The SEAT León is a small family car that is manufactured by Spanish car maker SEAT since 1999. It is built on the Volkswagen A platform, and shares components with the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and Škoda Octavia.
León Mk. I (1999-2005)
The León Mk I was SEAT's best-selling car, and was marketed as a sporty and affordable alternative to the VW Golf. It features a hatchback version of the SEAT Toledo, with an aggressive design and firm suspension to enhance handling. More expensive variants come equipped with powerful engines.
The car is available with several engines, ranging from a 1.4L to a 2.8L V6 with 204PS (150kW). The León Cupra is powered by a 1.8 Turbo engine, with 180PS (132kW), and the León Cupra R packs 225PS (165kW). It has a 150PS (110kW) variant of VW's 1.9 TDI engine, initially as Cupra, but later downgraded to FR (Formula Racing).
Some variants of the León are four-wheel drive, which is based on the Haldex differential like in the VW Golf 4Motion. All engines with over 130PS (96kW) come with a 6-speed manual gearbox, as standard.
León Mk. II
The newest León, based on the VW Golf V platform, has a sleeker exterior design with concealed windshield wipers and more integrated external rear door handles. The design was headed by Walter de'Silva, and uses the same style that was seen in the SEAT Altea.
Though it maintains a sporty image, the engine selection is more limited when compared to the VW Golf. It begins with the old 8-valve 1.6L engine with 102PS (75kW). Sportier variants have a 150PS (110kW) 2.0 FSI and a popular 140PS (103kW) 2.0 TDI Diesel. Both are paired with a standard 6-speed manual gearbox, and have a DSG semi-automatic transmission as an option. The León also features a unique 2.0 TFSI engine with 185PS (136kW), though the low list price and performance did not capture enough attention, so this version was taken off the market for more sporty FR versions.
Add a stylish touch to any room with a Seat Leon Cupra R 2003 poster. Get a unique mouse pad to match the look of your computer, or pick up a t-shirt or calendar to remind you of your favorite car. Shop now and show your Leon Cupra R pride!
