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Two strangers knocked on my door this week - both with questions about the striking yellow car parked on my driveway.

Admittedly one of them was one of those annoying people who come round and persuade you to donate £2 a month to a cat charity but the other genuinely did drool over the bonnet of the new, very fast, very sexy, Seat Leon Cupra R.

You see the Cupra R is more than just a car, it's a statement, it turns heads in the same way Angelina Jolie would do if she walked into your local supermarket. You get the idea... it's attractive!
And it sounds good too. The R doesn't stand for Roar but it could do as that's exactly what it does when you put your foot down and make your way through the gears - which is shorter-shifting than the standard Leon Cupra.

So, it has the looks and it sounds great, but what's it like to drive? Really, really good! And fast: the Cupra R will get from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and on to a limited 155mph, courtesy of the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine found in the VW Scirocco R.

Quick cars need good brakes and the Cupra R excels in this area too. It is stable even under extreme braking and doesn't get flustered when you hit the middle pedal in an emergency situation.

But if you do find yourself in a slightly hair-raising situation the XDS, Seat's electronic interpretation of a limited slip diff, will do its best to stop you colliding into a tree.


The ride quality is generally good too - it's just a shame that the road surfaces aren't always so smooth - although I did find myself driving much nearer to the white line than usual in fear of scuffing the beautiful 19-inch alloy wheels that come as standard.

The car would be great on a track but it's also really good when tamed in a town centre environment. It has no problems with speed bumps, vision is good and when driven at 30mph you get to watch passing pedestrians turn and stare as you gently glide past them in your sexy yellow (also available in red and black) hot hatch from Spain.

So, should you buy one? For a car of it's type it's good value (prices start at £25,205 - similar to the Renaultsport Megane 250 and three grand cheaper than the Scirocco R), it's well equipped and it's a lot of fun.

With five well-hidden doors, plenty of leg room and a large boot - not to mention it'll return 34.9mpg and 190g/km of CO2 - it also makes for a pretty good family car when needed.

UK production is limited to 500 cars each year so if you are tempted you better get in there quick, Cupra R quick.


By Richard Jones
 


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