking publication to reveal that the Leon Cupra was going to receive a 290 horsepower version of the 2-liter turbo. It's one of our favorite hot hatchbacks, but even after the official press statement had been made, we still didn't have a complete picture.
SEAT Leon Cupra 290 vs. 280 Exhaust Sound Comparison Reveals a Difference 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
That's why we did a double take when forums and YouTube members started saying that the 290 was much better than the 280 model.

The main criticism people had with the older version of the Leon Cupra was that the exhaust could not be heard from the cabin, even under full throttle. The Audi S3 fitted with the same 2-liter turbo engine had butterfly valves that could be opened, but SEAT didn't install such an expensive feature.

Instead of ignoring it, the Spanish engineers went back and redesigned the entire system to fix the problem. The middle muffler is smaller to release the back pressure, and the final bit lets the 2-liter engine put out all the pops and farts it wants.

So while it seemed that the 10 extra horsepower was just marketing, it's actually engineering work. The new exhaust is also said to improve throttle response and high-rpm power. While the official numbers suggest 0 to 100 km/h takes the same 5.7 seconds on both the 280 and 290 models, independent tests have shown differences of 0.2 of a second.

Cosmetically, almost nothing has changed, even though it's something the fans have been asking for. However, a color pack that's available lets you have orange mirrors, wheels and trim to contrast the rest of the body. Another change is that the 290 models have 19-inch wheels as standard compared to the 18-inch ones on the 265 PS ones. Both engines are still available with 6-speed manual or DSG gearboxes on three body styles: SC coupe, normal 5-door and ST wagon.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories