Photo: Instagram | photo.chopshop
What would you call a hypothetical rival to the likes of the BMW M4, Mercedes-AMG C 63, and Audi RS 5 from either SEAT or their Cupra brand? It would have to fall in line with their typical naming scheme, taken from Spain’s geography, and would also have to evoke the model’s sheer power.
Don’t go wild on the keyboard because SEAT/Cupra is not offering a single vehicle in the United States, as such a car doesn’t exist. The pictured example is nothing more than a rendering, signed by photo.chopshop, and instead of the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform, used by the Audi A4, A5, and Q5, as well as the VW Touareg, Lamborghini Urus, and Porsche Cayenne, it builds on something totally different.
Can’t really put your finger on the ‘donor’ car? Well, it is a Lexus, and in the range-topping flavor, it rivals the premium compact sports coupes mentioned in the intro. Yep, that would be the Lexus RC F, which is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8. The engine develops 472 hp and 395 lb-ft (535 Nm) of torque, channeling the thrust to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Other highlights include the limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes, adaptive variable suspension, and lots of carbon fiber.
Now, back to the digital illustration, it retains pretty much every aspect of the RC F, but the front end. That one was borrowed from the SEAT Leon compact model, and re-adapted to the body of the Japanese sports coupe. As a result, the spindle grille is gone, and in its place sits a much smaller one, flanked by the bigger lighting units with incorporated DRLs. The hood is identical to that of the RC F, and so is the entire profile, and the back end, complete with the trunk lid spoiler.
In theory, SEAT does have the right tools to come up with a premium compact sports coupe of their own, because such a model would be nothing more than a rebadged Audi A5/S5/RS 5. And let’s not forget that at one point, the Ingolstadt company, together with the VW Group, allowed them to make a premium compact sedan of their own, the Exeo, which was the A4 B7’s Mediterranean cousin.
Can’t really put your finger on the ‘donor’ car? Well, it is a Lexus, and in the range-topping flavor, it rivals the premium compact sports coupes mentioned in the intro. Yep, that would be the Lexus RC F, which is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8. The engine develops 472 hp and 395 lb-ft (535 Nm) of torque, channeling the thrust to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Other highlights include the limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes, adaptive variable suspension, and lots of carbon fiber.
Now, back to the digital illustration, it retains pretty much every aspect of the RC F, but the front end. That one was borrowed from the SEAT Leon compact model, and re-adapted to the body of the Japanese sports coupe. As a result, the spindle grille is gone, and in its place sits a much smaller one, flanked by the bigger lighting units with incorporated DRLs. The hood is identical to that of the RC F, and so is the entire profile, and the back end, complete with the trunk lid spoiler.
In theory, SEAT does have the right tools to come up with a premium compact sports coupe of their own, because such a model would be nothing more than a rebadged Audi A5/S5/RS 5. And let’s not forget that at one point, the Ingolstadt company, together with the VW Group, allowed them to make a premium compact sedan of their own, the Exeo, which was the A4 B7’s Mediterranean cousin.
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