Seat Introduces New FR+ and Upgrades Cupra R in the Leon's Range

Banking on the success of the Leon FR that, last year, was responsible for one in four Leon sales in Britain, Seat introduced a new FR+ derivative, while also extending the FR badge to a broader engine range.
The Leon FR hatch is now available with a 1.4-liter TSI petrol developing 125-horses and linked to a manual transmission only, or a 2.0-liter TDI diesel with 140-horsepower and the choice of either a manual gearbox or a DSG dual clutch automatic transmission.
The FR badge adds new front and rear bumpers, twin chrome exhaust pipe, trademark silver-painted door mirrors, LED rear-light clusters, sports seats and steering wheel, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and auto-dimming rear-view mirror.
The previous FR models have been renamed to FR+. Buyers can choose between a 211HP 2.0-liter TSI petrol and a 170HP 2.0-liter TDI CR diesel.
In addition to the FR's standard features, the FR+ trim adds 18-inch ‘Ibera’ alloy wheels; the SEAT Media System 2.2, which includes satellite-navigation with five-inch colour touchscreen, DAB radio, Bluetooth audio streaming and SD card slot; Bluetooth phone connection; Bi-xenon headlights with AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) and front parking sensors.
Seat says that while the retail cost of the extra equipment when specified separately is £2,465 RRP, the price of the new Leon FR+ is up by only £1,070 RRP.
Prices for the revised FR lineup start at £18,205 RRP for the Leon FR 1.4 TSI 125 PS, and rise to £22,615 RRP for the Leon FR+ 2.0 TDI CR DSG-auto 170 PS.
Along with the changes to the FR range, Seat also added some new standard features to its flagship 265HP Leon Cupra R model, including a SEAT Media System 2.2, Bluetooth connectivity, Bi-xenon headlights with AFS and LED rear-light clusters.
The additional equipment not only comes at no extra cost, but Seat actually reduced the car's price by £10 to £25,995 RRP.

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UK Insurer Parts the Most Unreliable and Costly Car

In an article on a BMW-faced Honda Accord we found for sale on Craigslist back in 2008, we wrote that in a perfect world, our ultimate car would be “designed by Italians, engineered by Germans, built by Japanese and marketed by Americans”.So, what’s the worst car one could imagine? Well, if we played around with the above statements, we’d say one designed by Japanese, engineered by Americans, built by Italians and marketed by Germans.
But UK insurance firm Warranty Direct had something a little bit different in mind. Instead of playing the origin card, the company decided to check out its database of 50,000 live policies on cars aged five years on average to part the UK’s most unreliable vehicle that would break down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 (equal to US$3,270 - €2,330) to fix each year.
By studying its Reliability Index tool that measures car reliability by considering average cost of repair, frequency of failure, age and mileage, the UK firm came up with an owner’s nightmare, which it calls the Monster Mk1.
The most unreliable car would be powered by an MG TF engine, ride on the suspension of a BMW M3, and have the electric workings of the Renault Megane, the air-conditioning system of a Seat Alhambra, the heating system of a Seat Toledo, the ignition of a Mercedes V-Class, the steering system of a Volvo C70, the gearbox of a Land Rover Freelander and the brakes of an Audi A8.
Commenting on the results, Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “The Monster Mk1 represents the worst-performing vehicles in every sector, from suspension to electrics, on our roads today. The wide range of cars included in our special blend highlights how mostly reliable cars can be dragged down by one problem part.”
According to the British company, nearly 40 percent of BMW M3s require repairs to axle and suspension components alone each year, while the same percentage of Renault Meganes report an electrical fault on an basis.
Furthermore, one in five Land Rover Freelanders suffer transmission glitches each year and the same number of Audi A8s will need repairs to their brakes.
The company also found that almost a fourth of MG’s TF sports car owners will experience engine troubles, while more than one in eight SEAT Alhambra MPVs will need their air-con fixed during a typical year.

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