Live from the launch: Seat Leon Cupra R

The Seat Leon Cupra R is a new flagship model for a manufacturer keen to play on the youthful and sporty image of its brand.

It is the most powerful model that Seat has ever made, with 261bhp propelling the hatchback to 62mph in just 6.2 seconds.

It feels fast too. We have only had a go on roads so far but it offers plenty of go in all the lower gears. Move up the cogs though, as the little arrow on the dash implores you to do in order to save fuel, and it settles into a smooth ride which means you won't feel the need to go everywhere in excess of the speed limits.

We're about to take it out onto an empty Rockingham circuit to see how it handles at higher speeds, so pop back this afternoon to see how it goes.