It is the Spanish brand’s best-selling model and has sold more than four million copies in four different generations.
The design partnership in producing the boxy first version in 1984 included Giorgio Giugiaro, Karmann and Porsche, which last company worked on the engine.
in 1993, the Spanish brand announced the second generation of the Ibiza, becoming the first SEAT to be manufactured in the new Martorell factory, 30 kms from Barcelona. In 1996, SEAT debuted its first Ibiza Cupra – equipped with a 150 PS 2.0-litre engine.
The third generation of the Ibiza saw the light in 2001, designed by Walter de Silva and with more powerful engines, especially in diesel.
By 2004 more than 3.3 million units had been manufactured and two new sporty versions, under a new FR and the familiar Cupra badges were introduced.
The Mk IV debuted a year ago with designer Luc Donckerwolke’s ‘Arrow Design’ concept at the front. It underpins SEAT’s target of 800,000 global sales annually by 2018.
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