Seat enhanced its hot hatch repertoire with the stunning Ibiza Becanegra. It is the hottest Ibiza ever, powered by a 1.4-litre turbo and supercharged TSI engine. It is the latest of Seat Ibizas after the FR and the Cupra. All three are powered by the same engine, but Bocanegra is the car that is aimed at keen drivers looking for a super-mini in a bit more stylish outfit.

Bocanegra literally means ‘black mouth’ in Spanish, and as the name sounds, it has a glossy black front end. The front end also looks tough with blackened grill and front air dam enriching its looks. The headlight line and grill blends through the bumper, into a strong character line cutting the front doors and quarter panels. At the back end a roof spoiler, black honeycomb mesh grille, flared guards inserts and a centre exit exhaust catches the eye. The black door mirror housings, 17-inch Sira alloys and a dark tinted sunroof give it the complete look.

The interior complements its exterior looks well with sports seats which feature red stitching and a squared-off three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel. A red-black colour scheme is followed, and noteworthy ‘B’ logos are emblazoned throughout the cabin. The steering wheel also hides the paddles which operates the standard-fit twin-clutch DSG gearbox. Though the interior design is largely unchanged from the Cupra, the layout makes it more attractive. The Bocanegra comes in with a 148bhp or 178bhp 1.4-litre TSI twin-charger engine, which is the same as in Cupra. The twin-charger engine was first introduced in Golf GTI last year and it comprise of a turbo charger and super charger. It forces an induction that makes the pint-sized capacity punch above its weight, enabling it to produce 178 bhp and 184lb ft or 148bhp and 162lb ft. The power it generates depends on its state of tuning.

The Bocanegra will be available with a seven-speed DSG gear boxes. It also has an XDS electronic limited slip differential which is used to channelize the power to the front wheels. The XDS diff use the stability control to maintain traction and eliminates the need for a mechanical differential. These features enable the Bocanegra to do 0-60mph in 7 seconds and also to attain a top speed of 141mph/226kph. The engine offers an economy of 44.0 mpg with an emission rate of 148g/km CO2. Though the Bocanegra engine sound remarkably sporty it feels strained higher in the range and has to be worked hard to deliver its performance. Also, the Bocanegra’s chassis lack the agility and engagement to outdo the main rivals such as the new Renaultsport Clio. It costs £700 more than Cupra, weighing in at £16,695. The additional amount buys you unique styling and trim detailing but ultimately it’s up to one’s personal taste to decide whether it has the styling to worth its price.