GENEVA - SEAT to launch the new Ibiza as well as a couple of sporty Leon Cupra's

• All-New SEAT Ibiza will make its world debut at Geneva Motor Show 2017
• The fifth-generation of SEAT’s historic best-seller kick starts a very special year for SEAT. Sales already up by 16.5% in January
• Sharing stage limelight is New Leon CUPRA 300, plus, its endurance racing brother, CUPRA Evo 17 with 350PS
• Instead of traditional Press conference, SEAT will be hosting media using a more  accessible Press Talk format

The Geneva Motor Show is always a great occasion for the car industry, and this year’s will be a very special one for SEAT. 

Because above all, the fifth-generation of the All-New SEAT Ibiza, the Spanish brand’s historic best-seller,with more than 5.4 million units sold, will be making its world debut.

“SEAT is in a phase of consolidation and growth and we are working to become one of the most dynamic organisations in our industry” says Luca de Meo, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SEAT S.A.,“The new SEAT Ibiza will make a great leap forward for the brand and it is set to be a turning point in the segment”.

SEAT is now midway through its largest ever product offensive.  At the beginning, came the launch of the brand’s first SUV, Ateca, followed recently by the New Leon. 

Now it’s the eye-catching Ibiza’s turn, completing the reinforcement of the three main SEAT brand pillars. 

New models are still yet to come, including the compact crossover, Arona.The launch of the All-New Ibiza opens a very special year for SEAT, in commercial terms as well. The company has entered its fifth consecutive year of increased sales after posting 16.5% growth in January.

By the end of the year, each of the new products will give the brand substantial coverage increases across European markets. In addition, the brand is looking to conquest new customers through a wider offering, such as XCELLENCE, an alternative to the current sport-oriented FR. This trim level has been created to reach those looking for a sophisticated and distinctive design, combined with convenient and intelligent technology.  

A decisive model

The fifth generation of the SEAT Ibiza has been developed in Barcelona and is a decisive step forward in the future of SEAT.  Firstly, because it demonstrates the Volkswagen Group’s latest technology, the MQB-A0 platform (Modular Quer Baukasten) which shows the importance of the SEAT brand within the Volkswagen Group, as this platform application is the first in the supermini segment. And secondly, because it benefits from the most advanced technology, a notable increase in interior space, plus, a rewarding driving experience. This has led to the creation of a completely new model while, retaining Ibiza’s young spirit, dynamism, functionality and comfort. To achieve this, it gets a new, fresh, sporty and striking design, reflecting the unmistakable SEAT DNA. The surfaces have been accentuated even more in a way that gives a more sculptured, exciting and aerodynamic look.

“The new SEAT Ibiza embraces SEAT’s design DNA and ensures fantastic driving performance”, says Dr. Matthias Rabe, Vice-President of SEAT for Research and Development; “with the new modular MQB-A0 platform the SEAT Ibiza rises to technologies from higher segments and in terms of comfort, it improves its interior roominess and variability markedly.”

The All-New Ibiza is undoubtedly widening SEAT’s customer base, as well as improving the image of the brand, by combining elegance and style with dynamic character. It is also even more aspirational thanks to the aforementioned qualities, complete with a rounded, powerful design that ensures the car sits perfectly on the road.

One of All-New SEAT Ibiza’s key ingredients is that it establishes the Spanish brand as one that is looking to the future. Principally through practicality, intelligent technology and connectivity. The All-New Ibiza can be specified with driving assistance systems already seen in the Leon and Ateca, yet not commonplace in its class (Front Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control ACC, among others) as well as coming with a wireless charger and GSM signal amplifier.

In addition, the new SEAT Ibiza is 100% connected thanks to three options: Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Mirror Link. This certainly shows SEAT’s ambition to become a leader in in-car connectivity and in the development of new mobility solutions. All of this technology can be enjoyed for the first time through the integrated eight-inch touchscreen.

The car also features Beats sound-system:  the brand that with its premium sound entertainment brings energy, emotion and excitement to music lovers, changing the way that they listen to music. It uses a digital signal processor (DSP), six premium speakers, one high-end subwoofer and 300W amplifier.

In summary, the All-New SEAT Ibiza offers quality usually found in higher segments and is aimed at customers who not only know what they want and live with a young and dynamic spirit; but, also at those seeking a more sophisticated touch, with the latest and most advanced technology at their fingertips, for finding simple solutions in their daily lives.

The Leon CUPRA 300; the most powerful SEAT road car ever

The fastest street legal car that the Spanish brand has ever produced, the new SEAT Leon CUPRA 300, will be displayed in Geneva too. Although everyone will be talking about its 300PS engine with 380 Nm of maximum torque, the headline news is the Leon CUPRA coming equipped with 4Drive on the ST (Sports Tourer). Combined with the double-clutch DSG-auto gearbox, it dispatches 0-62 mph in just 4.9 seconds.

The latest and most powerful member of the CUPRA family provides intensity and performance. It also comes packed with the safety and connectivity that the rest of the Leon range boasts. Crucially, the brand flagship also offers variety, with a bodystyle to suit every need, from the three-door SC (Sports Coupé), to five-door and ST (Sports Tourer). A CUPRA always has to combine a great balance of passion and daily use, and as such, a solid combination of sporty design, cutting-edge technology, comfort and outstanding dynamic behaviour has been achieved like never before.

Joining its roadcar brother will be the spectacular SEAT Leon CUPRA Evo 17. Resplendent in grey matt paint, with carbon fibre interior elements and aesthetic details in copper inside and out, it is the competition version destined to be fielded in the TCR International Series. Available in two versions - one with DSG-auto and the other a manual sequential gearbox - the Leon CUPRA Evo 17comes with the same engine as the street version, but, with an uprated engine putting out 350PS (20 more than the 2016 version) and 420Nm of torque.

Looking ahead to the new season, improvements have been made, including to the brakes (and its control system), having developed an ABS and ESC to improve feel and handling. The SEAT Leon CUPRA Evo 17 is front-wheel drive with self-locking VAQ electro-hydraulic differential, 378mm diameter front disc brakes with six-piston calipers and 272mm discs at the rear. In order to adapt to the driver or racetrack needs, brake balance and anti-roll bar can be adjusted, as well as camber and toe of the front suspension (McPherson) and the height and camber of the rear suspension (multi-arm).

A new press talk format

On the SEAT stand, several Press Talks will be carried out throughout the day, with three topics for discussion given by different members of the board of directors at SEAT. First up will be Luca de Meo, Chairman of the SEAT Executive Committee, who will deal with the current business situation and other corporate topics,  also featuring Wayne Griffiths, SEAT Executive Vice-President for Sales and Marketing, who will provide a commercial company overview. The next pair will consist of Dr. Matthias Rabe, SEAT Executive Vice-President for Research and Development and Dr. Andreas Tostmann, SEAT Executive Vice-President for Production who will hold a talk about the All-New Ibiza and the MQB-A0 platform. On top of those, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, SEAT’s Design Director and Joaquin Serra, Director of Quality, will focus on the brand’s distinctive way of designing cars and the importance of quality.

The press talks will be given in English, German or Spanish, with a simultaneous translation system available in different languages. Each speaker will use a 27-inch tablet in order to present in the most flexible and approachable way to media guests. 

USA - The first deliveries of the All-New Ford Focus RS have taken place in the USA.

• The Focus RS is now arriving at dealerships across the U.S. at a starting price of $36,605, including destination and delivery
• Specially-designed 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine produces 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, plus a maximum speed of 165 miles per hour
• The Focus RS comes packed with four different drive modes – including the first-ever Drift mode – as well as the ability to restart a stalled engine without manual operation

The wait is finally over. The highly coveted, all-new Ford Focus RS is now arriving at dealerships across the U.S. and for Jackson Gilmore – the first customer to take delivery of his RS – news of the car’s arrival was so big he ditched work to get behind the wheel. “Learning that [my Focus RS] was going to be on one of the first boats to the West Coast, it became real,” he said. 

“Out of the blue my dealership called me and they said ‘Hey, your RS is here, so I sent an email to my boss that said, ‘Hey, I ordered this car eight months ago, I’m taking a half day today,’ and I just kind of walked out of work. I just bounced right then.”

Gilmore might have been the first in the U.S. to slide into the driver’s seat as the owner of the new high-performance hatchback, but the Focus RS was no impulse buy. As soon as Focus RS rumors began swirling, Gilmore held off on purchasing a new car.

“Then they said they were going to make it, it’s going to be all-wheel drive, 300-plus horsepower, they’re going to bring it to the States – and I told my girlfriend, you know, that’s the car,” he said. “I’m going to buy that.”

He has good reason to be excited. Powered by a specially engineered version of Ford’s new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, the new hot hatch pumps out a monstrous 350 horsepower, 350 pound-feet of torqueachieved with 93-octane fuel and features a bevy of tricks up its sleeves in order to offer a premium driving experience, including four different drive modes.

It’s also the fastest production Focus currently available in the world, dashing from 0-62 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds and topping out at a maximum speed of 165 mph.

The impressive engine output comes courtesy of an all-new, low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger with a larger compressor wheel that delivers more airflow and power throughout the rev range. Despite the engine’s high output of 152 horsepower per liter, RS engineers tuned this EcoBoost to deliver right off idle all the way on up to a free-spinning 6,800 rpm.

“You start it up, it’s got a little bit of a growl to it, it rumbles,” Gilmore said. “You kind of know you’re in something serious.”

Designed by a small team of Ford Performance engineers in Europe and the United States, the manual-only Focus RS comes packed with innovation such as Ford Performance all-wheel drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for a new level of handling, grip and cornering speed.

“It’s definitely quick. It’s got power, but the biggest thing I noticed is the handling,” Gilmore said. “I think it’s glued to the road; it’s super tight … so as soon as you move the wheel it just points in and hugs the turn. It’s awesome, honestly.”

For the first time, the RS model gets four selectable drive modes: Normal, Sport, Track and the industry-first Drift mode that allows drivers to perform controlled oversteer drifts. Each mode configures the hatchback’s all-wheel-drive system, damper controls, electronic stability controls, steering and engine responses in order to deliver optimal performance based on what drivers need.

That performance extends to brutal winder conditions, too. The Focus RS is the first car in North America tooffer a winter tire and wheel option as a factory accessory, featuring Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 tires, pressure monitoring sensors and fully mounted center caps, all of which were tested in the extreme cold and snow of Northern Michigan and Sweden.

Even in the event of an engine stall, the Focus RS comes prepared with a handy trick called stall recovery. There will be no need for drivers to manually restart the engine or move the gear selector to neutral, as the innovative technology allows the driver to simply push the clutch back in after a stall and the engine will restart.

Like its siblings, the Focus RS also comes equipped with plenty of cargo space, making it perfectly capable of adapting to the needs of most any driver.

“I actually play ice hockey and, you know, I drive it every day and I can throw my hockey gear in there, the hockey sticks, and throw everyone in – I live right next to the beach,” Gilmore said. “Having that performance with all the room” is great, he added, “but I also like the way it looks.”

The Focus RS starts at $36,605 in the U.S., including destination and delivery.

The third-generation Focus RS follows on the heels of the much-loved models launched in 2002 and 2009. The 2016 Focus RS is the 30th car globally to wear the vaunted RS badge, joining such legendary models as the 1970 Escort RS1600, the 1984 mid-engine RS200 Group B rally car, 1985 Sierra RS Cosworth and 1992 Escort RS Cosworth.

AUTOCAR AWARDS - Ford does the double, the Focus RS and it's Chief Engineer both take awards.

• Five-star car award for “barmy and tremendously engaging” Focus RS
• Engineer of the Year accolade for Focus RS chief engineer Tyrone Johnson    

The Ford Focus RS now being delivered to first owners in the UK was lauded at tonight’s Autocar Awards. The third-generation Focus RS with all-wheel drive and 350PS 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, achieving 0-62mph in 4.7sec and capable of 165mph, was recognised with a five-star rating by Autocar – ahead of Golf R, Civic Type R, Audi RS3 Sportback and Mercedes-AMG A45.

Jim Holder, Autocar editorial director, said:  “Any car that carries Ford’s RS badge also carries with it a weight of expectation – but the latest Focus RS carries that load with ease.

“The most fun you can have in a hot hatch on road or track, the new Focus RS heads our league table for delivering on the edge thrills when you really want to push – all for £31,000.”

RS chief engineer Tyrone Johnson was named Engineer of the Year by Autocar.

German-born, educated in the US and a Ford engineer of 31 years, Tyrone previously worked on first SVT Mustang of 1992 and the first global Mondeo alongside spells in motorsport.  From 1992 to 2003 Tyrone was part of Ford’s Stewart Ford and Jaguar Racing Formula 1 teams, as well as the Ford Focus’ entry into World Rally.

Heading up a team of 20, Tyrone was assigned to the current RS three years ago with the intent to create a ground-breaking all-wheel drive platform from the start:  “I’m energised by the team I lead, mainly because I've got some real crazy car guys and gals working for me!  This Autocar award is for them all.”

Jim Holder said:  “Tyrone was asked to reinvent an icon, and he and his team have achieved it in the most spectacular fashion, creating old-school thrills in a totally modern package.”

An online documentary series follows the highs – and lows – of engineering theall-new Focus RS for global sale in 42 countries.  All episodes of “Rebirth of an Icon”, covering design studio to unveil and extreme testing in the Arctic and Arizona in between, are at www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSDdJ-bq9Y18ODbtta-Qzumct4Ae4e1O3.

Ford’s all-new Focus RS wins Car of the Year at the 2016 Vehicle Dynamics International Awards.

• Ford’s all-new Focus RS wins Car of the Year at the 2016 Vehicle Dynamics International Awards; Ford Performance named Dynamics Team of the Year
• Innovative Ford Performance All Wheel Drive technology and 350PS EcoBoost engine deliver “handling characteristics the opposition can’t match” and “pure driving pleasure”
• Customers in the UK have placed over 3,000 Focus RS orders

The all-new Ford Focus RS has won Car of the Year at the prestigious 2016 Vehicle Dynamics International (VDI) Awards.

The Ford Performance team that developed the widely-acclaimed high-performance hatchback also has won Dynamics Team of the Year at the VDI Awards.

A jury of 23 independent automotive journalists from around the world praised the Focus RS for “handling characteristics the opposition can’t match” and its “pure driving pleasure”.

The Focus RS pioneers innovative Ford Performance All Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for a new level of handling, grip and cornering speed. Selectable Drive Modes – including an industry-first Drift Mode that allows controlled oversteer drifts – and Launch Control feature on the RS model for the first time.

Demand for the high-performance hatchback is accelerating fast, with more than 3,000 vehicles already ordered by UK customers – almost double Ford expectations – and the Nitrous Blue paint colour among the most popular options.

“We set the bar high for the Focus RS, to deliver a world-beating hot hatch worthy of the Rallye Sport badge with the most exhilarating and dynamic RS driving experience yet,” said Tyrone Johnson, vehicle engineering manager, Ford Performance. “Ford Performance is honoured to receive two awards from Vehicle Dynamics International, and proud to have developed a car that sets new standards for affordable hot hatch performance.”  

The annual VDI awards recognise the best ideas, technology innovation and achievements in vehicle dynamics development. Ford now has won six VDI awards – more than any other manufacturer – including four Dynamics Team of the Year awards. This year’s double success follows a similar achievement in 2013, when Ford won Dynamics Team of the Year and Ford vehicle dynamics specialist David Put won Dynamicist of the Year.

The Focus RS is the first Ford vehicle to win in the Car of the Year category. Developed by Ford Performance engineers in Europe and the U.S., the model is powered by a specially engineered version of Ford’s 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine delivering 350PS, and sprints from 0‑62 mph in 4.7 seconds, making it the fastest acceleratingFord RS model ever.

Jurors said of the Focus RS:

•  “... Ford’s Focus RS has completely rewritten the hot hatch rulebook,” Alvaro Sauras, Autofácil/EVO, Spain
• “Ford Focus RS is… by far the most entertaining to drive owing to neutral and oversteer handling characteristics that the opposition can’t match,” Nicol Louw, CAR magazine, South Africa
• “The Focus RS simply rewrites the rulebook for how sporting hatchbacks behave. The combination of handling prowess, safety and security, and the sheer hooliganism of Drift Mode blends performance and pure driving pleasure like few cars ever have,” Jim Kenzie, Toronto Star, Canada

Jurors said of the Ford Performance team:

• “… when the Blue Oval skunkworks teams are let off the leash, magic inevitably follows,” Brian Cowan, motoring writer, New Zealand

Focus RS arrives with customers

Full production of the Focus RS – also crowned 2016 Car of the Year by Top Gear magazine, U.K. – is under way at Ford’s Saarlouis, Germany assembly plant and the first cars are now arriving with Ford Performance fans in the UK.

The most popular option of all is the RS blue paint finish for the powerful Brembo brake callipers, chosen by more than two-thirds of Focus RS customers.

The all-new Focus RS is spearheading a new era of growth in performance Fords for Europe, with sales this year expected to increase by 50 per cent compared with 2015, which in turn saw performance car sales rise by 61 per cent compared with 2014. Alongside models like the Fiesta ST, new Fiesta ST200, Focus ST, Ford Mustang and Ford GT supercar, Focus RS will contribute to sales of 40,000 performance cars for Europe in 2016.

Get Ready the Storming Focus RS is about to be launched onto British TV, the countdown begins.

Focus RS: A People’s Supercar will make its television debut on Eurosport in the UK on Friday, April 8^th at 10.05pm. The hour long documentary charts the development of the new Ford Focus RS from concept to production. 

The programme, produced by Gaucho Productions, has been more than two years in the making as the documentary crew followed the Ford Performance team across the world.

Granted unprecedented access to every part of the car’s development, the show takes the audience on a journey from the design studio to the crash lab and from the heat of Arizona to the frozen wastes of the Arctic. The triumphs and the traumas are laid bare as the team strives to transform the Focus into an all-wheel drive performance machine. Along the journey, we also spend time with rally superstar and Internet sensation Ken Block as he joins the Focus RS team.

The television documentary builds on the success of Focus RS: Rebirth of an Icon, the eight-part short form series launched on YouTube in September, 2015. To date, the series has achieved over 3M views. A People’s Supercar continues the story, featuring an exclusive insight into the global press launch in Spain. For the first time, independent experts from across the world drive the Focus RS on the road and track before delivering their verdict.

The documentary was written and directed by Alistair Weaver (Touring Car Legends, Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line). “Focus RS: A People’s Supercar takes the viewer inside a development team as never before,” says Weaver. “There’s plenty here to delight the enthusiast, but the show will also appeal to anyone interested in a great human story of talent and teamwork. It’s really a buddy movie posing as a car show.”

“Developing any new car is never easy,” says Tyrone Johnson, Ford Performance Engineering Manager. “There were definitely times when we wished a film crew wasn’t capturing every moment as we dealt with a variety of technical challenges, but the show offers a unique insight into the daily lives of the Ford Performance team.  It’s an accurate reflection of what it took to develop the new Focus RS.”

Managing Director of Eurosport in the UK, David Kerr added, “Focus RS: A People’s Supercar is great documentary content that will complement our existing live motorsport offering in the UK, including ERC and WTCC.”

You have heard of "Horse Whisper's" well, Ford has "Engine Listeners" to listen for faults on various models.

• Ford “engine listeners” perform special checks in sound-proofed cells to identify the tiniest engine issues as part of rigorous quality tests for the Ford Focus RS performance car
• Months of training ensures employees can – in less than a minute – pick up any imperfections that are then addressed before engines are fitted to the hot hatches
• Ford also uses the same test for further fuel-efficient and powerful EcoBoost engines that are used in models including Ford Focus ST, S-MAX, and Mondeo

From wine tasting to tuning concert pianos, sometimes there is no substitute for the human senses when it comes to ensuring products meet the most stringent quality tests. Now you can add engine production to that list.

In a world where product testing is increasingly carried out using high-tech devices, Ford has found that for certain tests, nothing beats a good set of ears to help ensure the all-new Focus RS hot hatch achieves optimum performance.

Highly trained production workers conduct an auditory test that confirms the perfect running of the 350PS 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, in advance of it being fitted to the completed Ford Focus RS cars.

“This team knows what a perfectly calibrated engine sounds like and they know the tiny sounds to listen for in case there is a problem,” said Gunnar Herrmann, vice president, Quality, Ford of Europe. “Think of it like a doctor who has the most advanced diagnostic technology but still uses a stethoscope to gather vital clues to a patient’s health.” 

Employees at Ford’s manufacturing facility in Valencia, Spain, are taught to identify defects using specially prepared “faulty” engines that highlight the sound that they need to listen for. After several months of training and coaching, team members are qualified to conduct the intensive one‑minute tests in one of 18 sound-proofed cells at the end of the production line.

Should the engineers hear any rattling or whistling sounds typically associated with issues, such as a blocked lubrication passage or a damaged gear tooth, the engine is removed so that further checks can be carried out, and the problem addressed. In this way the quality of the manufacturing process also can be continuously improved.

The 350PS version of Ford’s 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine fitted to the all-new Focus RS has been specially engineered to ensure Ford’s ultimate hot hatch can cover 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and achieve a top speed of 165mph.

Further vehicles that benefit from the scrutiny of the engine listeners in Valencia include the Ford Focus ST, S-MAX and Mondeo.

“The experience of hearing thousands of engines allows us to sense straight away when something is not working perfectly,” said Juan Carlos Rosmari, quality technician, Valencia Engine Plant. “Each different engine type has its own unique sound, and from listening to them in the test cells we get to know their individual characters – and the tell-tale signs which indicate a problem.”

Between them, Ford’s team of engine listeners carries out the test on 2,000 engines per day at the Valencia plant. Preparing engines for testing provides a natural break between the listening sessions, so that the employees can maintain full concentration on the tests over a working day.

The personal touch also can be found in other Ford quality processes such as the master crafts people who scrutinise the fine detailing and stitching of the leather trim fitted to a Ford Vignale model, or the highly skilled artisans who sculpt by hand the complex 3D shapes of new vehicles in Ford’s clay modelling studios.

“The skills of Ford employees, supported by the latest technology, help us deliver high-quality vehicles which perform better, look better, and provide outstanding durability throughout their life,” Herrmann added.