The base model offered was the new 16 valve 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine with 77 kW (105 PS 103 bhp). Design was handled by Walter de'Silva, and the car used the same design style that started with the SEAT Altea. It was built in Spain, and had a sharper exterior look with vertically parked windscreen wipers, and the external rear door handles more integrated, in a similar style to that seen on recent Alfa Romeo models. It was based on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform, most notably used by the Volkswagen Golf Mk5.

The second generation León, Typ 1P, was released in 2005, with factory production commencing May 2005.

Petrol engines, all multi-point electronic indirect fuel injectionġ.6 L CAYC I4 TDI (planned for 2010) Ģ.0 L AZV/BKD/CBDB/BMN/CEGA/CFJA I4 16v TDI The Typ 1M SEAT León was available with the following internal combustion engines, with most being shared from other marques of the Volkswagen Group: Engine

'Most Satisfactory Car of the Year 2007' in Poland, by the Polish magazine Auto Swiat.

'Carro do Ano' (Car of the Year) award in 2001, in Portugal.

In other countries the model was badged 'Cupra' and then 'FR' before a limited number of cars were fitted with the bodykit from the petrol powered 'Cupra R' and named the 'FR+'. Ī range of turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines was available, including a 110 kW (150 PS 148 bhp) version of Volkswagen Group's 1.9 TDI engine, originally sold as a 'Cupra 4 TDI', with 4WD, that was sold for one year only, and only in certain countries, then passed to 'Evolution' series, then 'Top Sport', and later rebranded as the 'FR' ('Formula Racing').

In some countries, there was also a 'Cupra 4' equipped with a 2.8-litre VR6 delivering 150 kW (204 PS 201 bhp) and equipped with four-wheel drive (4WD), based on the same Haldex Traction multi-plate clutch as the Volkswagen Golf 4motion. It became first available in only three body paints (red, yellow, black), picked as an homage to the colors of both Spain's and Germany's national flags referring back to the roots of the joint project the model originally was.

The original 'León 20VT' (which later became known as the 'Cupra' and then the 'FR') had a 1.8-litre Turbo with 132 kW (179 PS 177 bhp), and the 'León Cupra R' 154 kW (209 PS 207 bhp), later becoming 165 kW (224 PS 221 bhp). Available engines were the 1.4-litre 16 valve petrol engine which produced a 55 kilowatts (75 PS 74 bhp), a 1.6-litre 8 valve petrol engine 74 kW (101 PS 99 bhp) (replaced later with a 16 valve 77 kW (105 PS 103 bhp) unit), and included two variants of the Volkswagen Group's 20 valve turbocharged 1.8-litre powerplant, (with some countries also getting the 2.8-litre VR6 engine delivering 150 kW (204 PS 201 bhp).

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