Cupra turns the Seat Leon into a hybrid sports car

Car spotters have discovered a sported-up version of the Seat Leon hatchback on a test drive on the North Loop of the Nürburgring Circuit, Germany. The hot hatch will enter the market in 2020 bearing the Cupra badge.

Compared to the standard Leon, the performance trim has stronger brakes, a differently styled front apron with an integrated splitter, a honeycomb front grille, a sporty-looking rear apron, 19-inch wheels, and two exhaust tips.

Among other things, the 2020 Cupra Leon will get a brand-new hybrid drivetrain rated at 241 hp (180 kW) and only producing 50 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled. There are no detailed specs so far, but the drivetrain might be similar to that of the Cupra Formentor concept or the Skoda Vision RS. The latter incorporated a 1.5-liter TSI engine rated at 148 hp (110 kW) and an electric motor adding 101 hp (75 kW) of its own. It could travel approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) on electricity alone.

As far as the overall performance is concerned, the new Cupra Leon will be more or less identical to the Skoda Vision RS, which sprints 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.1 seconds. A stronger trim version will become available later on.

Photos: carscoops.com