Seat hatches hot little Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, SEAT, Beijing Motor Show

Just about every brand under the Volkswagen Group umbrella has its own performance line these days. Marques like Lamborghini, Bugatti and Porsche may not need them, but Volkswagen has the R line, Audi has the RS range, Skoda offers the vRS models, and Seat badges its under the Cupra name.

It's a nameplate that's become synonymous with Latin-flavored hot hatches in markets around the world, and one of those vital markets is China. Little wonder, then, that Seat chose the Beijing Motor Show to launch its latest Cupra model.

Technically billed as a "concept," even Seat admits the vehicle you see here is pretty darn close to the production model that is scheduled to debut later this year. It starts out with the latest Ibiza hatchback (which itself shares its underpinnings with the Volkswagen Polo) and upgrades it with VW's celebrated 1.4 TSI engine that packs a turbocharger, supercharger and direct injection to produce a solid 180 horsepower. All that juice is driven to the front wheels through an electronic differential and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Seat's also given the Ibiza Cupra Concept a suitably beefed-up look with LED lights and 17-inch wheels and a fully equipped interior, all of which you can read more about in the press release (together with video footage) below and scope out in the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading Seat hatches hot little Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing [w/video]

Seat hatches hot little Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEAT unveils Ibiza SportCoup�

Michael Harley — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, SEAT

Click on the above image for high-res photos of the SEAT SportCoupé

Following the launch of the SEAT Ibiza five-door in April, the Spanish automaker has debuted the new Ibiza SportCoupé. When compared to the five-door, the new three-door appears nearly identical from the front. However, a glance at the profile reveals striking differences in the C-pillar. Where the rear side window on the five-door sweeps upward towards the integrated spoiler, the window sill on the new coupe follows the contour defined by the crease in the fender. The rear of the vehicle, with the large hatch, seems nearly unchanged.

Targeted towards a sportier clientele than its sibling, the SportCoupé sits 17mm (.67") lower than the five-door. When equipped with the 1.6-liter (105 PS) powerplant, the Ibiza will be offered with a seven-speed DSG double-clutch gearbox (courtesy of Volkswagen, SEAT's parent company). SEAT promises even high-performance Ibiza FR and Ibiza Cupra versions will debut over the coming months. We know Americans are supposed to hate hatchbacks, but more minds would change if vehicles like the SEAT SportCoupé were available here.

[Source: SEAT]

Continue reading SEAT unveils Ibiza SportCoup�

SEAT unveils Ibiza SportCoup� originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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