SEAT Ibiza celebrates 25th Anniversary

[m0rk]

SEAT IBIZA – A success story spanning 25 years

The SEAT Ibiza celebrates it's 25th Anniversary this year and SEAT chose to mark the significant milestone at it's home event the Barcelona Motorshow with a display of it's previous Ibiza models. Originally the 1984 Paris Motor Show was the chosen backdrop to unveil the SEAT Ibiza to the world and as you'll discover it's never looked back.

Read more at SEATCupra.net...

 

[ZBOYD]

If you want to leave your own, experiences, tributes and birthday wishes to the much loved Ibiza.

Feel free to do it in here.

 

[knight85]

good article.....wasted some time at work

 

[ZBOYD]

It's based largely on a press release SEAT Spain put out the other day to mark the 25th anniversary.

But having read that press release I decided to flesh it out with a bit more info and pics and make it a little more UK centric and explain the model generations as to why we in the UK consider there to be five generations.

 

[sosidge]

My first impression was that the original Ibiza looks better now than it did in the 80s - dare I say the best looking Ibiza of all!

 

[markmeus]

Well the main pic is a bit misleading as SEAT have left out their best looking Ibiza... the mk3



On a serious note, it's not often that I find te mk5 5 door attractive, but that red one in the pic with all the other models, doesn't look too bad!

 

[ZBOYD]

Well the main pic is a bit misleading as SEAT have left out their best looking Ibiza... the mk3



On a serious note, it's not often that I find te mk5 5 door attractive, but that red one in the pic with all the other models, doesn't look too bad!

You did read the article then.

 

[Brummy]

Just confirms really that the mk3 is pretty much a mish-mash stop gap between two decent models

 

[ZBOYD]

Even dealers refer to them as Mk3's. Seems the initial mistake was with the importer (ie SEAT UK or as they started as subsidiary division of Volkswagen UK)

It just kind of stuck here, though the Mk2 did have 2 facelifts during it's run. The original Mk2 with the inset moulding bumpers, the next mk2 had the smooth bumpers then they went to town and changed almost everything.

Spain considered that to be a face-lift however the UK importer or it's dealer network at least and the rest of us seemed to think it was a whole new car really.

Though SEAT have been guilty for years of changing specifications so radically that the customer and dealers alike got left a bit confused.

Remember the Ibiza Mk2 GTI and the Ibiza Mk2 GTI Cuprasport, the Ibiza GTI was of higher specification to the Cupra. It's said the Cupra was only built so they could homologate the car for F2 rallying.

Then there were Leon Cupra's, Leon Sports, then Leon Sports rebadged as Leon Cupras. Then facelifted Leon Cupra's to look like the V6 Cupra which never came to the UK. Then the Cupra R 210, then the Cupra R 225, then the FR then the FR made to look like a Cupra R.

They are no better with the Mk2 Leon, the aero kit found it's way onto almost every varient including reference sports.

 

[markmeus]

You did read the article then.

I did actually!

Oddly enough the pervous version of that photo shows the mk3

Funny that VW dont follow the same strategy, I'd hardly say the mk6 Golf deserves to be called a new model. Really mk5.5.

 

[ZBOYD]

I did actually!

Oddly enough the pervous version of that photo shows the mk3

Funny that VW dont follow the same strategy, I'd hardly say the mk6 Golf deserves to be called a new model. Really mk5.5.

Aye i knew you had, the was referencing to fact someone was paying attention.

I thought about using that image, but it's emphasis was on the Mk4 (Mk3)

 

[markmeus]

Ahhh I see!

It is a good article! Nice to know a bit about the earlier Ibizas.

 

[Brummy]

Even dealers refer to them as Mk3's. Seems the initial mistake was with the importer (ie SEAT UK or as they started as subsidiary division of Volkswagen UK)

It just kind of stuck here, though the Mk2 did have 2 facelifts during it's run. The original Mk2 with the inset moulding bumpers, the next mk2 had the smooth bumpers then they went to town and changed almost everything.

Spain considered that to be a face-lift however the UK importer or it's dealer network at least and the rest of us seemed to think it was a whole new car really.

Though SEAT have been guilty for years of changing specifications so radically that the customer and dealers alike got left a bit confused.

Remember the Ibiza Mk2 GTI and the Ibiza Mk2 GTI Cuprasport, the Ibiza GTI was of higher specification to the Cupra. It's said the Cupra was only built so they could homologate the car for F2 rallying.

Then there were Leon Cupra's, Leon Sports, then Leon Sports rebadged as Leon Cupras. Then facelifted Leon Cupra's to look like the V6 Cupra which never came to the UK. Then the Cupra R 210, then the Cupra R 225, then the FR then the FR made to look like a Cupra R.

They are no better with the Mk2 Leon, the aero kit found it's way onto almost every varient including reference sports.

Bit like Porsche's really

 

[M4TTYF]

thank you guys for this amazing article into the birth and sucess of the ibiza and as you said long may it continue and by the way the early mk2s are the best in my opinion lol

 

[IainW]

Good article. The MK1 looks pretty good it has to be said!

<anorak>And noticed the pre-facelift MK4 with post-facelift rear badging. </anorak>

 

[stuartydh]

good article, have to say i think the newest ibizas styling is horrendous, apart from the picture at the very bottom of the article of the quite sporty looking one. it may be more "planted" but the looks arent as good as the previous mk's (especially the mk4 )

good article, keep it up!

 

[BLACKNIGHT]

yeah the new new ibza is cool m8 get with the modern times and stop being so 80s

 

[stuartydh]

the mk4 2007 model is hardly 80's lol

 

[BLACKNIGHT]

That depends on how you look at things dont it lol

 

[stuartydh]

aye

i suppose thats a good point but lets face it at least the mark 4 looked sporty even if it was the basic model whereas the new mark 5 looksquite bad as standard...