[eggcatcher]

The newer Cupra's aren't so bad, but with the older ones, the Seat Cupra's and Skoda VRS's were held back so not to be quicker than the VW GTI's, which in turn were held back from the Audi S-line. All 4 models being more or less the same otherwise.
Best example, early noughties Octavia VRS and Leaon Cupra, 180bhp. Same age Golf GTI, 200bhp. Same age Audi S3, 215bhp. All have same 1.8T engine and aside from the Audi's Quattro (Vorsprung Derk technique is German translation for added front end weight for extra understeer).

Don't for get slipstreaming, if you were following behind him pushing hard in 4th, you'd have been at a speed where air resistance would realy hurt you, unless you were tucked up right behind another car, at which point he's moving the air for both of you. Even in the Hyundai, I've had times where it's been tucked up behind a car with far more power and kept up, except if we'd be side by side, I wouldn't have kept up.

Finally, straightline speed ain't what Type rs are about, they're about the complete package. The noughties were spent with sa hot hatch/fast saloon arms race, where handling wasn't an issue, BHP sold cars. Honda and Renault were the 2 exceptions, theres a reason why Type rs and Clio cups punch well above their weight on a track.