Seat

The Leon Competicion might be based on the five-door Cupra Leon hatchback, but in designing it, Cupra had to rethink a lot of areas, including the body kit which was developed using 3D-printing technology.

Race cars must abide by a particular set of rules depending on the competition they are enlisted. Cupra developed the Leon Competicion with TCR-racing customers in mind, so to deliver the finite product, a lot of tweaks were in order.

Many automakers have stopped car production and shifted to medical supplies to help the battle against the novel coronavirus. But while some brand provide technology to the firms that build the supplies, some automakers are using parts from their current vehicles to built masks and ventilators. Here’s what car parts you could find in medical supplies delivered to your country these days.

The 2020 Cupra e-Racer is an all-electric race car built by Seat’s high-performance division. The race-spec hatchback is based on the latest-generation Leon, despite not having the nameplate in its official name. Built for the PURE ETCR championship, a race series designed specifically for electric touring cars, the 2020 Cupra e-Racer was unveiled alongside the 2020 Cupra Leon Competicion.

The latter takes part in the standard ETCC series for gasoline-powered cars. The Pure ETCR series will debut in 2020 with just four rounds, two of them included in the WTCC series. Cupra will compete against entries from Hyundai and Alfa Romeo. Let’s find out more about the 2020 Cupra e-Racer in the review below.

The 2020 Seat Leon is the fourth-generation version of the Spanish hatchback and wagon. Built on the same MQB Evo platform as the Volkswagen Golf Mk8, the 2020 Leon is essentially a Golf with a different body and a slightly different interior. But for what it’s worth, the Leon looks notably sportier on the outside and the cabin isn’t far below the premium-like interior of the Golf. Power options are also shared with the Golf, so you can choose between gasoline, diesel, mild hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options. Let’s find out more about the new 2020 Leon hatchback and wagon in the review below.

The SEAT Tarraco is one of the most pleasantly surprising SUVs in the market. It’s offered in a variety of trim options, and it’s more powerful than you’d expect. There’s something upscale about how it looks, too, particularly in the front end where traces of Audi’s design language are evident in the physical profile of the Tarraco. There’s also more good news about SEAT’s big boy SUV as the Spanish automaker is all set to introduce the model’s new FR trim at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, complete with exclusive touches to the exterior, improvements in the interior, and, most importantly, the introduction of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, ushering SEAT into the world of PHEVs. The days of people looking at SEAT as an afterthought automaker are over. If anything, the new Tarraco FR represents one of the first of many hybrid and all-electric models to proudly wear the “S” badge. That counts for a lot when it comes to SEAT.

SEAT’s 2019 Geneva International Motor Show stand was abuzz with activity this year, most of which was focused around a design study premiere, the Cupra Formentor concept. However, it’s not really a concept at all and it actually previews the first Cupra-badged model not to be shared with the SEAT parent brand.

SEAT may call the 2019 el-Born a concept, but it really isn’t one. This is essentially what SEAT’s first all-electric city car will look like, both inside and out. It is also closely related to the upcoming production VW ID hatchback, a model previewed by a considerably more far-fetched concept.

The El-Born’s design will pack a bit more punch than the VW, and as with every other SEAT model in comparison to its corresponding VW model, it will exude a sportier, more fun-loving character. The manufacturer says it “fuses the core aspects driving change in the automotive industry: electrification, autonomous driving, shared-mobility, and connectivity,” and that’s actually a pretty good way to describe what it’s meant to do.

In keeping with its aggressive design, the el-Born will offer nearly hot-hatch levels of acceleration, but at the same time, it promises to do well in the main area of concern when it comes to battery-powered electric vehicles: battery pack capacity and the range it can provide. But according to SEAT, el-Born will be right up there with the best of them, even with its range calculated using the new and more accurate WLTP guidelines. It might even offer two sizes of battery pack, just like its VW stablemate.

Apart from reinventing the wheel with the Cupra Formentor Conceptcrossover, the Spanish have prepared a rather interesting mobility proposition called the Minimo. Although it will appear at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, Seat revealed the electric quadricycle Minimo at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona a few days prior to its Geneva debut.

The Minimo is a two-seat mobility solution that merges the qualities of superminis with the practicality of motorcycles. The Minimo measures 8.2 feet in length - this makes it the same length as the first smart ForTwo. Unlike the smart, however, the Minimo is only 4 feet wide. And, of course, it is electric, with doors that open upwards for even more in-town practicality.

This description sounds a lot like the Renault Twizy. The new Minimo actually does look a lot like the Renault electric quadricycle, but it is filled with new technology, and Seat bosses promise that “this is the solution that car-sharing companies have been waiting for.” Renault announced something similar with the Twizy, but it seems that Seat handled some of the curtailing issues Renault had with its small car. Most notably, Seat designed Minimo’s batteries in such a way so that depleted ones can be simply replaced with charged ones in minutes.

Rumors about Seat working on an all-electric car based on the Volkswagen Group MEB platform have become reality ahead of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Meet the El-Born, the company’s first electric vehicle. Although it’s just a concept for now, a production model will arrive in European dealerships in 2020.

Seat is set to unveil its first all-electric car next week at the 89th edition of the Geneva Auto Show. The compact model will be the first non-Volkswagen to be underpinned by the MEB platform that is known to be underneath each and every vehicle part of VW’s I.D. family. In fact, Seat’s EV will be a close relative of the entry-level I.D. Hatchback.

When Volkswagen announced it is developing the global MEB platform, we were told that it will end up as the base for just about any new EV built under the Volkswagen Group’s umbrella. Up until now, we’ve only heard news about Volkswagen’s own plethora of EVs sharing the MEB platform, but Seat will join in soon enough, followed by Skoda who’s working on a crossover that should be similar to the Vision E and Vision iV concepts presented in the past couple of years.

I get some clear Infiniti QX30 vibes with the new Spanish concept called the Cupra Formentor. Prepared for the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, the Cupra Formentor is officially classified as a concept, but every single thing about it seems as production ready as it gets. Of course, while the exterior shape does have some QX30 vibe to it, the Formentor has a completely different layout, mission, and technology inside. It is a performance SUV/crossover because that’s what sells, and that’s how you build a performance brand nowadays. And, it looks quite dashing. I also researched a bit about its name and found out that there is a thing called the Cap de Formentor. It is basically a part of the peninsula on Mallorca. There, the Spanish built a lighthouse called the Formentor. It’s quite picturesque actually. Old Majorcans also call this place the Meeting Point of Winds. So, there you have it. The new Cupra probably got its name from this. I like it actually. It fits the car. Far more important than its name is the Formentor’s place in the Cupra lineup. With the Cupra Ateca revealed last year, the Formentor is the second Cupra performance SUV. Most likely, it’s longer, wider, but lower than the Cupra Ateca. And, that’s what’s important. Plus it does have a swept roof that’s kinda coupeish. That, more often than not, works well.

SEAT has unveiled its new flagship model, the Tarraco SUV, with up to seven seats and distinctive styling. It’s an important addition to the range, as it moves the new design language forward and takes the brand into a completely new market segment.

High-riding vehicles, like crossovers and SUVs are at the height of popularity right now, but they’re not the only way to go if you want practicality and some off-road capability. Crossover style raised wagons are a great alternative and while they can still drive you over a rough field or rutted road with ease, they’re better to drive on road and actually pretty stylish.

They are essentially the wagon versions of different cars which have gained extra ride height and plastic cladding on the outside to protect them from scratches in their most vulnerable points. These vehicles usually have standard all-wheel drive and are usually a higher trim level, so they are not cheap (compared to the vehicle they’re based on) but they also come with a lot of equipment.

Here’s a list of the 13 coolest crossover-style wagons you can buy today.

Crossovers are vehicles designed to look like they can go off-road, but really be at their best on the road. Sure, some can do light off-roading, but realistically you won’t want to stray too far from the blacktop or the occasional bumpy gravel backroad.

To this end it’s not trivial to know which of these 4x4-aping high riders are best out on the open (and sometimes twisty) road, since it’s where they will spend most of their time. But don’t go thinking that they are on par with more conventional car shapes, because their higher center of gravity and usually higher mass will affect handling.

Safety is at the top of buyers’ lists these days, but what many don’t think about when browsing lists of cars rated with safety stars is that good, predictable road manners and sharp handling are one of the biggest safety features a car can have, since they allow the driver to avoid crashing in the first place.

And while crossovers may give occupants a feeling of extra safety when they’re on board, their poor road manners bring this into question.

Here’s a list of the 10 best handling high-riding vehicles ever made.

Alfa Romeo is making so much noise these days that even its rivals have begun to take notice. Hyundai (not really a rival) has made it clear it plans to compete against the Italian automaker. Now, Volkswagen wants a piece of Alfa Romeo, too. But instead of directly competing against the marquee, Volkswagen is looking for SEAT to do it. The thought of SEAT competing against Alfa Romeo may sound ridiculous on the surface, but the Spanish automaker has made great strides toward improving its identity in recent years. So much so, in fact, that competing against a legacy brand that’s having a renaissance of sorts isn’t something that any of us can dismiss outright.

Although overshadowed by the Volkswagen Golf, its platform sibling, sales-wise, the Seat Leon has been the more powerful race car in various series around the world. The TCR is one of them, having been set up after Seat designed the Leon Cup Racer, also the car that was used as a template for aerodynamic regulations. The increasingly popular series is still dominated by the Leon, which received an update in 2017.

Renamed the Leon Cupra Evo 17, the Spanish race car is more aggressive than ever. The hatchback sports bigger wheel arches, just like the Volkswagen Golf GTI TRC, a massive rear wing, and the copper highlights we’ve seen on recently unveiled Cupra road models. The Leon will continue to race in the TCR International Series, where it will face competition from Audi, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Opel, Volkswagen, and many more carmakers.

Continue reading to learn more about the Seat Leon Cup Racer Evo 17.

Seat is preparing to launch its third SUV that will go by the name Tarraco and will be the company’s largest SUV yet. Spotted testing on the Nurburgring track in June 2018, the Tarraco shares underpinnings and other components with the midsize Skoda Kodiaq. This means that the Tarraco uses the Volkswagen Group’s ubiquitous MQB platform, which also underpins the Volkswagen Tiguan and Touareg. Much like the Kodiaq, the Tarraco will go against popular SUVs like the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, and even the Volkswagen Tiguan. In case you’re wondering what’s in the Tarraco name, it’s the ancient name of the Spanish city of Tarragona.

In case you’re a bit of a shut-in, I’m happy to report that yes, spring has most definitely sprung in a major way, prompting some of those more outdoorsy types out there to break out the ‘ole two-wheeled contraptions known as bicycles. And while bike enthusiasts and car enthusiasts are occasionally at odds with one another, Cupra is offering up a reason for them to come together.

Continue reading for the full story.

Unveiled in 2012, the latest-generation Seat Leon was updated in 2017 and gained the most extreme Cupra package to date for the 2018 model year. Less than a year has passed, and the Spanish firm gave the same treatment to the ST station wagon model. Introduced at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March, the Leon Cupra R ST is identical to its hatchback sibling, but benefits from a larger trunk, which makes it a full-fledged competitor for the Volkswagen Golf R Estate.

The compact wagon arrived with a rather awkward timing, just as Seat turned the Cupra into a stand-alone brand. Starting this year, the company’s high-performance models will no longer have a "Seat" badge, but their own logos, although they will still use the nameplate. However, it turns out that some Seat cars will still wear "Cupra" identification, including this new station wagon. Whether this will go on only until the current models are discontinued is not yet known, but if you want both the "Seat" and "Cupra" badges on your car, you’d better hurry.

Continue reading to learn more about the Seat Leon CUPRA R ST.