NEW ARONA, LEON CUPRA R AND AMAZON ALEXA: SEAT'S PROTAGONISTS AT THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP'S EVENING EVENT AT THE IAA 2017

•Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Matthias Müller presented the latest models at the Volkswagen Group Night

•The SEAT Arona makes its international debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show

•The Leon Cupra R is SEAT's most powerful road car in its history and also the most exclusive, with a limited 799 units being released

•Alexa, the interactive voice service developed by Amazon, will be available in the Ateca and Leon models at the end of 2017 and the Arona, Ibiza and large SUV in 2018

•SEAT presents the new Digital Cockpit for the first time at the IAA 2017

Frankfurt, 11/09/17 - SEAT presented its latest products at the Volkswagen Group's Evening Event, the night before the official opening of the International Motorshow 2017 in Frankfurt. The new Arona and Leon CUPRA R, as well as Amazon Alexa, the innovative voice-activated digital service were SEAT's protagonists on this special night. Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Matthias Müller, was the master of ceremonies and responsible for the introduction of the latest models to which all the press were invited to get the scoop on the Volkswagen Group's exciting releases.

Tomorrow, the Arona, Leon CUPRA R and Amazon Alexa will take centre stage on the first press day of the IAA in Frankfurt. At 11:15am (UK), the President of SEAT, Luca de Meo, will host a press conference at the SEAT stand to talk about the new Arona, Leon CUPRA R, Amazon Alexa and the shortlisted names of SEAT's future large-size SUV. In the afternoon, at 2pm, Wayne Griffiths, Executive Vice-President for Sales and Marketing and Dr. Matthias Rabe, Executive Vice-President for Research and Development will talk about the new Leon CUPRA R, as well as future CUPRA projects. Finally, at 3:30pm, Ned Curic, Amazon Alexa Automotive Vice-president and Dr. Matthias Rabe will be speaking about the integration of the new innovative voice activated service Amazon Alexa, into the SEAT range.

New SEAT Arona

After making its first appearance in Barcelona in front of 250 international journalists in June, the New SEAT Arona will be presented internationally at the IAA Frankfurt.

The Arona, SEAT's third launch in 2017 after the new Leon and Ibiza, is yet another step in the biggest ever product offensive carried out by the Barcelona-based brand. The large SUV that will arrive in 2018 is just a part of that. The Arona, the second model to be manufactured using the MQB A0 platform and that marks SEAT's entrance into the compact crossover segment, is the younger brother to Ateca in SEAT's growing SUV range. Manufactured exclusively in Martorell, the new SEAT Arona stands out from the rest through its wellthought out height and width, multiple customisation possibilities and the most advanced technology in safety and connectivity. Elegance, space, practicality and comfort from Monday to Friday and adventure, robustness, sportiness and efficiency at the weekend, the new SEAT Arona of course contains SEAT's attractive, unique design and is destined for those drivers that are looking for excitement without sacrificing the dynamism, refinement and sportiness of the Spanish brand.

New Digital Cockpit

Another reason to visit the SEAT stand will be the new Digital Cockpit, featured for the first time in Arona, Leon ST CUPRA, Ibiza and Ateca. The Spanish brand is going to introduce the Digital Cockpit early in 2018 first in the Leon and the Ateca and later in the Ibiza and the Arona. Thanks to the new Digital Cockpit, the instrumentation not only has a more modern and versatile design, but will also give better functionality. The system can be configured to suit different driver tastes, and the whole instrumentation comes now with a fantastic resolution. It is not just about improving the design or the infotainment system, it is also about the advantages it brings to the driving experience, positively contributing to safety and comfort. This new feature, represents another important technological step forward for SEAT, and comes clearly in line with the company digitalisation strategy.

Leon CUPRA R

It can be said with all certainty that the new Leon CUPRA R will be turning heads at SEAT's stand at the IAA 2017. The brand's most powerful road car in its history is also its most exclusive, with a limited 799 units being produced. Available in the UK with a six-speed manual gearbox (310 PS) and front-wheel drive, the new SEAT Leon CUPRA R comes with exclusive carbon fibre details on the front and rear spoilers, side skirts and front diffuser. The wing mirrors come in copper, as well as other details on the alloy wheels, wheel arches and the new front bodywork with powerful air intakes. The SEAT Leon CUPRA R goes on sale later in 2017 and the lucky 799 owners will enjoy an interior that has also received the carbon fiber and copper treatment, as well as the steering wheel and gear stick knob upholstered in Alcantara®. UK buyers will have the choice of two colours; Midnight Black and Monsoon Grey. It also gets some special attention in terms of suspension, allied to Brembo brakes and a new sports exhaust system.

Amazon Alexa, your personal voice service

Turning to Amazon Alexa, SEAT will be the first car brand in Europe to integrate this interactive voice service developed by the well-known online American company into its cars while you are on the go.

Amazon Alexa will be available at the end of this year in the Leon and Ateca and in the Ibiza, Arona and the large SUV in 2018. Launched onto the market in 2014 in its voice-activated service for home guise, Amazon Alexa will be integrated into SEAT's models and will offer drivers the most advanced connectivity with 20,000 'skills' that are included, thanks to its open universe with more than 150 partners that are in constant growth and evolution.

Controlled by the driver's voice, Amazon Alexa allows the driver to manage their personal agenda, look for songs, find points of interest, listen to the online news in real time or find the nearest car dealer among other functions, all under a strict privacy protocol. In its first integration phase, Amazon Alexa will be available in English and German, the two languages currently available for the system.

by Seat