Seat Leon FR To Make World Debut At Madrid Motor Show

SEAT is going to pull the covers off its hottest new Leon so far at next week’s Madrid Motor Show (25th May), with the world debut of the new Leon FR. This 5door coupe - hatch (notice the Alfa Romeo influenced hidden rear door handles) will be offered with two engines, a 200 Hp petrol and 170 Hp diesel with styling modifications to match.

DESIGN: The arrival of the new FR sees the Leon step up another gear in the visual department. In particular, the front air intake design with honeycomb grille is very distinct from that found on other Leons, taking inspiration from the Leon Touring Cars of both the BTCC and WTCC. At the rear, the effect is equally dramatic, with a black mock-diffuser also inspired by the race-track. Silver-painted door mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels (with 18-inch versions available as an option) complete the look.

The distinctive red and black ‘FR’ badge is applied to not only the rear of the car, but also extensively throughout the sporty interior. It appears on the specially designed leather-covered steering wheel, silver gearknob, within the rev counter (which, like the other dials, features a white background) and is embroidered on to the backrests of the sports seats.

ENGINES: Power is provided from a choice of two engines. Making its debut for the first time in a SEAT is VW Golf GTI’s turbocharged 2.0-litre TFSI petrol unit, developing 200 Hp and 280 Nm (207 lb ft) of torque from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. The sprint from rest to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) takes 7,3 seconds while top speed is 142 mph (228 km/h)

With 170 Hp and a 350 Nm (258 lb ft) of torque from its advanced 16-valve, unit-injector engine, the diesel powered Leon TDI FR offers zesty performance with low fuel consumption of 47.1 mpg (provisional figure) on the combined cycle. Top speed is 133 mph (213 km/h), with 0 to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) taking 8, 2 seconds.

The Leon FR will be available in Europe in June. It should be noted that Seat is going to unveil an even more powerful version of the Leon at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The Leon Cupra will be offered with the same 2.0 TFSI as the FR, but with more power –about 240 HP.

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