Spanish SEAT planning to unveil its new Leon Cupra R on Frankfurt Motor Show, being held from 17-27 September. The new 2010 Seat Leon Cupra R was revealed at the Barcelona Show in April, the R-line replaces the standard model’s 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot with a 265-horsepower direct injection 2.0 TSI.

Seat claims that the new four-banger features a new, high-pressure fuel pump injector to “satisfy its greater performance demands, while fully complying with strict EU5 emissions standards.”

The extra grunt allows the front-wheel drive only Leon Cupra R to slash the 0 to 100km/h (62mph) sprint from 6.4 seconds (standard Cupra) to 6.1 seconds and top speed climbs from 247 km/h (154mph) to 250 km/h (155mph). The standing kilometer takes 25.7 seconds while Seat announces a combined fuel economy of 8.1 lt / 100km or 29mpg US / 34.9mpg UK.

Aside from the ‘R’ logos on the central grille and at the lower right of the hatch, the right instrument dial and the remote control key, the range-topping Leon also gets 19 inch, five double-spoke wheels shod with 235/35 tyres. The larger wheel assembly allowed Seat’s engineers to upgrade the braking system with 17 inch 345 x 30 mm discs at the front and 16 inch 286 x 12 mm at the rear.

Seat has announced its new prototype of the Leon model which conceived to run on electric power or a petrol engine. The new hybrid called as Leon “Twin Drive” Ecomotive and its powertrain equipped with a 35 kW electric unit fed by a group of lithium-ion batteries located at the rear of the vehicle, and a conventional petrol engine. The initial aim is for the Leon to run on electricity in urban areas, switching to conventional petrol power for trips out of town.

In all-electric mode, the prototype Leon has a range of 50 km and a self-imposed top speed of 100 km/h.

The new Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive features extensive modifications of the gearbox, brakes, heating and cooling systems, while major changes to the vehicle’s electronics have also been carried out.

The SEAT squad unveiled a new diesel Leon TDI for the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship. But disappointing results last time out at Croft have dropped Plato and team-mate Darren Turner to fourth and eighth in the drivers’ championship.

“It’s going to be tough,” admitted Plato. “But we had a disaster at Croft – and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that someone else could have an equally poor weekend.

“We have to make every opportunity count in the second half of the season.”

The SEAT Leon Supercopa series that visits tracks in seven European countries is “the most powerful single-brand competition in Europe.” In celebration of the series, Seat is making a special edition SEAT Leon Copa Edition that arguably looks even hotter than the race car.

This weekend, at the Hockenheimring, begins the new season of the SEAT Leon Supercopa. With this occasion Seat launched a limited edition version of the Leon – the SEAT Leon Copa Edition. The SEAT Leon Copa Edition is limited to 55 units and is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo FSI engine developing 285 hp and 360 Nm of torque.

The SEAT Leon Copa Edition is based on the Cupra and has a top speed of 254 km/h with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 5.9 seconds. The SEAT Leon Copa Edition needs 8.3 liters of fuel to go 100 km and has a 199 g/km CO2 emissions level.

The SEAT Leon Copa Edition comes equipped with Eibach springs, upgraded brake discs, the SEAT SPORT racing version bodykit and black-painted 18-inch light alloy wheels.

The SEAT Leon Copa Edition priced from 38,500 Euros.

SEAT unveiled a new limited edition of its Leon sport hatch, specially for the British Touring Car Championship season.

The Leon FR550 Limited Sport Edition package adds bucket-style seats with sporty integrated head restraints, a set of 18-inch ‘Draco’ alloy wheels and a FR550 tailgate badging. Available colors include the Candy White and Black Magic along with two shades of grey and the lime green, Citrus.

There are no changes under the bonnet as the ‘550’ shares the same 170 PS, turbo charged 2.0-litre TDI that powers the Leon FR TDI. The 135 mph/ 217 km/h hatch can go from rest to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.2 seconds, offering an average fuel consumption of 6.0 lt/100km, and 5.0 lt/100 km out of town. The car costs £18,405 RRP – a modest £400 more than the standard FR 2.0 TDI.