page_title: SEAT León
section_title: SEAT Leon Super 2000 car
hierarchical_section_title: SEAT León / SEAT Leon in motorsport / SEAT Leon Super 2000 car
caption_attribution_description: Seat Leon WTCC at the 2006 Paris Auto Show
context_page_description: The SEAT León is a hatchback compact car built by the Spanish car manufacturer SEAT since October 1998.
  The first two Leon generations used two differing variants of the Volkswagen Group A platform, and shared many components with other Volkswagen Group cars. The third and fourth (current) generation use the Volkswagen Group MQB platform, also used by the Audi A3 Mk3 and Mk4, Volkswagen Golf Mk7 and Mk8 and Škoda Octavia Mk3, Mk4.
context_section_description: During 2005, SEAT introduced the second generation Leon into the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) to replace the Toledo Cupra which it had raced in the early rounds of the title.  The car featured several modifications, including a racing engine that developed over 191 kW (260 PS; 256 bhp), a Hewland sequential-shift gearbox (unrelated to the DSG), and an aerodynamic package for increased downforce (with its hatchback shape, the Leon was disadvantaged against conventional three-box saloons).  Minimum weight is 1,140 kg (2,513.3 lb) with driver.  SEAT Sport, in partnership with Oreca, ran six cars in the WTCC.  Two other cars were run by SEAT Sport UK (Northern South) based in Northampton, UK in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).  A further two cars were run by SEAT Sport Italia in the Italia Superturismo Championship.
  In mid-2007 SEAT introduced the Leon TDI to combat BMW's dominance. The car did show promise with Yvan Muller behind the wheel and the team was set to score championship win in Macau, but reliability issues caused Muller an retirement in Race 1 and the engine problems weren't solved in time thus not starting in Race 2 and handing the title to Andy Priaulx with BMW 320si.
  In 2008, Muller won the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers at the wheel of a Leon TDI, and SEAT won the Manufacturers' title. Leon TDI was also fielded by SEAT UK in the British Touring Car Championship with Jason Plato being the lead driver. Plato finished second behind Fabrizio Giovanardi with Vauxhall in the drivers' championship. At the end of the season SEAT UK withdrew from the series and subsequently this was the only season where Leon TDI competed in the BTCC.
  In 2009, Gabriele Tarquini became the Drivers' Champion with the Leon TDI, and SEAT won the Manufacturers' title for a second consecutive year. At the end of the season SEAT Sport officially ended their manufacturer support. Leon TDI cars were entered by Sunred Engineering for the following season and despite not having official manufacturer support from SEAT, in the manufacturers' championship the entity was named SEAT Customers Technology. Tarquini finished second in the drivers' standings behind Yvan Muller with Chevrolet.
  For 2011, new rules were introduced in WTCC, incorporating a new engine formula - 1.6 turbocharged engines, similar to those used in the World Rally Championship. In line with the changes Sunred created the SUNRED SR Leon 1.6T, using the then Leon TDI as base. The cars, however, were not ready for the start of the season, and Sunred drivers used the older Leon TDI, which was still eligible to enter thanks to the Jay Ten Trophy, introduced by the series promoter Eurosport for 2010-spec cars.
  In 2012, SEAT Sport unofficially returned to the series introducing the SEAT Leon WTCC, effectively replacing the SR Leon from Sunred, to privateer entries. Some drivers like Tom Boardman and Tiago Monteiro started the season using the old Leon TDI. The TDI version was still eligible in the European Touring Car Cup where Fernando Monje won the 2012 championship. For the following season Leon TDI was banned from ETC Cup and with everyone now upgraded to the Leon WTCC 2012 marked the last time diesel car was entered in WTCC and ETCC. The Léon WTCC continued to be eligible until the introduction of TC1 in 2014 (although Leon WTCC was able to be entered in the TC2 class in the same year as TC1's introduction).
caption: SEAT Leon Mk2 WTCC race car
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