The SEAT Salsa Emoción was a prototype ahead of its time, anticipating the crossover concept so in vogue today. It was the star attraction of SEAT at the Paris Motor Show held in September 2000. It was a truly multifunctional car, pioneering SEAT's development work that today is embodied in the brand's current SUV family.

The Salsa Emoción was an evolution of the SEAT Salsa concept car, unveiled six months earlier at the Geneva Motor Show. Both were developed entirely at the SEAT Technical Centre in Martorell. The styling was the work of then head of SEAT Design Walter De'Silva, and anticipated the lines of the forthcoming SEAT range. The two Salsa prototypes shared the powertrain, a V6 2.8-litre, 250 HP, with all-wheel drive and 5-speed Tiptronic transmission.

The Salsa was a coupe MPV, pioneer in the introduction of the MDC (Multi Driving Concept): using a rotary switch in the floating central console that separated the front seats, the driver could choose between three environments, Sport, Comfort and City. Each one varied the interior appearance and information on the instrument board.

The Salsa Emoción went one step further, to offer a multifunctional vehicle with off-road skills. In the Emoción, the MDC system varies the dynamic configuration of the vehicle, thanks to an adaptable chassis with height-variable suspension. The name "Emoción" emphasized the adventurous side of the prototype.

Using the rotary switch, three configurations can be chosen: Street, Off Road and Sport. On Street, it is 240 mm off the ground, for city driving; in Off Road it goes up 70 mm, up to 310, for the most adventurous off-road driving; and in Sport it is located in an intermediate point, in line with a conventional SUV. The gas pneumatic suspension adjusts accordingly, complemented by other details of appearance and information.

In addition, the Salsa Emoción is prepared for a more demanding treatment: for example, the interior is waterproof and can be washed by hosing it down. Aesthetically, it is wider and higher than Salsa, with a more robust SUV look, but maintaining Salsa’s main lines, such as the side romantic line.

The Salsa Emoción is painted in a characteristic golden colour and, like the Salsa, does not have a bonnet for direct access to the engine - maintenance operations can be carried out through exterior openings. Also as in the Salsa, the headlights are intelligent and vary their intensity according to driving conditions, and it is fitted with ABS brakes, EDS electronic self-locking differential, ESP stability control and TCS traction control.

Thus, the Salsa Emoción is a very relevant concept car in the history of SEAT, having marked the beginning of the road to the brand’s current SUV model family. The Salsa Emoción and its predecessor, the Salsa, are both part of the SEAT HISTÓRICOS Collection on Nave A122.