SEAT is presenting a new definition of sporty performance at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA):
The SEAT Leon Cross Sport Show Car offers the performance of a compact sports car and the coupé-like silhouette of a two-door. And it combines this with the versatility of all-wheel-drive and increased ground clearance, as well as a design that unites both worlds with powerful dynamics and robustness. The SEAT Leon Cross Sport is a performance athlete in high-tech trekking shoes.
The SEAT Leon Cross Sport takes its performance from the recently uprated Leon CUPRA 290, widely recognised as one of the best hot hatches, as well as multiple winner of automotive media comparison tests. The two-litre engine generates 300 PS, as well as being capable of propelling it from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive with electronic differential lock and ground clearance 41 millimetres higher than on the Leon CUPRA guarantee driving fun, even when the route involves poor road surfaces.
The Leon Cross Sport is based on the Leon SC CUPRA, with its evocative two-door bodyshell. The perfect proportions, clear lines and taut surfaces allude to its exceptional dynamics, not to mention its incredibly high standards of precision and quality. This emotional design language, highly rated by customers, has been further developed for the Cross Sport and enhanced with robust elements.
The new show car looks incredibly compact and powerful, like a highly-trained cross-country runner. An additional 41 millimetres greater ground clearance gives the Cross Sport an impressive stance. The 19-inch wheels with their exclusive Y-spoke design have a two-tone finish, with polished accents set against a black background. These are paired with prominent, extended wheel arches and powerful sills, both in gloss black. At the front and rear, CUPRA elements, such as the signature grille mesh, are accentuated even further. The large air intakes make the sheer potency of this athlete apparent at the very first glance, as do the quadruple exhaust system and large rear roof spoiler. It goes without saying that the full-LED headlamps on the Cross Sport deliver a determined look, as well as great visibility.
The Leon Cross Sport show car is painted in ultra orange – the same colour featured on the SEAT 20V20 show car at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015. And that is not all the two concept cars have in common – both redefine the combination of dynamic performance and versatility in the unique SEAT style, with an unmistakable design language, clear dynamic credentials and perfect quality. These show cars make a very clear statement of the direction that SEAT will be taking over the next few years with new products in the crossover and SUV segments.
The interior of the Leon Cross Sport, too, features the colour inspired by the Barcelona sun – orange is used here as an accent in the intricate seams of the leather seats, the cockpit and the steering wheel, and as a powerful surface colour on the seats’ centre panels and door panels. The leather is combined with orange Alcantara, with a focus on high quality and attention to detail that are part of the SEAT brand’s DNA. The cockpit has a light, weightless feel and is clearly focused on the driver – as in every Leon.
