24hcar: SEAT

Showing posts with label SEAT. Show all posts

Volkswagen Group to Buy Italdesign Giugiaro?

Posted by Mr Dung Thursday, May 20, 2010

Volkswagen's master plan is all about numbers. Being the biggest, baddest automaker out there. That's why it isn't any surprise to hear that Volkswagen might be bringing Italdesign Giugiaro under its wing (nothing is official yet).
An acquisition would be another major part of VW's world takeover scheme, assisting with the goal selling 10 million vehicles in 2018. Its ten brands intend to release sixty new or updated models this year, so more designers and engineers are needed.

Now is far from the first time that VW and Giugiaro have worked together. The Italian design house has helped create a variety of cars for those aforementioned ten brands.

The list includes: VW's Golf Mk1, Passat Mk1, Scirocco Mk1, and W12 / Nardo concepts; Audi's 80; Bugatti's EB118, EB218, and 18/3 Chiron; Porsche's 1970 Tapiro; Lamborghini's Marco Polo and Cala; Seat's Ibiza Mk1, Toledo Mk1 & Mk2, Córdoba Mk1, and Málaga.

Expect more news as it hits.

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SEAT IBE Concept for a 'Baby' Scirocco Coupe

Posted by Mr Dung Monday, March 1, 2010

[Carscoop]

And by 'baby' Scirocco, we're not referring to the styling of Seat's Geneva-bound IBE concept car but to the size of the shooting-break-like coupe model that's only 3,780mm long or about 250mm shorter than an Ibiza and almost half a meter shorter than VW's coupe.

Talking about dimensions, Seat's sports study has an unusual breadth of 1,800mm and an overall height of only 1,220mm giving the IBE classic sports car proportions. The short front and rear overhangs, low bonnet and long roof-line along with the 19-inch alloys also help to accentuate the car's sporty looks.

There are no photos of the interior but Seat claims that the IBE is a 2+2 seater with plenty of space for a couple - meaning that the rear seats are for children at best.

The Spanish firm's tasty-looking concept car uses a front-mounted electric motor that produces a maximum output of 75 kW (102 hp) and 200 Nm of torque and a lithium-ion battery positioned at the rear end of the vehicle.

Seat says that the IBE, which tips the scales at 1,000 kg or 2,205 lbs, completes the city dash from 0 to 50 km/h (31mph) in 3.4 seconds and within 6.3 seconds, reaches 80 km/h (50mph), while the classic 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint comes after 9.4 seconds. Top speed is pegged at 160 km/h or 100mph.

So, the question is will VW's Spanish subsidiary build a production version of the car? Well, for now, the IBE is a pure concept study with Seat claiming that the car is "like a concentrated gene pool for our next generation of vehicles" and that it will have a clear impact on all of the firm's future models.

However, given that the VW Group wants to reshape the Spanish brand, we wouldn't be surprised if a similar-looking coupe model based on the Ibiza/Polo/A1 platform receives the green light in the near future.

And if you want our opinion, a small sporty model with the IBE's looks and the Group's bubbly TSI engines would be a perfect addition to Seat's current portfolio.

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SEAT Ibiza FR with Diesel Engine Announced

Posted by Mr Dung Thursday, January 21, 2010

[SEAT]

SEAT has announced plans to introduce the Ibiza FR TDI in the UK.

Available in three-door (SC) and five-door bodystyles, the Ibiza FR TDI features a turbocharged 2.0-liter commonrail turbodiesel engine with particulate filter that produces 143 PS and 320 Nm of torque. It allows the Ibiza SC to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 8.2 seconds, before topping out at 130 mph (the five-door takes 8.3 seconds to hit 62 mph and has a top speed of 129 mph). More importantly, the FR TDI is capable of returning 62.7 mpg in the combined cycle, while CO2 emissions come in at 119 g/km.

According to SEAT UK's Ibiza Product Manager, Andy McGregor, "The exceptional success of the Leon FR TDI - it's the best-selling model in the entire Leon range - proves beyond doubt that we understand the needs of today's hot hatch fans. The outstanding economy, and performance, offered by these new Ibiza FR TDI models means these cars, too, should power to the top of their class."

Priced from £16,465 (RRP), the new Ibiza FR TDI will go on sale in March.

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Skoda Plant to Produce VW Group's New 1.2 TSI Turbo Petrol Engine

Posted by Mr Dung Saturday, November 21, 2009

In celebration of the 110th anniversary of engine building at its Mladá Boleslav plant in the Czech Republic, Skoda has announced that it will manufacture the VW Group's latest generation 1.2-liter TSI gasoline engine. The new four-cylinder power unit features both direct fuel injection and turbocharging technology delivering an output of 105HP at 5,000 rpm and 175Nm (129 lb-ft) of peak torque available between 1,500 and 3,500 rpm.

It can be combined with either a six-speed manual transmission or the VW Group's 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission.

"This brand new TSI engine provides a unique opportunity of combining environmental friendliness with a well-balanced driving performance," says Skoda Auto BOD Chairman Reinhard Jung. "With substantially lower CO2 figures, this new engine needs to be seen as a contribution to a significant reduction of average emission volumes in our cars."

The new powerplant makes its Skoda debut in the new Yeti compact SUV, and is also offered in various Audi, Volkswagen and Seat vehicles.

Via Carscoop

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JE Design Turns the Wick Up on the 2010 SEAT Leon FR TSI and TDI

Posted by Mr Dung Sunday, November 15, 2009

The tuning specialists over at JE Design are planning to debut their 2010 Seat Leon FR at this month's Essen Motor Show in Germany. The performance package includes upgrades for both the TSI gasoline and TDI diesel versions of the Spanish hatchback. In its latest form, the 2.0-liter TSI petrol engine delivers 211HP and 280Nm of torque. With JE Design's engine kit that's priced at €1,499, the TSI's output is lifted to 270HP and 335Nm reducing the Leon FR's zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time from 7.1 to 6.2 seconds.

The 170HP 2.0-liter diesel engine's gets a nudge to 204HP and 380Nm of torque. This extra muscle helps cut 0-100km/h acceleration from 8.2 to 7.6 seconds. The price for this kit is €1,339 Euros and also includes VAT, assembly and warranty.

The tuner shop offers a set of lowering springs (€159) to bring the car 35mm closer to the ground while there's also an adjustable coilover suspension (€979) that allows the driver to drop the vehicle's height between 15mm and 40mm. A set of 19-inch multispoke alloy wheels shod in 225/35R 19 rubber priced at €2,930 complete the performance tweaks.

For the exterior, JE Design offers a bevy of upgrades including headlamp covers (€89), LED daytime running lights (€299) and its aerodynamics package that comprises of a front spoiler (€279), side skirts (€299), rear apron (€299) and the centre diffuser attachment (€99) plus a four-pipe muffler system (€899) and a pair of Lamborghini-style scissor doors (€1,499).

Finally, the interior can be modded with a leather treatment for the seats, door linings and the centre armrest (€1,599), a two-stage seat heating function (€379) and even a massage system with twelve programmes for the front seats (€429).

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Seat Previews Next Year's Ibiza Sport Tourer with IBZ Concept

Posted by Mr Dung Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Sans the LED tail and head lamps, the sexy 19-inch alloys in low profile 235/35 tyres, the dramatic styling of the front and rear bumpers, the groovy exterior mirrors, the sporty interior with the high-quality materials, the flat-bottomed steering wheel, the futuristic instrument panel and well, whatever else makes this concept look cool (...), what you see here is very close to next year's production Ibiza station wagon or in Seat's nomenclature, the Sport Tourer.

The concept model, which goes by the name IBZ, also gets hidden rear door handles and a panoramic glass sunfroof while the front-end shows an evolution of Seat's latest design language with the bonnet now featuring a running edge - GM anyone?

Bypassing the conceptual styling traits of the interior, the IBZ comes with a more spacious boot that measures 410 litres and can be extended when the rear seats are folded down leaving a completely flat cargo space stretching right to the back of the front seats. The car also features a hidden area underneath the 'normal' boot.

Seat says that IBZ Concept has a total length of 4.22 meters and retains the same height and width as the basic hatch. Howver, the Spanish automaker claims that access to the back seats has been improved thanks to the broader rear doors.

The toned-down, production version of the IBZ Concept will join the three- and five-door hatchback versions of the Ibiza towards the middle of next year (2010).