Story: DAVID WILKINS

SPAIN’S SEAT hasn’t traditionally been at the top of most business users’ car buying lists – but that’s starting to change. In 2010, the company delivered on a big fleet order with British Gas for 500 Leons, while the Exeo saloon and estate – based on the last-generation Audi A4 – have also attracted a certain amount of interest from company car buyers. This year, the company beefed up its fleet and business sales operations.

Now there’s a new Leon in the works. It’s just gone into production at SEAT’s factory at Martorell near Barcelona, and its one of the most important cars in SEAT’s history. The company has a strong line-up but lives or dies by the success of its core Ibiza and Leon models.

• Under the skin the Leon shares a platform with the new VW Golf and Audi’s A3

The last Leon was the best looking of a trio of slightly awkwardly-styled mid-sized SEATs – the others were the Altea and the last Toledo – but this time SEAT is taking no chances and the new model looks like a bigger version of the attractive Ibiza.

Under the skin, the Leon is the third car to get the Volkswagen group’s new MQB platform, which also provides a base for the new Golf and Audi A3. There’s no news yet on those all important  company car tax rates but the Golf and the A3 have impressed with business-friendly petrol and diesel options.

SEAT has invested about £650 million in product development and factory facilities in order to put the new Leon into production. The first cars off the line will be five-door hatchbacks but an estate and a three-door hatch will arrive by 2014. We’ll keep you in touch with the launch schedule through our company car news.