SEAT Leon Cross Sport

Seat has shown a high-performance, off-road-focused three-door Leon concept at the Frankfurt motor show

The ride height has been raised to give the Cross Sport 41mm more ground clearance than the standard Leon SC.

The concept is powered by the recently upgraded 286bhp version of the turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine used by the production Leon Cupra. It also features permanent four-wheel drive.

The Cross Sport’s styling is described as like ‘a highly-trained cross-country runner’: more prosaically, it’s a hiked-up Leon with black bumpers and a wild orange hue.

The Seat Leon Cross Sport comes with styling upgrades including gloss black extended wheel arches and sills, larger air intakes, a quadruple exhaust and a rear roof spoiler. It also has two-tone 19in alloy wheels. The Cross Sport also gains roof rails, wheel arch add-ons and restyled bumpers to give it a more rugged appearance, while inside, the car features leather and Alcantara trimmed seats coloured to match the car’s ultra orange exterior – which was first seen on the SEAT 20V20 SUV concept of the 2015 Geneva motor show.

Technical highlights include SEAT’s latest smartphone connect system, with voice recognition and voice activation features, and a built in touchscreen.

The Leon Cross Sport is only intended as a concept for now, with no word on whether it will make it into production.