Hot new SEAT Tarraco FR to bring sporty edge and plug-in hybrid option ~ station of gear

John McIlroy 2018-09-18 22:12

SEAT will supplement its new Tarraco SUV range with a hot FR version offered in petrol, diesel and hybrid form

The new SEAT Tarraco will be offered in performance-focused FR form in both conventional and plug-in hybrid forms, Auto Express has learned.

The new SUV is being sold as a seven-seater only in the UK, as a rival for the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and the Hyundai Santa Fe. But SEAT has already confirmed plans to offer a sport-themed FR edition alongside the SE and Xcellence versions that will form the backbone of the range.

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SEAT’s head of research and development, Dr Matthias Rabe, confirmed to Auto Express that the Tarraco hybrid - due in 2020, with 206bhp and 400Nm of torque, and the ability to go more than 30 miles on pure-electric power alone - will not just be a standalone model, but rather a powertrain that can be fitted to various trim levels. These would include FR, he stated.

“FR Tarraco will be about the design and styling, and the chassis, instead of more power,” Rabe said. “We have 190PS petrol and diesel versions, and then there’s the 210PS hybrid, and these all have enough performance for FR. So yes, there’s every reason why FR can be a hybrid and we will certainly do that.”

The Tarraco hybrid will have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km, Rabe said, even on the tougher WLTP fuel test that’s now being introduced.

Read all about the Skoda Kodiaq vRS performance SUV here...

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