Paul Tan's Automotive News» SEAT at Paul Tan’s Automotive News

SEAT’s “Scirocco rival” is pretty and green

Danny Tan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:07:26 +0000

I haven’t finished covering every hall of the Palexpo yet, alternating between going out for “war” and posting in the press centre, but so far, the SEAT IBe is one of the concepts that caught my eye. Low, wide, squat, and free from the severe “criss-cross” lines of the current range (which I personally dislike), the IBe could be VW’s Spanish subsidiary’s rival to the Scirocco. Although its 3.78 m length is 250 mm shorter than an Ibiza, the IBe measures 1.8 m wide and is only 1.22 m in height. The showcar’s 19-inch wheels also look good with almost zero overhangs beside them.

Unveiled here by managing director James Muir (right) and chief designer Luc Donckerwolke, the IBe is a zero-emissions electric vehicle powered by lithium-ion batteries. With a max output of 102 bhp and 200 Nm of torque, the IBe completes the century sprint in an unexceptional 9.4 seconds, although the 0-50 km/h time of 3.4 seconds suggest good point and squirt acceleration. Top speed is limited to 160 km/h.

An electric powered SEAT should be quite far away, since the brand only plans to launch its Leon Twin Drive plug-in hybrid in 2014. For now, SEAT has a popular range of diesel powered Ecomotive cars, the best of which (Ibiza Ecomotive) achieves 27 km/l and 98 g/km of CO2. More pictures after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Seat Ibiza ST all set for Geneva launch

Danny Tan — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:58:15 +0000

The Geneva Motor Show is fast approaching, and there will be many previews before the press unveilings start on 2nd March. Here’s one from Volkswagen’s Spanish brand SEAT, which will debut this Ibiza ST in Switzerland. An extension of the Ibiza supermini family, the Ibiza ST (Sport Tourer) will have six engines shared with its VW Group cousins, four of them TSI/TDI units with direct injection and turbocharging. DSG is an option and there will be three trim lines – Reference, Style and Sport.

The Ibiza ST features SEAT’s unique design language with its “arrow design”. With a length of 4.23 metres, this compact wagon is 18 centimeters longer than the Ibiza hatch, with 430 litres luggage volume before folding the split rear seats. SEAT makes a lot of noise about the quality of the interior, which is claimed to be functional, practical to use, and meticulously crafted, with high quality materials and tight tolerances.

Gallery is after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Production SEAT Ibiza Bocanegra unveiled in both 150 PS and 180 PS guise!

Paul Tan — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:41:55 +0000

The hottest and probably the best looking production version of the SEAT Ibiza was unveiled in Barcelona at the 2009 Barcelona International Motor Show this week. The new Ibiza Bocanegra (FYI, the word Bocanegra means Black Mouth) is a tribute to the styling of the SEAT 1200 Sport back from the 1970s.

The Ibiza range already has a 150 PS Ibiza FR and a 180 PS Ibiza Cupra, but the new SEAT Ibiza Bocanegra offers both 150 PS and 180 PS tune versions of the 1.4 liter TSI engine, and adds a unique Bocanegra bodykit which looks way more aggressive and fitting of the 180 PS than the sedate-looking-in-comparison Ibiza Cupra.

The engine is mated to a 7-speed twin clutch transmission with paddle shifters, and an XDS electronic LSD. It’s small, light, has 180 PS and most importantly plenty of torque thanks to the twin-turbocharging. A nice alternative to other good-looking hot hatches like the MiTo and the Cooper S.

Look after the jump for more shots!

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE does 2.9L per 100km

Paul Tan — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:38:51 +0000

SEAT claims that its SEAT Ibiza ECOMOTIVE is the most “ecological” car in its segment. The car driven by Austrian long-haul specialist Gerhard Plattner’s 1.4 liter TDI engine (with a peak output of 80 horses) travelled a distance of 1,562km across Spain, France and Germany on a single tank of fuel.

The exact amount used was 45.53 liters, calculated from topping up the fuel to the same level after the drive and measuring how much fuel went in. The car travelled under the supervision of the International Police Motor Corporation and cruised along at speeds of up to 110km/h along motorways in Spain and France. 1,562km from 45.53 liters is about 34.3km per liter, or about 2.9 liters per 100km. That model Ibiza’s rated fuel consumption was 3.7 liters per 100km, so 2.9 liters is impressive.

Remember the Nissan Lightfoot Quest? In that competition, a 1.6 manual Grand Livina was claimed to have managed just a little over 36km per liter of petrol, which is slightly more than this advanced turbodiesel engine manage. So is the basic 1.6 liter engine without any variable valve timing in the Nissan more fuel efficient than Volkswagen’s 1.4 TDI? It makes the Nissan results a little more than hard to believe.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

New SEAT Ibiza FR with 150 PS twincharged TSI

Paul Tan — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:15:33 +0000

This is the new SEAT Ibiza FR, which sits just under the hot 180 PS Ibiza Cupra. Like the previous generation Ibiza FR, this new model also has a 150 PS engine but instead of the aging 1.8 liter turbo it uses a modern twin-charged 1.4 liter TSI engine (the Cupra also uses a twincharged 1.4) mated to a 7-speed twin clutch DSG. It even meets EU5 emission standards. SEAT have also fitted the Ibiza FR with the XDS system which uses the ESP system to brake the wheel that is losing grip to help with traction.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Geneva 2009: Seat Leon Ecomotive Concept

Harvinder Sidhu — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:44:35 +0000

Spanish-based auto maker Seat is taking part in the Geneva Motor Show with the Leon Ecomotive Concept. Compared to the outgoing Leon, Ibiza and Alhambra Ecomotive models, this Ecomotive Concept receives power from a new 1.6 liter TDI power plant that is able to produce 105HP. This new engine features a DPF particulate filter and common rail technology which help improve its fuel efficiency. More fitments introduced with this new engine include a new Start/Stop system as well as regenerative braking.

Thanks to the features mentioned above, this concept’s emissions output has been reduced by 20% to a total output of 99 grams per kilometer and fuel consumption is rated at a respectable 3.8 liters for every 100 kilometers traveled. With a not-too-bad looking exterior design, the Leon Ecomotive Concept features a similar interior with the outgoing Leon Ecomotive.

Other features which can be found in the concept include ESP, ABS and TCS, double front airbag, front side airbags, curtain airbag, 16 inch steel rims, Isofix anchoring points, front power one-touch anti-trap windows, air conditioning, MP3 CD radio, aux-in connection and six speakers, among others. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive hybrid

Paul Tan — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:06:53 +0000

VW-owned Spanish automaker SEAT unveiled a prototype SEAT Leon that runs on a hybrid powertrain with a fully electric mode. The SEAT Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive has plug-in charging support, and is intended to go on full electric mode in cities and switch to the combustion engine on highways. The combustion engine can either be petrol or diesel powered. SEAT did not reveal any specifications on this car in the press release, but stated the first Twin Drive cars will appear in showrooms by 2014.

Look after the jump for 3 more photos.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Volkswagen Concept BlueSport needs to be built by 3 brands for economies of scale

Paul Tan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:59:17 +0000

Click for enlarged image

Volkswagen says the Concept BlueSport will make it into production if other marques in the group such as Audi and SEAT want it to, according to a senior Volkswagen executive. He says for economies of scale, the investment for the car needs to be shared between at least three different brands.

There is word that an Audi version is already ready (an Audi R4?), and such a roadster would fit into the SEAT brand image. Our graphics artist Theophilus Chin has already whipped up a SEAT version for us, depicted in this story. Porsche is also a suggested brand, as something like this could be positioned as an entry level model that could also reduce the company’s overall CO2 emissions levels, but when queries Porsche executives denied to comment.

Porsche also has this philosophy where an entry level Porsche or someone’s “first Porsche” is not a low-end model, but rather a hand-me-down or a used Porsche, in order not to compromise brand qualities. But I say that has long gone with models like the Cayenne. Look after the jump for more angles of the SEAT BlueSport.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

B7 A4-based SEAT Exeo gets priced in the UK

Paul Tan — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:38:44 +0000

Volkswagen Group automaker SEAT has put a price on its new SEAT Exeo sedan in the UK, which will come in 7 variants with 3 engines, two diesels and one petrol. The entire range is turbocharged, with the 2.0 liter TDI diesel coming in 2 power outputs – 143 PS and 170 PS. The sole petrol engine is the nice 2.0 liter TSI engine with 200 PS.

The Exeo starts at £17,740.00 OTR including VAT and other misc charges for the SEAT Exeo S 2.0 TDI model, all the way up to £21,340.00 OTR for the SE Lux 2.0 TDI model with 170 PS of power. The only variant with the 2.0 TSI engine is the SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI priced at £19,410.00. All models are equipped with a 6-speed manual.

SEAT Exeo S 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £17,740.00
SEAT Exeo SE 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £18,345.00
SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £19,230.00
SEAT Exeo SE Lux 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £20,410.00
SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TDI 170 PS – £20,160.00
SEAT Exeo SE Lux 2.0 TDI 170 PS – £21,340.00
SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI 200 PS – £19,410.00

SEAT is the only brand of the entire Volkswagen Group that is not here in Malaysia – Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini and even Porsche are all here, but if you’re still interested in the B7 Audi A4 I heard there’s still a few Quattro units from Euromobil. The rest of the world (well, Europe at least) can buy a brand new one with a SEAT badge.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Exeo: Official Photos and Details

Paul Tan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:41:05 +0000

SEAT calls it a “Spanish surprise” in its Paris 2008 press release but I’ll leave it up to you to judge whether a rehashed B7 Audi A4 is surprising in any way.

I first drove the B7 A4 back in 2006 and found it to be a very nice place to be in, especially in the 2.0 TFSI guise that I had my hands on.

The Exeo updates the A4’s interior with circular air conditioning vents instead of square ones as well as a more modern instrument panel featuring classy dark LCD panels with white fonts. The B7’s interior is still very much “in” and carries a more classy and contemporary look as compared to the B8’s more sporty jetfighter-cockpit feel.

Under the hood of the Paris show car was the 2.0 liter TFSI engine putting out 200 PS and 280Nm of torque, mounted longitudinally in the engine bay but driving the front wheels.

Look after the jump for more shots of the SEAT Exeo.

PHOTO GALLERY: SEAT Exeo
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

VIDEO: SEAT Exeo

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Ibiza Cupra features 180PS twincharged 1.4L

Paul Tan — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:04:42 +0000

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SEAT will be displaying its latest hot hatch at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the SEAT Ibiza Cupra. Based on the 3-door hatchback bodystyle, the SEAT Ibiza Cupra features a 180 PS version of the 1.4 liter TSI engine featuring both a supercharger and a turbocharger to maximize boost pressure across all engine RPM ranges.

Power is put through the front wheels via a 7-speed DSG gearbox which you can manually shift via steering wheel paddle shifts.

Styling touches for the Cupra edition of the car include a new front bumper, little air intakes surrounding the front grille, 17 inch alloy wheels, and a new rear diffuser integrating a trapezoidal-shaped centrally-mounted exhaust tail pipe. On the interior you get Cupra sports seats and aluminium foot pedals.

Look for two more photos after the jump.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Exeo images exposed at trademark office

Paul Tan — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:15:39 +0000

It looks like our regular contributor Theophilus Chin got it almost right with his previously published rendering of the SEAT Exeo, thanks to these recently registered designs with the European trademark office.

SEAT has admitted that the new Exeo will be largely based on the previous generation B7 Audi A4 with only changes to the front and rear.

The only differences between the real design and Theo’s rendering are the shape of the headlamps and the bumper grilles which are slightly different in shape. Theo’s is sleeker and curvier while the filed designs show a more upright and angled design.

Look after the jump for more designs or click the image on the left for a larger version.

SEAT Exeo Sedan

SEAT Exeo Estate

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Exeo: name of new Audi A4-based sedan

Paul Tan — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:52:19 +0000

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SEAT has announced that its new family car based on the previous generation Audi A4 will be called the SEAT Exeo. The name Exeo comes from exire, a Latin word that means “to go beyond”, which kind of makes sense since this is not a segment that the SEAT brand is commonly known in.

The new SEAT Exeo will come in both sedan and stationwagon form. It will go head to head against other European cars like the Ford Mondeo, the Renault Laguna and the Peugeot 407. It will be built in SEAT’s factory near Barcelona and will carry over much from the Audi A4 it is based on including its proportions, greenhouse, chassis, suspension, doors and glass.

Shown above is a previously published artist’s impression by Theophilus Chin on what the new SEAT sedan might look like.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Artist’s Impression: SEAT Tango, Spanish Scirocco?

Paul Tan — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:10:24 +0000

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The SEAT Tango Concept was a 2001 Frankfurt concept car that featured an open top, two seats, and a 1.8 liter turbocharged engine. The seats in the SEAT were fixed, adjustment for different driver sizes was done via a steering column and an adjustable foot pedal box, which can move to suit the length of the driver’s legs.

Theophilus Chin borrows the Tango name for his latest creation depicting a SEAT badge-engineered version of the Volkswagen Scirocco coupe. It looks like a larger, 3-door version of the 4th generation SEAT Ibiza actually, which was in turn based on the 3-door SEAT Bocanegra Concept.

One more rear three quarter angle shot after the jump.

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This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Upcoming SEAT Bolero Artist’s Impression

Paul Tan — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:56:31 +0000

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SEAT’s new family car will be launched at the 2008, and it will be based on the outgoing B7 Audi A4, which has just recently been replaced by the new MLP platform based B8 Audi A4. This will mean a longitudinally-mounted engine hanging over the front axle, driving the front wheels or all four wheels. After its unveiling in October, production will start in December, and sales will begin in March 2009.

The new SEAT sedan will only receive minor badge engineering modifications on the front and rear, with the majority of its looks like its proportions, greenhouse, chassis, suspension, doors and glass will be recognisable from the Audi it is based on.

Knowing that many will criticize the new car’s lack of originality, SEAT’s design chief Luc Donckerwolke defends this decision by saying that this is a segment that SEAT is not very established in, and offering by a model that is familiar to consumers, it will leave no room for doubt in terms of quality and reliability.

Based on the sketches released by SEAT (available after the jump), Theophilus Chin wrote in with these artist impressions of how the new SEAT Bolero could look like. A rear shot is also available after the jump.

Click to enlarge

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Ibiza to get 3-door body variant

Paul Tan — Thu, 08 May 2008 21:24:19 +0000

The new SEAT Ibiza was first introduced as the SEAT Bocanegra Concept car, which was a nice evil-looking 3-door car. The production Ibiza that was launched later was a 5-door. It didn’t look too bad, but it was obvious the 3-door looked alot better.

The good news is SEAT has just announced it will be producing a 3-door variant of the Ibiza as well, and a twin-charged 1.4 TFSI Cupra hot hatch version will feature more design cues from the Bocanegra Concept like the bumper, grille and headlamps.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Bocanegra Concept

Paul Tan — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:20:08 +0000

The SEAT Bocanegra Concept car was a 3-door hatchback unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. It previewed the recently unveiled fourth generation SEAT Ibiza production car, but unliked the 5-door Ibiza hatch, the Bocanegra Concept was a 3-door and SEAT called it a “SportCoupe”.

The word Bocanegra means “black mouth” in Spanish, and probably refers to the blackened front face of the SEAT Bocanegra Concept. This blackened area is actually a semi-transparent Perspex acrylic sheet which extends up to the two headlamps, also acting as covers for the car’s LED headlamps.

The sleek side profile is enhanced by large 19″ alloy wheels wrapped with low-profile 235/35R19 tyres. Matching the car’s sporty looks is a 1.4 liter TSI engine mated to a 7-speed DSG under its hood.

View more photos of the concept after the jump.

Related Posts:
SEAT unveiled 4th generation SEAT Ibiza

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT unveils 4th generation SEAT Ibiza

Paul Tan — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:50:45 +0000

The new fourth generation SEAT Ibiza was previewed as the SEAT Bocanegra Concept at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, a sleek concept car done up in red and black. It’s not been very long after Geneva, but we can now have a look at the production 4th gen Ibiza, which looks much more toned down.

The new Ibiza is longer at 4050mm compared to the 3rd gen’s 3970mm length. It also has a longer wheelbase and wider track, so it also effectively previews the chassis of the next generation Polo. Under its hood are a family of small modern Volkswagen engines including a 1.2 liter 3 cylinder petrol. SEAT’s press release quotes a 102 PS normally aspirated 1.6 liter as being one of the options, probably as a cost-cutting feature instead of using the more advanced 122 PS 1.4 liter single turbo TSI.

I’m sure alot of people will hope to see the more aggressive styling of the SEAT Bocanegra Concept return with the tuned up FR and Cupra versions of the Ibiza.

We will have to wait until the 2008 Madrid Motor Show for the full details and specifications of the new 4th gen SEAT Ibiza, but for the moment enjoy more photos and a video after the jump.

Related Posts:
SEAT Bocanegra Concept

VIDEO: 4th Generation SEAT Ibiza

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

4th generation Seat Ibiza to debut at Geneva 2008

Paul Tan — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 05:25:11 +0000

The fourth generation Seat Ibiza – Seat’s top selling model – will be shown at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show in March 2008. It will replace the current third gen model (pictured above) based on the Volkswagen Polo 9N platform.

The Ibiza is Seat’s backbone, and represents 40% of Seat’s worldwide sales. Thus this new replacement’s success is essential as owners Volkswagen already has some doubt about the future of Seat and its positioning within the group brands.

The new Seat Ibiza will come in both 3 and 5-door hatchback form, with the 5-door making its debut first and the 3-door only to be revealed by the end of 2008.

Source

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Tribu Concept – initial photos

Paul Tan — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:48:01 +0000

Not much details are known on the SEAT Tribu Concept other than what you can see in these photos here that have been let out onto the internet before it’s debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 2-door compact SUV is most likely based on the Volkswagen Tiguan/Audi Q5 platform.

More photos after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

New SEAT Ibiza FR 1.8 20V T

Paul Tan — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:27:28 +0000

The latest Ibiza to join SEAT’s range of B-segment hatches is the SEAT Ibiza FR 1.8 20V T, which is powered by a 150 PS turbocharged 20 valve petrol engine. This is only one half of the Ibiza FR range though, as the other is of the oil burner variety, a 130 PS 1.9 TDI diesel that has less horsepower but more torque.

To differentiate it from other Ibizas, the Ibiza FR has 17 inch alloy wheels, white dials, twin chrome exhaust pipes, honeycomb grille, silver door mirrors, silver-grey tail lights, headlight inner-casing in dark grey, lowered sports suspension and â€˜FR badging.

Of course, the FR range is one step below the SEAT Ibiza Cupra which features a 180 and 160 horsepower versions of the Ibiza FR’s petrol and diesel engines respectively, which kind of makes FR the equivalent of Volkswagen’s GT badge and Cupra the equivalent of Volkswagen’s GTI badge.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT plans 2009 SEAT Protecto sedan and estate

Paul Tan — Mon, 28 May 2007 14:02:17 +0000

SEAT is developing a new C/D-segment model, making the car one of the first few large sedans in the SEAT model range. SEAT’s model range currently consists of A-segment, B-segment and C-segment hatchbacks, with the only sedan being the B-segment SEAT Cordoba which is actually an Ibiza sedan.

The new sedan is codenamed the SEAT Protecto, and will offer SEAT customers who wish to upgrade from the B and C segments to something larger the option to stay within the brand that they’re so used to. The SEAT Protecto will come in both sedan and estate bodies, and will be built at SEAT’s Martorell plant in Spain. It’s expected to make it to production by the year 2009.

One more concept drawing after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Seat Altea XL gets new 1.8 liter TFSI

Paul Tan — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 03:53:55 +0000

One of the first few cars to get Volkswagen’s recently announced 1.8 liter TFSI engine is the new Seat Altea XL. Thanks to the 160 horsepower engine, the Seat Altea XL goes from 0 to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds on to a top speed of 210km/h. Fuel economy levels have been registered at 10.5 liters per 100km in city driving, 6.2 liters per 100km out of town and 7.7 liters per 100km combined for every 100 km.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

Seat Altea Freetrack Prototype

Paul Tan — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 19:49:34 +0000

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Volkswagen’s Cross virus has infected the SEAT brand – introducing the Seat Altea Freetrack Prototype based on the Seat Altea XL. To improve approach and departure angles, the Freetrack stands 185mm higher than the standard Altea XL. It’s also equipped with a more aggressive bodykit to invoke a sense of adventure.

On the inside, the cockpit has been re-arranged and turned into a 2+2 seater with sports bucket seats. The engine itself is the venerable 2.0 liter TFSI which is tuned to make 240PS, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. A Haldex differential sends power to all four wheels, making the Altea Freetrack not so much of a poser soft-roader but something which can do moderate amounts of off-roading.

More photos after the jump.

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Click to enlarge.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

2006 Paris Motor Show: SEAT Leon WTCC

Paul Tan — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 13:17:40 +0000

This is the SEAT’s entry into the FIA World Touring Car Championship, based on the SEAT Leon. The SEAT Leon WTCC was on display at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, letting us check out what inspired the recently announced 240 horsepower SEAT Leon Cupra.

The SEAT Leon WTCC was introduced in 2005, and unlike it’s 2.0 TFSI road-going Leon Cupra brother, it is powered by a 2.0 liter normally aspirated engine (a high revving unit, likely) as per WTCC rules. Power goes to the front wheels via a 6-speed DSG gearbox.

More photos with enlarged versions available after the jump.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.

SEAT Leon Cupra boasts 240 horses

Paul Tan — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:25:24 +0000

Spanish marque SEAT, a unit of Volkswagen Group has launched their most powerful production car yet, the SEAT Leon Cupra. The SEAT Leon Cupra was developed with the knowledge SEAT gained during their World Touring Car Championship season. SEAT calls it the embodiment of the Leon WTCC’s spirit in a Leon road car.

The SEAT Leon Cupra introduces to us a new 240 horses version of the Volkswagen AG 2.0 liter Turbo FSI engine that usually makes only 200 in the Golf GTI. This does not count special editions like the Golf GTI Edition 30 which has the same engine tuned to make 230 horses. This might give us a view to what a refreshed Golf GTI’s engine will be producing, since even the Golf R32 will be replaced with an R36 that makes more power. Anyway, I digress, this is supposed to be about the Leon Cupra!

This variation of the 2.0 TFSI is the most powerful engine ever installed in a SEAT production car, giving you 240 horses at 5,700rpm. Torque figures are 300Nm which peaks at a low 2,200rpm. The TFSI is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The SEAT LeÃ³n Cupra has a top speed of 247 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 in only 6.4 seconds. 1 kilometer can be covered in 26.4 seconds. For stopping power, the SEAT Leon Cupra has the largest disc brakes in the Leon range, 345×30mm. The calipers are painted red for that sporty look. There is also an option for a Brembo four-caliper brake system for even more stopping power.

SEAT also ensured that the Leon Cupra gives the driver a complete sporty driving experience in the form of aural orgasms provided by a special SEAT SOUND exhaust system. The exhaust system has been engineered not only for good exhaust flow but to enhance engine sound especially at the low RPMs. A nice touch, as to me a sports car driving experience is not complete without you hearing the speed as well as feeling it.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Fri, 19 Mar 10 03:49:25 +0000.