Seat Leon FR550, a BTCC-Inspired Special Edition

Seat Leon FR550

Only 550 Units Will be Built

By Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
March 27, 2008 1:53 PM
Filed Under: European, Seat

Not everyone that wants an opportunity to drive a race car will ever have the chance to do so on a track, but 550 of these people will have the chance to buy a BTCC-inspired car, more precisely the new Seat Leon FR550, presented days before the start of the 2008 season, scheduled for next Sunday, March 30.

Besides the already striking looks of the car, the FR550 will also offer a 170 bhp TDI engine that allows the car to reach 100 km/h in 8.2 s and a maximum speed of 217 km/h. Another special characteristic of the car is revealed by its own name. 550 makes reference to the limited number of units to be built, what may lead this Leon to become a collectible vehicle in the future.

Limited production will not prevent the car from offering great value for money. It will come with bucket-like seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, USB connection for iPod or other MP3 devices and special paint jobs in white, black, two shades of grey and the lime green colour you can see in the only picture Seat has released of the car. All for Â£ 18,405, an increase of only Â£ 400 over the price of a standard FR 2.0 TDI. The FR550 can already be ordered at UK Seat dealers.

Source: Seat

Press Release (Click to expand)

SEAT’S STYLISH FORMULA FOR RACING SUCCESS

On the eve of the new HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship season, which kicks off at Brands Hatch on Sunday 30th March, SEAT is giving style-conscious car buyers the chance to stand out from the pit lane crowd with the launch of a new, race-bred Leon special edition.

The unveiling of the exciting new Leon FR550 coincides with SEAT Sport UK’s determined assault on the 2008 BTCC crown. The Northants-based team once again promises to be at the business end of the grid as drivers Jason Plato and Darren Turner bid for glory in their radical, diesel-powered, Leon TDI racers.

Using cutting-edge diesel technology lifted direct from the race-winning SEAT Sport World Touring Car Championship contenders, the Latin-flavoured BTCC cars promise to bring an exciting new dimension to the traditionally thrilling British race series.

And to celebrate SEAT’s latest BTCC campaign, the firm is offering hardcore fans the chance to get behind the wheel of their very own BTCC-inspired Leon.

The special edition FR550 – ‘550’ representing the total number of these models being made available – is based on the popular Leon FR TDI, with a raft of unique styling and equipment additions ensuring it looks every inch the track star.

Building on the already racy FR’s base, the new model adds particularly grippy bucket-style seats with sporty integrated head restraints, arch-filling 18” ‘Draco’ alloy wheels, a USB connection (for ultimate iPod or MP3 connectivity) and, naturally, unique FR550 tailgate badging.

On top of this, the ‘550’ package gives buyers the chance to turn heads with a dramatic paint job. Available hues include high fashion Candy White and Black Magic along with two shades of grey, SEAT-trademark Emocion Red and the striking, lime green, Citrus.

Under the bonnet, and continuing the diesel theme, the ‘550’ shares the same 170 PS, turbo charged 2.0-litre TDI that powers the Leon FR TDI. Performance, therefore, is distinctly spirited.

This 135 mph car blasts from rest to 62 mph in a mere 8.2 seconds, yet is also capable of offering fully 47.1 mpg on the combined cycle, and as much as 56.5 mpg out of town. All this, and CO2 emissions of just 161 g/km, add up to a tempting ‘hot hatch with a conscience’.

Despite the exclusive nature of the vehicle, and all the extras inside and out, there’s precious little premium to be paid for the FR550. The car, available to order now at SEAT dealerships nationwide, costs £18,405 RRP – a modest £400 more than the standard FR 2.0 TDI.