SEAT Leon Cupra smashes Nurburgring lap record

SEAT’s Leon ST Cupra 280 wagon is officially faster around the Nurburging than a V8-powered Audi R8 coupe, according to a new record set by the Spanish car-maker.

Recording a 7min 58.12sec lap, the Leon Cupra 280 wagon beat the 8min 4sec lap set by the Audi R8 supercar back in 2007 and is even faster, by 0.3sec, than the short-lived record set by the Leon SC Cupra hatch last year.

In 2014 SEAT briefly held the fastest front-wheel-drive production car to lap the famous German circuit before it was quickly reclaimed by Renault’s Megane 275 Trophy-R with a 7min 54.3sec lap time.

To be eligible to set an official record the car must be a standard production vehicle off the line without any modifications. That means the car that set the time was powered by the regular 206kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four.

Interestingly, for the lap record, a six-speed manual was used rather than the quicker-changing six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox. Despite the slower DIY changes the Leon wagon can still manage to reach 100km/h from standstill in 6.1 seconds, topping out a 250km/h.

To help achieve the stunning time the Leon Cupra 280 wagon was fitted with the optional Performance Pack that adds larger 370mm Brembo discs, four-piston callipers and larger 19-inch alloys wheels.

The SEAT wagon was also fitted with road-legal semi-slick tyres.

Despite a recent attempt to make a business case for introducing SEAT to Australia back last year, the Spanish car-maker’s return Down Under remains unlikely. Volkswagen Group execs were reported to be worried new SEAT models might steal sales from already-established VW and Skoda.