Seat is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the company’s introduction to the UK.
In September 1985, a handful of dealers across the country introduced British motorists to the Mk I Seat Ibiza.
See the pics of Seat’s highlights over the last 25 years
By the end of 1986, its first full year of operation in the UK, 5922 new Seats had been sold.
That same year, Volkswagen grabbed a 51 per cent stake in Seat and the takeover was completed in 1990.
Seat recorded its peak in UK sales in 2007 when 34,790 cars found their way onto British driveways.
See the pics of SEAT’s highlights over the last 25 yearsSee all the latest Seat reviews, news and video
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Re: Seat celebrate 25 years - pics
Re: Seat celebrate 25 years - pics
Is there any european car that doesnt end up recycled in China?? I can think of the Citroen ZX, Seat Toledo mk1, Rover 75, Austin Maestro, Morris Ital, Daihatsu Charade, to name but a few!!!
Re: Seat celebrate 25 years - pics
Not a Fiat Uno, no. The Ibiza Mk1 was based on the Ronda, which was itself a restyling of the Fiat Ritmo. Seat used to produce its own version of the Ritmo (seen here, in the old police colours), but when they cut ties with FIAT they were forced to re-style, to set it apart from the original. After some arbitration, it was considered "different enough" from the Ritmo.
I can tell you that Porsche definitely had nothing to do with the suspension set-up: the Ibiza had a rear transversal leaf spring!
If you liked the Mk1 Ibiza, perhaps you can buy one still. Well, not an Ibiza, but a Nanjing Yuejin Soyat, any way :)