Car manufacturers are adept at saving money in many ways and probably none more so than the Volkswagen Group, through platform sharing. Customers probably don't notice or care, but the same basic structure and mechanical bits are dressed up in different ways to make models in a variety of styles for several brands, writes Andrew Hamilton
The new Seat Ibiza, about to go on Irish sale, is made by VW's Spanish subsidiary. Underneath the skin, however, it is interchangeable with the Skoda Fabia from the Czech Republic and the latest VW Polo, built in Spain and the Slovak Republic.
Of these brands, it is Seat which is going for an upmarket identity. Skoda is known for its honest, inexpensive cars with Volkswagen quality. The VW brand itself is a cut above: smarter cars with a price premium. VW bosses have now attached Seat to Audi in a southern alliance that is supposed to produce more exciting cars in the future, while VW is tied with Skoda in a practical northern European group.
The outgoing boss of VW, Ferdinand Piech, has already had a vision of Seat being the Alfa Romeo of the VW group. To that end, he tempted away Alfa's celebrated design chief, Walter de Silva (who is now in charge of design at Audi as well).
The connection is easy to see with the new Ibiza, a small three and five-door hatchback, with the same high-waisted lines as the Alfa 147. The difference is in the size - it is about the same as the Polo - and the price. The range here starts at €13,990 ex-works.
The Ibiza does show a sportier character than the Fabia and Polo, through a somewhat stiffer suspension. The interior is neat and Teutonic, rather than luxurious.
Much of the 2,000 projected sales for the Ibiza in a full year will be accounted for by the entry-level 1.2 three-cylinder 12 valve petrol unit developing 64bhp. It's also available in the Polo but at more money, €14,680 ex works, in three-door form. The main boast of this engine is its fuel economy: it is said to average 47mpg.
In the new Ibiza line-up, there are altogether three petrol and two diesel engines. The other petrol models are 1.4 litre 16v with either 75 or 100bhp. Diesels are represented by the 1.9 SDi 64bhp and the 1.9TDi 130bhp.
There are three specification levels, Stella, Signo and Sport. George Wallace of Hispano Cars, the Irish importers, says the €13,990 entry-level price, £11,018 in old Irish money, is only £98 up on the old Stella entry-level car. The five-door range starts at ex-works €14,440, going up to €22,840 for the 1.9TDi 130bhp version.
Ibiza's new upmarket image is probably best represented by this car. Although a diesel it oozes performance, with a 0 to 60mph time of around nine seconds and a 130mph top speed. Such performance is comparable to a hot hatchback of just a few years ago. This Ibiza is also frugal on the fuel, going 55mpg.
Putting a diesel at the top is part of the plan. VW thinks the time of the sporty diesel has come and that Seat, with its new spirit and direction, is the marque to lead it.