MY20 Cupra 290 Lux (Desire Red)

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
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466
Cambridge
Leon Cupra 290 Lux
So far I have a bunch of parts to fit, just want to get them all on in one go so waiting for the las few bits to turn up.

Completed Mods
  • Hard wired dashcam
  • Disabled Soundaktor
  • Enabled Linear Throttle Response
  • Disabled Turning Lights
  • Cupra R style fog intakes
  • Reiger Diffuser
Mods Ready to Go
  • OEM Carbon Splitter
  • OEM Side Blades
Planned Mods
  • Res Delete
  • Stage 1 remap
  • Swap Conti's for something less noisy
There will be more photos on my Instagram: @ThatRedCupra

Completely Stock, this picture was actually taken on the day of delivery:
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Cupra R Fog intakes:
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Reiger Diffuser:
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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
I've ordered a pair of Cupra R /R ST intakes. I plan to have the copper section on these resprayed desire red to match the body of the car.. As these are being prioritised onto new cars, I doubt they will turn up any time soon. Will be interesting to see what turns up first, the car or the intakes. :think:
 

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paddy6789

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I've ordered a pair of Cupra R /R ST intakes. I plan to have the copper section on these resprayed desire red to match the body of the car.. As these are being prioritised onto new cars, I doubt they will turn up any time soon. Will be interesting to see what turns up first, the car or the intakes. :think:

In all honesty, I think they’d look a bit meaner if they were all black. Even on my R, I keep looking at them and think I should get them wrapped or sprayed in gloss black.

Maybe someone with photoshop skills could look at providing some samples of red vs black intakes on the red car.


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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
In all honesty, I think they’d look a bit meaner if they were all black. Even on my R, I keep looking at them and think I should get them wrapped or sprayed in gloss black.

Maybe someone with photoshop skills could look at providing some samples of red vs black intakes on the red car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I dable with photoshop, depending on what time I get in this evening, I might try and mock something up, see what it looks like.

The intake actually comes in three parts when ordered. The copper bit as actually attached to the gloss black bit. Might be glued, but you could try taking those bits off to see what it looks like if it were all black.
 

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Damo H

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Car Length In Front
I dable with photoshop, depending on what time I get in this evening, I might try and mock something up, see what it looks like.

The intake actually comes in three parts when ordered. The copper bit as actually attached to the gloss black bit. Might be glued, but you could try taking those bits off to see what it looks like if it were all black.
He was hinting at me doing a Photoshop for him, along with the last few hundred haha

No need for photoshop on mine though, black is too much...

upload_2019-10-30_16-15-34.png
 
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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
...but maybe not to much on an already black R...

View attachment 10903

...anyway highjacking a thread here haha
Those look more like satin or matte black, which might be okay. I think if they were gloss black like @Damo H then it would look too much. ITs not hijacking as such... I started the thread to document the mods i make to the car when it arrives. As well as being pen to any suggestions people make about potential mods.

I haven't yet looked into the variety of coding mods using OBD11 or Carista. USed Carista on my 14 plate Leon and the options weren't that extensive.
 

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
For those of you that are interested, the car has now been assigned a build week of 7th December with a possibility of being brought foward even further. Potential for the best Christmas present to myself ever. :santa:
 
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Jimbobcook

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For those of you that are interested, the car has now been assigned a build week of 7th December with a possibility of being brought foward even further. Potential for the best Christmas present to myself ever. :santa:
Happy days! Who cares about Christmas for everyone else you'll be out driving haha
 
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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
So for my first mod, which depends on whether those R intakes turns up in the new year or not, I plan to fit a splitter that was previously designed for the pre facelift car. For this i need to establish whether the bumper, both pre and post facelift, have similar dimensions at the bottom front of the bumper. As you will see in the pictures below, the splitter that is added to the acelift model has been modified to take into account the change in shape from the fog light surrounds. This should be no problem for the bodyshop I use, but... if the splitter doesnt allign with the facelift bumper it might cause issues.

If anyone could shed some light on the bumper shapes that would be most helpful. WHilst the Wayne at the bodyshop has godlike hands when it comes to bodywork, this is a PCP car so I will need to be able to restore that car if I decide to return it.

This is the splitter fitted to the pre facelift car:
GetAttachmentThumbnail


THis is the splitter on the facelift model:
GetAttachmentThumbnail


As you can see, the splitter is not as tall on the wheel arches, easy enough to saw a bit off, however, I wan to make sure it is defintely got a good chance of needing minimal work before i order it.

Its a pretty unique splitter that I have only seen on one car so far, would be nice to hace something different to everyone else.
 

BonesLeon170

Active Member
Oct 17, 2016
10
1
Redcar
So for my first mod, which depends on whether those R intakes turns up in the new year or not, I plan to fit a splitter that was previously designed for the pre facelift car. For this i need to establish whether the bumper, both pre and post facelift, have similar dimensions at the bottom front of the bumper. As you will see in the pictures below, the splitter that is added to the acelift model has been modified to take into account the change in shape from the fog light surrounds. This should be no problem for the bodyshop I use, but... if the splitter doesnt allign with the facelift bumper it might cause issues.

If anyone could shed some light on the bumper shapes that would be most helpful. WHilst the Wayne at the bodyshop has godlike hands when it comes to bodywork, this is a PCP car so I will need to be able to restore that car if I decide to return it.

This is the splitter fitted to the pre facelift car:
GetAttachmentThumbnail


THis is the splitter on the facelift model:
GetAttachmentThumbnail


As you can see, the splitter is not as tall on the wheel arches, easy enough to saw a bit off, however, I wan to make sure it is defintely got a good chance of needing minimal work before i order it.

Its a pretty unique splitter that I have only seen on one car so far, would be nice to hace something different to everyone else.
Cupra 290 Lux
After seeing others list the kind of improvemenst etc they paln to do or have done to their car, I felt I should create my own build thread. So here it is, most of the stuff is modifications I plan to do, open to suggestions. The idea is to add subtle changes to the car whilst keeping it as much stock looking as possible. I like to get rid of as much of that textured plastic that is on the bumper and diffuser as i think that looks cheap and nasty.

Completed Mods
  • Hard wired dashcam
Planned Mods
  • Converting the Air Design Splitter for the prefacelift Leon and fitting it to this facelift Cupra
  • A gloss black diffuser, open to suggestions
  • Stage 1 remap
  • Res Delete
  • Swap Conti's for PS4S
  • Will look in to a detatchable tow bar for my bike rack.
  • Cupra R style fog intakes

The story so far...
My first car was a Peugeot 106 which I wrote off within 6 months of passing my driving test. It wasn't a bad crash, just the guy's fence I knocked over was worth more than the car. I then had a 2003 polo for 4 years which started to fall to bits in 2016/17. I bought my first SEAT in August 2017 and loved it. Haven't found another car since then that i enjoy driving as much as this. I had that car for 2 years and it was time for an upgrade.

So here it is:
new-gravel-driveway-clandon-after2.jpg

Yeah... it doesn't exist yet

I ordered the car at the end of September, at the time the car wasn't available in Desire Red, however that changed and I amended my order to get the car in the best colour. As it stands, the car is due for delivery Jan/Feb so hopefully this space will be filled in the new year!
Cupra 290 Lux
After seeing others list the kind of improvemenst etc they paln to do or have done to their car, I felt I should create my own build thread. So here it is, most of the stuff is modifications I plan to do, open to suggestions. The idea is to add subtle changes to the car whilst keeping it as much stock looking as possible. I like to get rid of as much of that textured plastic that is on the bumper and diffuser as i think that looks cheap and nasty.

Completed Mods
  • Hard wired dashcam
Planned Mods
  • Converting the Air Design Splitter for the prefacelift Leon and fitting it to this facelift Cupra
  • A gloss black diffuser, open to suggestions
  • Stage 1 remap
  • Res Delete
  • Swap Conti's for PS4S
  • Will look in to a detatchable tow bar for my bike rack.
  • Cupra R style fog intakes

The story so far...
My first car was a Peugeot 106 which I wrote off within 6 months of passing my driving test. It wasn't a bad crash, just the guy's fence I knocked over was worth more than the car. I then had a 2003 polo for 4 years which started to fall to bits in 2016/17. I bought my first SEAT in August 2017 and loved it. Haven't found another car since then that i enjoy driving as much as this. I had that car for 2 years and it was time for an upgrade.

So here it is:
new-gravel-driveway-clandon-after2.jpg

Yeah... it doesn't exist yet

I ordered the car at the end of September, at the time the car wasn't available in Desire Red, however that changed and I amended my order to get the car in the best colour. As it stands, the car is due for delivery Jan/Feb so hopefully this space will be filled in the new year!
 

BonesLeon170

Active Member
Oct 17, 2016
10
1
Redcar
Hey, I’ve ordered the very same car and mines not built until February, I’ve opted to wait until the new registration in March tho. Anyway..... when it does come, I’m also looking to do a few cosmetic mods, so will be looking for ideas from this and other threads.

I’ll create my own thread once she arrives, and we will see how she evolves.
 

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
May have landed a deal to assist Carbon My Ride in developing new carbon fibre parts for the 290 Cupra. I've suggested splitter and difuser, as well as some interior bits and bobs. They will be using my car as a platform to test their new parts.

Could be an openning to some gucci kit. I know @Damo H was on the hunt for more carbon parts.

If anyone has any recomendations for a good body shop in East Anglia, I would be open to suggestions.
 
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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
Little update, it is finally here!
I've had it less than 24 hours and already put 150 miles on it. No ragging it, although you can feel the power under that right foot!

Went out yesterday and got a few pictures in the rain which will be going up on my instagram but i will post a few here too.

I currently have all the parts i need to do eveything i had planned, I am just waiting for a slot when my body shop guy can fit me in. I plan to keep the car as OEM looking as possible but keep it unique at the same time. Can't imagine there are many desire red cupras about with the mods I have planned for it.

Not thinking about messing about with lowering springs or exhaust pipes just yet. Just enjoying what I have already. With 150 miles already, the exhaust sounds pretty loud to me. Escpecially in the work car park. Will be intersting to see how it sounds when opening up the taps later on.

Here are some teaser snaps!

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The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
Had the car almost a week now and the Soundaktor was already pissing me off so that was the first to go last night. While I was fiddling in Carista I changed a few other things like the throttle response and disablign the turning lights. It was nice to see that a lot of the things I did on my last car are now configurable in the infotainment anyway like the one touch mirror folding and the tail lights being DRL's.

I Intend to sort the fog intakes this weekend. Still undecided on whether I should have them painted desire red, or keep them copper. The copper badge has actually grown on me, certainly at the front at least. I'm starting to think it looks better than it does on the white and blue cars.

I'm going to put the fog intakes on the car this weekend and keep them copper for now, but when the car goes to the body shop to have the side blades fitted, I may ask to have them repainted red.

The blades, Carbon fibre splitter and diffuser are due to turn up this week and then its just acase of finding time with my mate body shop to sort the mods out.

So far really enjoying the car, i just haven't really had a chance to drive it!
 

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
I have to say the colour looks really striking, nice car!

How does it compare to the FR you had before?
Well my last one was also red, but the rather dull flat red. When I bought my last one I wanted a desire red one but I couldn't afford one. I must say actually, if i had got a facelift desire red FR with the 1.8 engine, i probably wouldnt have bought a cupra.

My last car was great, it was the first "proper" car i had, but this cupra drives completely differently. I was expecting a ahrder ride given that it is more sproty, but the DCC makes it so smooth. The automatic is great too. In manual mode the gear shifts are smooth and quick enough for me. And when I commute, driving in to cambridge with about 4 miles of stop start traffic, the auto handbreak and auto geabox just takes the stress out of my commute.

It's done just over 1,000 miles so far so not really had a chance to drive it but so far i've been seriously impressed with the effortless rate it can reach silly speeds. Coming out of 30 zones, i get up to what i think feels like 60 and realise i'm actually at 80 by accident. Rather weird but it is such a lovely car. So far no issues with it either.
 
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