Seat Ibiza Bimotor

[Ferrer]

Motorsport

The SEAT Ibiza Mk1 took part in several rally events and formed the basis on which the 'Campeonato SEAT Ibiza de Rallies' was organised by the SEAT Sport division in 1985, however its most notable rally version has been the all-wheel drive Ibiza Bimotor, manufactured in 1986 and equipped with two engines each one delivering power to the front and rear axle respectively.

Source: wikipedia.org

[Ecnelis]

Seat Ibiza Bimotor #2

[henk4]

they showed it at the Techno Classica earlier this year,with the Goodwood sticker still on it.

[pimento]

What rallies were this legal for?

[csl177]

Originally Posted by pimento

What rallies were this legal for?

I think just the Spanish events mentioned... Ferrer, wasn't it built outside the factory?

Anyway, the Twinny idea was first done with a Mini.* VW built a twin engined Golf as well as a Scirrocco around the same time as this SEAT.

* in more recent times...

[henk4]

Originally Posted by csl177

I think just the Spanish events mentioned... Ferrer, wasn't it built outside the factory?

Anyway, the Twinny idea was first done with a Mini.* VW built a twin engined Golf as well as a Scirrocco around the same time as this SEAT.

* in more recent times...

I look the *
otherwise I would have proposed the 2CV Sahara...

[csl177]

^^^ Oops, good call Henk... forgot about the Sahara. Earlier than the Twinny but actually worked pretty well, plus didn't Citroen build several hundred? A genuine PRODUCTION twin engine car. Another Citroen first!

[henk4]

1958 - 1966 Citron 2CV Sahara - Images, Specifications and Information

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by pimento

What rallies were this legal for?

Spanish Gravel Rally championship, where cars eligible for entry do not need to be necessarily homologated by the FIA. In fact the prototype Group A Deltona was first tested there before actually homologating it in 1992.

Originally Posted by csl177

I think just the Spanish events mentioned... Ferrer, wasn't it built outside the factory?

Anyway, the Twinny idea was first done with a Mini.* VW built a twin engined Golf as well as a Scirrocco around the same time as this SEAT.

* in more recent times...

It wasn't indeed a factory project... sort of.

It was the idea of the Serivà brothers who, togehter with their trusted mechanic built this twin-engined Ibiza in the mid eighties. But soon they started receiving assistance from the newly created (some months prior to the car) Seat Sport and finally became a works car. The car was campaigned from 1986 to 1988 with moderate success. Later on Seat Sport built the supercharged Seat Marbella Proto with which they won the 2 wheel drive Spanish Gravel Championship, but that's another story.

PS. Did you know that before developping their own Ibiza's (Group A/Kit Car) Seat campaigned the works Group A Golf GTI's, and G60's later, due to the lack of a suitable car for FIA sanctioned championships, much like they did in the 70's with the Fiat 131 Abarths (which were incidentally badges as Seats, unlike the Golfs which weren't)?

[Kitdy]

Cool tidbit on SEAT using non-SEAT cars there Ferrer. Quite odd...

[csl177]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

PS. Did you know that before developping their own Ibiza's (Group A/Kit Car) Seat campaigned the works Group A Golf GTI's, and G60's later, due to the lack of a suitable car for FIA sanctioned championships, much like they did in the 70's with the Fiat 131 Abarths (which were incidentally badges as Seats, unlike the Golfs which weren't)?

Yes, I did. It made sense since SEAT's relationship with Fiat was over. Thanks for the clarification of the Serivà brothers involvement... I had been under the impression they developed the car and SEAT later came with financial support for the rally series.

Originally Posted by Kitdy

Cool tidbit on SEAT using non-SEAT cars there Ferrer. Quite odd...

Well, SEAT was created to build cars under license, originally with Fiat... who broke off their relationship because of model/market disputes. VW/Audi took over majority ownership afterwards with agreements for SEAT to produce Polos & Passats in the early '80s; they now own it completely. So using VW's for motorsport was natural. Additionally, the first Ibiza was designed by Giugiaro, tubs built by Karmann and drivetrain developed with Porsche. In a way, it's the Golf VW should have built.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by henk4

I look the *
otherwise I would have proposed the 2CV Sahara...

Wow, the French do everything separately and differently.

So then that would mean there are two gas pedals?

[Kitdy]

Originally Posted by csl177

Well, SEAT was created to build cars under license, originally with Fiat... who broke off their relationship because of model/market disputes. VW/Audi took over majority ownership afterwards with agreements for SEAT to produce Polos & Passats in the early '80s; they now own it completely. So using VW's for motorsport was natural. Additionally, the first Ibiza was designed by Giugiaro, tubs built by Karmann and drivetrain developed with Porsche. In a way, it's the Golf VW should have built.

I had forgotten about the Fiat tie up, but what I thought odd was running VWs with no SEAT logo or even a token attempt to make the cars look like a SEAT.

I did not know the Ibiza story; SEAT is a brand I have little interest in. Quite a nice and tidy looking car the first gen Ibiza though, and some good companies involved in its development.

That being said, the MkI Golf is well looked upon, unlike some of its descendants.

[f6fhellcat13]

Very good stuff, Ferrer. I'm looking forward to more '80s rally nonsense!

Originally Posted by Kitdy

That being said, the MkI Golf is well looked upon, unlike some of its descendants.

[Kitdy]

Indeed.

And come on man, that is the refreshed City Golf! Mine looks quite nice actually; it's just a bottom of the barrel Golf from 2006 that is actually from 1998.