The Spaniards get serious...

There are a number of European marques all keen to get a piece of the burgeoning Australian car market pie, one of them Seat.

The Spanish-based automaker is likely to join with Skoda and others in the next couple of years as it relaunches the brand here.

Interestingly, rumours suggest that due to the flaccid sales of models sold here in the 90s, including the Cordoba and forgettable Ibiza, Seat will import only performance-based vehicles, which conveniently brings us to the Seat Cupra GT.

Essentially a concept at this stage, unveiled on April 24 at the 2003 Barcelona Motor Show, the Seat Cupra GT prototype is just what the company needs to improve its street credibility and provide a flagship performance model.

Looking for all the world like a rather suave miniature Bugatti, the Cupra GT was jointly developed by Seat Sport and the Seat Design Centre to compete in the Spanish GT series.

The company has also made its intentions clear that it will sell a road-going version of the frighteningly fast Cupra GT later in 2003, which could give Italian and German performance vehicle specialists something to chew on.

Seat wanted to develop a fast, light, exotic supercar, but one that would be more than just eye-candy for the young 'uns. As such, one of the first things Seat engineers did was ensure a high level of rigity.

To make sure the Cupra GT would be able to change direction rapidly at speed, Seat adopted a tubular shell frame design.

A central structure with intertwining anti-roll bars is complemented by a sub-chassis (reinforced by the arch formed by the dashboard beam and windscreen frame) at the front.

The reinforced rear lends rigidity to the central section and the tubular structure, reinforced with a series of buttresses that cleverly distributes stress in several directions.

The result of all this racing tech is that torsional rigidity is exemplary, and a low centre of gravity is achieved by positioning what is often a heavy component - the engine - in front of the rear axle, or mid mounted.

Combined with a very articulate aero package, Ohlins coil shock absorbers, plus 18-inch wheels shod with fat rubber (265mm wide fronts, 285mm wide rears), Seat reckons its new rear-wheel drive supercar will be ultra competitive right off the mark, able to rapidly change direction with ease.

Handling characteristics out of the way, the Cupra GT gets massive brakes and when you take into account its 1100kg kerb wieght, its stopping power is expected to be prodigious. 378mm ventilated discs (front) only just fit into the 18-inch six-spoke rims, and 355mm discs sit more comfortably at the rear, and also ventilated.

But of most interest is the Audi-sourced V6 engine Seat will be using in the car; a 3.0-litre job with twin turbochargers for extra poke.

The 2995cc bent six-cylinder mill is mounted longitudinally behind the driver and gets dual overhead camshafts, 4-valves per cylinder and together with forced induction via twin turbos, the engine makes a devastating 373kW of power @ redline, which is currently a closely guarded secret.

600Nm of torque kicks in @ 5250rpm, however, so from this it would be fair to say that peak power may occur @ roughly 7250rpm.

Combine killer aerodynamics, a 1100kg kerb weight and this highly-tuned V6 powerplant and you are left with a vehicle that offers a ludicrous power-to-weight ratio enabling it to nudge that magic 300km/h mark.

Furthermore, it will hit 100km/h in 4.1 seconds from rest, making it faster than many other exotics, including current model Ferrari's.

Power is diverted to the rear wheels via a close ratio six-speed sequential gearbox, though this is likely to change for the road-going model.

Despite the Cupra GT's outlandish performance, many will be left drooling uncontrollably after seeing the car. It's intense power is harnessed in a striking body, built for speed, handling and of course visual impact. The short front overhangs hint at its agility, while the large air intakes behind the side windows give away its exotic engine placement.

The famous Walter de'Silva curved 'Dynamic Line', first seen on the Salsa concept, runs from the front, over the wheel arch, gradually descending to the rear pillar.

Fancy gull wing doors make the cut, with handles that are flush to the panels. Widened rear guards, integrated front apron/bumper and a large spoiler trailing from the curved roof all add to not just the look, but aerodynamics and road holding.

The front view has a purity of line that draws attention to the unusual headlight arrangement. Six double spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, secured with a single bolt (for speed of change) expose dark titanium coloured AP brake callipers.

To complete the sporting picture, the whole carbon fibre chassis is painted a vivid metallic orange with titanium coloured wheels, headlamp casings, grille surround, twin tailpipes and spoiler brackets.

Arguably one of Seat's best ever designs, the new Cupra GT is a big and fairly bold step above what the company currently churns out.

It's simply amazing to look at, combining form and function brilliantly, and you never know, we could be seeing this fire-breathing Spaniard on Australian roads if Seat's 'performance' oriented push into the market turns out to be fortuitous. If so, expect it to be muy mucho expensive...

Seat will probably start importing its 1.8-litre turbocharged Ibiza Cupra R to Australia in 2004 to test the waters, and here's hoping it leads to the manic Cupra GT. In international markets, the GT is also likely to surprise many, and could see the emergence of a viable Spanish supercar market. Exciting times ahead, to be sure.