Tuner’s SEAT Leon Cupra ST makes big power

Ah, the SEAT Leon Cupra ST – one of Volkswagen Group's hidden gems. Sharing its underpinnings with the VW Golf and the Audi A3, this hot hatch is already a beast of a machine right out of the factory, with its most powerful iteration producing 296 brake horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. In contrast, the Honda Civic Type R is rated in the nearby neighbourhood at 306 bhp and 295 lb-ft torque.

While with the Leon Cupra ST could very well match up with the Japanese hot hatch with its current power output, Siemoneit Racing has something else in mind and gave the Spanish compact hatchback a solid overhaul.

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Siemoneit Racing is an all brand German tuner that's lead by Stefan Siemoneit. His team not only upgraded the SEAT Leon Cupra ST engine but also the chassis, wheels, and a handful of aesthetic parts. The result? A 514-bhp rocket hatch that could go reach 62 miles per hour in just 3.4 seconds from a complete standstill.

To achieve the feat, Siemoneit Racing installed in-house parts onto the engine, which included bigger turbochargers, a high-flow air intake system, and new intercoolers with an optimised air guidance system. Turbo outlet and the pressure pipes were replaced as well to match the initial work done. More powerful fuel pumps and a fully-milled aluminium oil sump with two extra litres of capacity are also included, as well as an enhanced seven-disc clutch. After hardware and software tuning, the resulting output figures are 514 bhp at 6,500 RPM and 457 lb-ft torque as early as 3,600 RPM.

The future of SEAT Leon:

To match the new performance figures, Siemoneit Racing installed Michelin Sport Pilot Cup 2 tyres onto its in-house high-performance 19-inch forged wheels. Furthermore, a V3+ threaded chassis from KW Suspensions and 370mm ceramic brake units from the Audi RS3 have been added to take care of the rest.

See all the specs and pricing of the tuned parts in the Press Release section below.