SEAT to launch Leon Eurocup one-make racing series
- SEAT continues its commitment to customer racing with exciting new race series
- Six race weekends in six European countries, starting May 2014
- New Leon Cup Racer with 330 PS available to order now for competition
- Continuation of highly successful Leon Supercopa championships
SEAT is driving forward its rich motorsport heritage with the SEAT Leon Eurocup, a six-weekend customer racing series using the all-new Leon Cup Racer.
Taking place across six racing weekends beginning in May 2014, the Leon Eurocup will span six European countries and offer a substantial prize money pot.
The star will be the SEAT Leon Cup Racer, a first-class motorsport machine with 330 PS and an extensive array of professional racing technology.
“Motorsport is deeply embedded in our brand. SEAT has more than 40 years of history here. With the SEAT Leon Eurocup, we offer an interesting opportunity for our motivated customer teams and our enthusiastic fans all over Europe,” says Dr. Matthias Rabe, Vice President of SEAT S.A. for Research and Development.“The Leon Cup Racer is an extremely high-performance race car. The new generation of the SEAT Leon provides an excellent basis for this, winning high praise from customers and motoring journalists alike.”
The SEAT Leon has already been one of the most successful race touring cars of recent years. In 2008 and 2009 it won WTCC titles for SEAT Sport, while the SEAT Leon Supercopa and Eurocup were among motorsport’s most popular One Make Series. The Supercopa championships ran from 2003 until 2013 in a total of eight countries, and the Eurocup from 2008 to 2010 in a total of nine countries.
“With the SEAT Leon Eurocup, we are delighted to be able to offer our customer teams a great series for the 2014 season,” says Jaime Puig, Head of SEAT Sport and responsible for the brand’s motorsport activities. “The SEAT Leon Cup Racer is an excellent vehicle and will thrill our fans with some fascinating competition.
The entire know-how of SEAT Sport has gone into the SEAT Leon Cup Racer. We are following on from the great sporting successes of years past.”
The exact race calendar will be defined over the next few weeks. Each weekend will run from Friday to Sunday and includes two free training sessions, qualification, and two races. Winners can look forward to attractive prize money.
The SEAT Leon Cup Racer
The new SEAT Leon Cup Racer cuts an impressive figure. Its muscular stance on its 18-inch wheels is derived in part from a track that is almost 40 centimetres greater than that of the series production model.
The new front end has been designed for optimum aerodynamic efficiency and maximum airflow to the engine and brakes, while the substantial wheel arches, with their vents at the rear, enhance the cooling effect on the four-piston brake system.
The powerfully flared sills work together with the front spoiler, smooth under body, rear diffuser and two-stage roof spoiler mounted on a single support to provide maximum down force for high cornering speeds.
Nevertheless, the SEAT Leon Cup Racer fully retains the Leon design DNA. The distinctive full-LED headlights with their individual daytime running light signature have been carried over from the series-production model, as have the LED rear lights. The contour of the roofline is also that of the series-production model, likewise the characteristic lines and precise blisters of the side view.
Systematic weight reduction defines the interior, which is protected by a high-strength roll cage. Optimum safety is also provided by the bucket seat with HANS system for head and neck protection.
The basic form of the series cockpit has been retained, although the driver information and operating controls for the race car are focused on the multi-function steering wheel and the high-resolution TFT display behind it. This layout ensures that the driver always maintains maximum control of his racing machine.
The Leon Cup Racer is driven by the mighty propulsion of a two-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Its maximum power output is 330 PS, while its maximum torque stands at 400 Nm. Power transmission to the front axle on the standard version is courtesy of a six-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox operated from the steering wheel, and an electronically controlled locking differential.
A preliminary purchase price for the Leon Cup Racer has already been set at €70,000 (excl. VAT). The first official orders for the Cup Racer can be accepted as of the end of November, with deliveries expected around April 2014.
