SEAT Ibiza Cupra Concept debuts in Beijing

The SEAT Ibiza might have only hit showrooms in the UK a few days ago but that hasn’t stopped SEAT from conceptualising a sportier version of the car already. Christened the SEAT Ibiza Cupra Concept the sporty little hatchback packs in SEAT’s award winning direct injection 1.4 litre petrol engine featuring both a turbocharger and a supercharger, the end result of which is 180PS of power and 250Nm of torque. 

That power is put down on the road through a seven-speed DSG gearbox linked to paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The SEAT Ibiza Cupra Concept is a front-wheel drive car with electronic differential lock to reign in all that power so as to minimise understeer. High performance brakes are also part of the package to keep a check on all that power. 

SEAT has given the Ibiza Cupra Concept the complete hot hatchback treatment with looks to match all that spunk from its engine. The restyled front end with a wider grille and bold air intakes make the car look wider and more powerful. Sharp lines that run along the hood and away from the headlamps indicate the little car’s sporty intentions. The bi-xenon headlights feature daytime running LEDs while cornering lights integrated into the large fog lamps provide better illumination around bends. 17 inch alloy wheels, matt black diffuser and a trapezoidal exhaust outlet complete the sporty aesthetics of the three door hot-hatch. 

Inside, the SEAT Ibiza Cupra Concept gets black leather seats with slashes of yellow and a sports steering wheel with the Cupra logo on it. A complete hot-hatch must also have adequate equipment and the Ibiza Cupra Concept lives up to that aspect with its 5 inch portable audio system that serves the purpose of a sat-nav unit and on-board computer while offering Bluetooth phone connectivity with voice control. 

All in all the SEAT Ibiza Cupra Concept looks great, has decent equipment and packs in enough power to shake its rivals like the Polo GTI, only with a more affordable price tag. 

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