Milestone as SEAT celebrates 25 years of the Leon

Gareth Herincx

7 mins ago
Auto News

SEAT Leon 25th anniversary

Designed, developed and produced entirely in Barcelona, the SEAT Leon is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

More than 2.5 million SEAT Leon cars have been manufactured over four generations to date, and it’s won dozens of awards.

But the distinctions go beyond performance on the road, as its sporty prowess has also led to victories on the racetrack.

The second-generation Leon won back-to-back World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) titles in 2008 and 2009, making it the first brand in history powered by a diesel engine to win a FIA (International Automobile Federation) world title.

The fourth generation Leon is the most technologically advanced in the history of the brand, as it’s the very first 100% connected vehicle.

It also has five different powertrains, including the e-HYBRID, which in its day was SEAT’s first electric plug-in hybrid.

The latest version features a new 1.5 e-HYBRID engine with 83 miles of electric range, enabling fast charging in just 26 minutes.

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SEAT celebrates 40 years of the Ibiza

Gareth Herincx

16 hours ago
Auto News

SEAT Ibiza 40th anniversary

Spanish car brand SEAT is marking 40 years of its best-selling model with the Ibiza Anniversary Limited Edition.

Since its introduction in 1984, more than six million SEAT Ibiza cars have been sold over five generations.

Named after the island of Ibiza, it was a turning point for the company’s success.

The first-generation model was the first vehicle developed by the brand without the assistance of a technological partner, drawing on internal expertise and that of partners including Giorgetto Giugiaro for the exterior styling, Karmann for the interior design and Porsche for the powertrain.

“The success of the iconic Ibiza meant that some countries recognised the vehicle even before the brand! said SEAT CEO Wayne Griffiths.

SEAT Ibiza Anniversary Limited Edition

The SEAT Ibiza Anniversary Limited Edition will feature new equipment, as well as a new alloy wheel and design cues.

The vehicle’s exterior design benefits from the exclusive Graphene Grey colour on the body and Cosmo Grey on the 18-inch alloy wheels, as well as the standout lasered “Anniversary Limited Edition” logo on the car’s B-pillar.

Inside, the cabin is given a new twist with the introduction of exclusive textile Bucket seats, giving front occupants a new level of dynamism and comfort, a new Dark aluminium matt finish for the door and console, as well as a lasered “Anniversary Limited Edition” logo on the doorstep.

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UK’s top five motoring myths

Gareth Herincx

3 days ago
Auto News

Motoring myths - SEAT Cars

Spanish car brand SEAT has identified the top five most common driving myths.

According to a survey of 2,000 UK motorists, top of the table sits not being allowed to drive barefoot, with more than half of drivers believing this to be true.

1. You are not allowed to drive barefoot – 52%
Whilst it’s not illegal to drive barefoot, it is the responsibility of the driver to always ensure that they’re in full control of the vehicle. Driving barefoot does not afford the same braking response as driving in a sturdy shoe, and other factors, such as if the driver’s feet are wet, may jeopardise the driver’s control of the vehicle. It is therefore strongly recommended drivers always drive in suitable footwear.

2. You are not allowed to drive in flip flops or Wellington boots – 49%
As above, it’s not illegal to drive in flip flops or Wellingtons, but it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they’re always in full control of the vehicle.

3. The only time you can enter an active bus lane is to let an emergency vehicle pass – 47%
Drivers can still receive a fine for entering a bus lane to let an emergency vehicle pass. In fact, there’s a good chance this vehicle will use the bus lane to avoid traffic, so it can be unhelpful if drivers move into it. Should you find yourself in a bus lane, you should always endeavour to exit as soon as possible if it is safe to do so.

4. Children under the age of 12 must sit in the backseat – 38%
In fact, children under the age of 12 can sit in either the front or back of the car. However, if they are in the front of a car in a rearward facing child car seat, then the passenger airbag must be deactivated. It is illegal if the airbag is active. It is also imperative to use the correct child seat for under 12s or those under 1.35m in height. Despite the law allowing it, it is strongly recommended that children always sit in the back seat of a car in the appropriate child restraint.

5. It is illegal to drive at night with the interior light on – 37%
Perhaps the quirkiest on the list, there is no law to say that driving at night with the interior light on is illegal, despite it often being cited as such. Whilst legal, it may be that if a driver is pulled over and the interior lights are determined to have impaired the driver’s vision, then they could be charged with careless driving.

Motoring myths - SEAT Cars

With roadgoing misconceptions in mind, SEAT also asked motorists when they last read the Highway Code, discovering that the majority had either not read it in the last five years or never read it at all.

Nearly half of drivers (48%) also didn’t know the ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’ system introduced in 2022.

The hierarchy system was added to the Highway Code in January 2022 and places road users that are most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the ‘scale’.

Data from the Department for Transport shows a large number of pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities still occur on British roads each year.

In the year ending June 2022, there were 35,551 cyclist and pedestrian casualties, and 514 fatalities.

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Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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Regular or runflat tyres – which are best for you?

Falken Tyres

Runflat tyres have their pros and cons. We road tested a new set of Falken “extended mobility tyres” to find out for ourselves…

Unless you have access to state-of-the-art tyre evaluation facilities, there’s no better time to road test new rubber than a straight swap with an existing set on a car you know well.

After months of searching for a second-hand BMW Z4, I finally found one during the summer heatwave.

BMW Z4 E85

A very tidy example (E85) from 2005 with just 75,000 miles on the clock, there was only one issue. The tyres.

Don’t get me wrong, they all had more than enough tread and there was no damage. The problem was that there was a mix of three budget brands.

It looked like a previous owner had plumped for the cheapest tyres they could find – on one or more occasion – just to get it through an MOT or two.

Mixing tyres isn’t a good idea and it was clear from the test drive and subsequent trips on more familiar local roads that the Z4 was tramlining and the tyres weren’t balanced.

Time for a change, so I took up an offer from Falken Tyres to have a new set of rubber fitted. I plumped for Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN FEXM (Falken Extended Mobility Technology) tyres, otherwise known as runflats – a controversial choice in Z4 circles.

Even though runflats were originally fitted to the Z4 (OEM or original equipment manufacturer) and it was developed with these in mind, many owners have now switched to conventional tyres.

What are runflats?   

Runflats, or run flats, have specially reinforced sidewalls that mean you can continue driving on them at a limited speed and for a limited period, even if you have a puncture.

There are other advantages. You don’t have to change the wheel at the side of the road (often in dangerous locations) and no spare wheel means more space in the boot, less overall weight and improved fuel efficiency and mileage.

Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN FEXM tyres

Falken says its FEXM tyre technology is an improvement on traditional runflat tyres, offering the convenience and safety of “run-flats” whilst retaining the comfort and compatibility of conventional tyres, alongside improved rolling resistance and lower weight.

Crucially, drivers have the ability to travel up to 80km (49.7 miles), at up to 80km/h (49.7mph) at zero pressure. Falken’s run-flats can also be fitted on a conventional wheel rim as long as the vehicle has a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Sounds good. However, runflats are not perfect and they are a compromise, as I’ll explain…

 Back on the road

So, I had the new set of tyres fitted and balanced, but there was a problem with the wheel alignment because the rear nuts were seized. That was sorted a few weeks later, but in the meantime there was an immediate improvement in terms of road noise (much less) and grip (lots more).

After the tracking had finally been completed it was time to work out definitively how the new Falken tyres had affected the Z4 in other ways.

The good news is that it’s improved no end on smooth roads in both the wet and dry. The stopping distance in the wet (especially) is superb, no doubt helped by the wide circumferential grooves for efficient water displacement.

Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN FEXM tyres

The overall ride is firmer, but there’s excellent grip and traction, and you really can confidently push these tyres to the limit.

However, on poorer roads with an uneven camber there’s still some tramlining. I’ve experimented with tyre pressures and by lowering them to closer to the minimum recommended, this has improved matters, but the tramlining hasn’t been totally eliminated.

That said, as long as you are mindful of this on certain roads, it’s not enough to spoil the enjoyment of the Z4 ownership experience.

Ultimately, sports cars are sensitive little things and tyres make a huge difference. Having read the views of other Z4 owners, it’s clear that my experience is not unusual.

Falken ZIEX ZE310 ECORUN FEXM tyres

So, the compromise with run-flats is convenience and safety over ride comfort and handling on uneven surfaces.

Visit the Falken Tyres website to get the lowdown on their range of award-winning tyres which are fitted as standard on new cars from the likes of Toyota, Volkswagen and SEAT.

The Falken brand was born in 1983 and Falken Tyre Europe is the European subsidiary of the Japanese tyre manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd – the sixth largest tyre manufacturer in the world.

UK million milestone for SEAT cars

Gareth Herincx

4 days ago
Auto News

SEAT-Leon-e-Hybrid

SEAT has reached a new landmark in the UK – the sale of one million vehicles.

The milestone car was Leon e-HYBRID (plug-in hybrid) registered by Pulman SEAT (based in Southwick, Sunderland) and sold to a private customer.

The UK is SEAT’s third largest market, after Spain and Germany, and it has exported cars here since September 1985.

The first models were the first-generation Ibiza and the Malaga saloon, with both models initially achieving a combined first year sales total of 405.

By comparison, SEAT sold 68,800 vehicles in 2019, a new UK record for the brand, and was one of the fastest growing major automotive manufacturers in the country.

To date in 2021, SEAT sales have already passed 40,000, close to surpassing the full-year 2020 COVID-effected figures.

“The UK is one of SEAT’s largest and most significant international markets,” said Richard Harrison, Managing Director of SEAT UK.

“This is a tremendous milestone and comes at a time when SEAT offers its most diverse range of vehicles yet.

“Our SUV family – Arona, Ateca and Tarraco – have sold extremely well within the UK, while legacy models – Ibiza and Leon – continue their longstanding popularity.

“It’s fitting that the one millionth car is a Leon e-HYBRID as it symbolises SEAT’s journey towards electrified powertrains.”

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