SEAT used to say that Cupra engines only go in Cupra cars, but that's not really true. The 300 horsepower Ateca crossover is motivated to go fast by the same 2-liter turbo as something like the Golf R. It's called the EA888, and unless we're mistaken, it's a 3rd-gen performance unit.
Out of the box, this 2019 version makes 221 kW (300 PS or 296 hp) and 400 Nm of torque, but HGP says it can get you to 480 HP at 6,300 rpm and 615 Nm (454 lb-ft) of torque, at 4,500 rpm, or 170 PS (168 hp / 125 kW) and 215 Nm (159 lb-ft).
With mods like these, we're sure the Cupra Ateca will become a firm favorite with the VW Group tuning crowd. However, big aftermarket wheels and lowered suspension will be more common, and you don't see any of that here.
With the same kind of 480 PS setup, the Golf R will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and reach 200 km/h in 10.8 seconds. But what happens when you give that power to a crossover. Thankfully, we can sample the performance in the videos below.
With the Racelogic timing gear strapped on, the HGP Cupra Ateca reached 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and needed another 9.1 seconds for 200 km/h. So it's lost some pace, but still quicker than most sports cars out there. Talk about a sleeper!
