SEAT has announced the UK specification and pricing for its most sporting road car to date - the 210 bhp Leon Cupra R.

It will cost £16,995 on the road and offers more bhp per pound sterling than its competitors.

Developed jointly by SEAT and its competition arm, SEAT Sport, the Leon Cupra R rewrites the hot hatch rule book by combining outstanding performance and handling with generous equipment levels, good looks and excellent active and passive safety.

At the heart of the Leon Cupra R's performance is the powerful 1.8-litre 20-valve turbocharged engine that develops a heady 210 bhp and 270 Nm of torque. This power plant drives the front wheels through a close ratio six-speed gearbox to a top speed of 147 mph and 0-62 in just 7.2 seconds. All this power is matched by SEAT’s Agile Chassis Concept (ACC), which delivers more sporty and responsive driving through revised suspension geometry, dynamic spring and damper settings, more direct steering and new suspension mounts. The sporting package continues with 18 inch alloy wheels through which the standard competition developed Brembo brakes with bright red painted four-pot callipers can clearly be seen. All this is backed up with state of the art active safety systems, such as ABS, Emergency Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Programme and Traction Control with electronic differential.

The sporty performance is reflected in the Cupra R's looks, which distinguish it from other Leons, inside and out. The lowered suspension, lower bumpers deep side skirts and extended wheel arches give it a dynamically low side profile. All body mouldings, handles and mirrors are finished in the body colour - a choice of just three OVNI Yellow, Ebony Black or Flash Red. The redesigned front bumper provides a visual and functional edge, with a broader grille, integral fog lamps and large honeycomb mesh air vents to maximise airflow to the twin-intercoolers and large brakes. At the rear the Cupra R sports a fuller bumper with a deeper spoiler at the trailing edge of the roof. The badging is unique to the Cupra R with the word LEON sitting wide across the centre of the tailgate below the "S" logo.