Seat has aimed to give the Ibiza Cupra an unrivalled combination of performance and efficiency. The lightweight 1390cc twin-charged engine is in its most powerful form yet and offers a tempting array of claimed figures, including 178bhp, 184lb ft, 44.1mpg and 146g/km.
A mechanical supercharger works alone up to 2400rpm, when the turbocharger kicks in. They work together until 3500rpm, at which point the supercharger disconnects and the turbocharger goes solo all
the way to the 7000rpm red line.
Economy is aided by the use of a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox –
the same as that found in the new VW Polo. There is no conventional manual option, but the Cupra does get steering wheel-mounted paddles for more effective use of the gearbox’s manual setting. The same combination of 1.4 TSI engine and standard DSG gearbox is available in the 148bhp Ibiza FR.
The Cupra has a rather less ground-breaking chassis, using MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam with trailing arms at the rear. Over the already lowered and stiffened FR, the Cupra gets 15 per cent stiffer springs, firmer dampers and a 5mm drop in ride height.
Seat’s traction-boosting XDS, an electronic system that mimics the effect of a mechanical limited-slip differential, is also standard.
Styling alterations are deliberately brash on the Cupra, starting with the black honeycomb grille. Black wing mirrors, a large, black rear diffuser and central exhaust combine to give a much more dramatic look than the standard Ibiza Sport Coupé.
A Bocanegra styling pack, which is available on the Cupra only and costs £700, adds a blacked-out nose and an element of cult appeal that is arguably missing from the Cupra. Even so, the standard Cupra adds plenty of extra kudos and will appeal to those who were won over by the polarising looks of the standard Ibiza.
