1985 SEAT Malaga 1.5L 5MT FWD (86 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After ending its partnership with Fiat, the Spanish carmaker SEAT tried to evolve by itself and introduced the Malaga, a car that looked like a Fiat, but it wasn’t one.

During their partnership, the Spaniards and the Italians put Spain on wheels and, starting with the Fiat/SEAT-600 their duo and followed by other models. One of their last joint products was the Fiat/Seat Ritmo, which was produced by the Spanish carmaker until 1982 when the agreement between the two carmakers ended. Later on, SEAT introduced the Ronda, which was mainly based on the Ritmo, but featured just enough different areas to be considered a different vehicle. Then, the Malaga arrived.

It was based on the Seat Ronda but featured a three-box bodywork. Fiat had the same recipe for the Fiat Ritmo/Regata. The two vehicles, the Regata and Malaga, looked very similar, but since Seat employed Giugiaro to design the car, Fiat couldn’t say that it was a copy-cat. The rectangular headlights and the totally different taillights gave the Malaga a different look. Its door-handles were flush to bodywork, and Fiat did that only on the Regata’s facelifted version.

Inside, the Malaga featured a unique dashboard, like it was made from different parts and glued together. Its instrument cluster featured two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer with the fuel and temperature gauges placed between them in a linear-type mode. Since it featured the same platform as the Ronda, it offered similar interior space, including the rear seats where there was limited legroom for taller passengers.

Under the hood, SEAT employed Porsche to develop the 1.5-liter engine. The other choice, a 1.1-liter, was an older version of a Fiat-sourced push-rod engine. SEAT also offered a diesel version that provided just 56 hp but returned an excellent fuel-efficiency.