The name Fórmula itself derives from the brand's heritage from the past, as a reminding of the creation of the Spanish Fórmula Nacional race tracks back in the 1960s,[4] when SEAT started its implication in motorsport activities.[5][6]
The first concept for the car built by the Turinese company Stola was shown at the 1999 Geneva Salon international de l' auto, featuring a water-cooled 2-litre 20-valve turbo four-cylinder 240 hp engine which was riding onto an aluminium chassis weighing almost 900 kg.[7] Its 20-inch light alloy wheels (7.5 J × 20" front and 9 J × 20" rear) were fitted on 205/45 R20 front and 255/35 R20 rear tires and mounted onto an independent suspension system consisting of Formula One-style wishbones in front and horizontally mounted dampers rear system.[8] The combination of the very light chassis with the powerful engine (performing a maximum output of 240 bhp peaking at 5800 rpm and a maximum torque of 295 Nm between 2100 and 4800 rpm) and the six-speed sequential Sportronic electro-hydraulic semi-automatic gearbox,[9] both deriving from SEAT's rally cars, gave the SEAT Fórmula the ability to reach 0–100 km/h in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 235 km/h.[10] As for the brakes, all front and rear wheels disposed ventilated disc brakes.
A 100-litre-volume luggage compartment was also available.[11]
