Motoring News

Seat has claimed that black is now ‘the new silver’, with the colour enjoying a boom in popularity in 2006, and has launched a "dramatic" new version of its Toledo in response to the trend.

According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 479,000 black cars were sold in 2005, rising to 522,000 last year.

Seat described the shade as "arguably the coolest paint option" and announced that a new variant of its Toledo Sport model will be available in black only.

This car is described as having "visual drama", partly owing to the contrast between the silver 18-inch alloy wheels and the black metallic paint.

Seat pitches the Toledo Sport as an offering that straddles the boundaries of traditional car segments – a "hatchback with saloon car overtones that also boasts MPV-like space and flexibility".

A two-litre TDI diesel engine will power the vehicle in combination with a "cutting-edge" direct shift gearbox.

This setup will enable the car to reach 62mph from a standstill in 9.9 seconds and deliver a top speed of 125mph. Fuel economy is not sacrificed, however, with the potential of 47 miles of driving per gallon.