SEAT Ateca FR Shown in Barcelona, Looks Cool in Red

The Ateca doesn't have a cool naturally aspirated VR6 engine. That would have made for some powerful twin-turbo conversions and lousy fuel economy. The Cupra people will definitely fix the lack of power with their 300 HP magic, but before that happens, we have the FR trim... level.

Trim level - sounds boring. Back in the day of hairy chests and FM radios, FR was a car with the same engine as the Golf GTI. But nowadays, everybody does it. You put the tracksuit on the average diesel engine and make it seem more athletic.

That sort of thing suits the Ateca well since it's a crossover that was never meant to carve B-roads. A fresh bumper is just what it needs to combat the Ford Kuga, Mercedes GLA and all the other compact high-riders that care about having fun.

We want the Ateca to win because it's the underdog. So we jumped at the opportunity to check out the FR body kit live at the Barcelona Motor Show. Red is a great color that makes the modified bumper stand out. Maybe the gloss black grille inserts will also convince you to pay extra.

How much more? Well, in Germany the Ateca FR starts at €28,020, the same as the XCellence. You can't have it with anything less than 150 horsepower, so the 1.4 TSI and 2.0 TDI are the headliners. Of course, the most powerful version is the 190 HP 2.0 TDI with standard 4Drive and DSG. It will cost you €36,000. Velvet Red paint is another €600, and you can probably spend more on puddle lights, wheels and safety stuff.