The Seat Ibiza, the automobile that made the model 'better', turns 40 | EUROtoday

Planted by Fiat, In the Nineteen Eighties, Seat started a harmful journey looking for an industrial and capitalist associate that will guarantee its future. The resolution got here in 1986, when the VW Group took over 75% of the Spanish firm that two years earlier, and as a letter of intent, had launched the Ibiza.

Replacing the 127, it may very well be stated that this mannequin, whose first unit left the Zona Franca plant on April 27, 1984, made the model greater: it was the primary that it developed fully by itself and the pioneer of its worldwide enlargement.

Although for this arduous work, the collaboration of famend companies: Italdesign, by Giorgietto Giugiaro, was accountable for the design, Karman participated in industrialization and a few of its mechanics have been tweaked by Porscheas they proudly displayed on the cylinder head cowl.

With a size of three.60 meters, being primarily based on the Ronda platform, it supplied a notable inside house in a physique that stood out for its massive glass floor and the wheels on the ends. This first technology, which It went on sale for about 825,000 pesetas (it might be 16,000 euros at the moment) it had gasoline and diesel engines of between 44 and 100 HP.

1.29 million models have been bought, to which must be added the one which the then King Juan Carlos gave in 1986 to his son Felipe, the present monarch, simply launched the age of majority… and the driving license. Painted in a particular golden colour, It had a number of distinctive particulars (seats and steering wheel, widened rear wings, double rear spoiler…) and an influence (100 HP) that not one of the variations on sale supplied at the moment.

Its second supply – the most important, with 1.5 million models manufactured – opened on the Martorell manufacturing facility in 1993 and, now inside VW's orbit, It is properly remembered for its TDI variations, ridiculously costly and really quick because of engines that gave rather more energy than marketed. It was additionally the idea of the Ibiza Kit Car with which Seat gained three two-liter FIA World Rally Championships (1996, 97 and 98), which laid the seed for the Cupra variants, at the moment a profitable personal model.

It is at present in its sixth technology and has amassed greater than six million automobiles manufactured, which makes it probably the most profitable Seat in its historical past. It was additionally their best-selling automobile for years.

Today it solely survives with a five-door physique (launched in 1986), but additionally He had a sedan (below the identify Córdoba), a household automobile (Crdoba Vario and ST) and even the industrial Inca. Apart from curious prototypes resembling a cabrio, in regards to the first technology; an electrical Ibiza (on the second) or, on the earth of competitors, the brutal Twin-engine for filth rallies that delivered 300 HP.