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Story by Seat - 23 May 2000
SEAT invites you to enjoy a Sport-ing threesome
SEAT’s Leon 20V T Sport has now been joined in the brand’s showrooms by two more Sport models based on the Arosa and Ibiza. The Sport-ing threesome differs in price, size and performance but all want the driver to derive maximum fun from his or her motoring with the added feel-good factor of knowing that these cars offer splendid value-for-money, too. "Barcelona-ness" is something else that the Sport range shares. Anyone who’s been to the Spanish city will know what this means but for those who haven’t yet had the pleasure, think style, fun and sunshine. SEAT reckons that Barcelona’s spirit can be felt in its cars, and especially in the new Sport range - not surprising given that the city is where SEAT lives and where all its cars are created.
100 bhp Arosa 16V Sport - a fun-sized SEAT
At 3536 mm long, it’s pocket-sized as well as being easy on the pocket with a combined fuel consumption of 42.8 mpg. Given its price, the Arosa 1.4 16V Sport has rocket performance accelerating to 62 mph in 9.8 seconds with a maximum speed of 117 mph. Despite the low price, SEAT hasn’t skimped on its usual comprehensive equipment levels to offer so much fun for the money. Starting on the outside, 14" alloy wheels with 185/55 tyres, front spotlights, lowered suspension and a centrally-mounted, stainless steel, oval exhaust pipe differentiate the Sport. Exclusive Neon Yellow paint is a no-cost option for the bold but be warned, the exterior paint colour is cheerfully carried over to the interior door trims and windscreen pillars - bright, for sure, in the case of Neon. Just as ‘loud’ is the standard four-speaker stereo radio-cassette with thief-deterring, removeable front panel, as if a 1.4-litre 100 bhp engine wasn't entertainment enough, and this Arosa, in keeping with its name, also has sports front seats - both adjustable for height with an easy access system for rear seat passengers. Its windows lower electrically and the remote central locking activates a standard alarm. The height-adjustable, SEAT Sport steering wheel is leather-rimmed and blue picks out the instrument cluster. Safety, both active and passive, is taken care of with a quota of four airbags and anti-lock brakes.
To summarise, this is what you get for your £9995:
Warmed Ibiza with added Barcelona spice
It’s differentiated from the rest of the Ibiza range with front spotlights, a larger rear spoiler and five-spoke 15" alloy wheels. The Sport shares SEAT’s new corporate, single "nostril" grille with the Leon and Toledo and, at the back, there’s that giant SEAT badge which doubles as the opening handle for the tailgate. Its 16-valve 1.6-litre 100 bhp engine, which now meets Euro 4 emissions standards, will also be familiar as the unit is gainfully employed in the Toledo and Leon. Inside the Sport are some special touches unique to this model such as firmer seats, silver-rimmed dials with a further two mounted in the centre console, a leather-rimmed SEAT Sport steering wheel and a fat, silver trimmed gear knob. There’s also set-and-forget automatically regulating air conditioning - once the desired temperature is selected, the system stays at that level regardless of what the weather is doing outside. Here are the car’s main standard features:
£15,995 180 bhp 20V T Sport headlines range
It will accelerate to 62 mph in just 7.7 seconds and where legal, can attain a maximum speed of 142 mph. Naturally this powerful front-wheel drive car is equipped with traction control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution. (The similarly powered and even better equipped 20V T Cupra goes one stage further with standard ESP, or electronic stability programme.) The Leon 20V T doesn’t shout its performance potential with just 16" multi-spoke alloy wheels, lowered suspension, twin chromed rear exhausts and a discrete rear badge to distinguish it from other models in the range. The extrovert, though, can specify yellow paint. In terms of equipment, despite its technical specification and £15,995 price, the Leon 20V T Sport wants for little as the following list of major items of equipment proves:
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