SEAT Marbella

During my recent visit to Espana I came across this little SEAT car in Mazarrón and I couldn't resist snapping it, much to the dismay of passersby who could not understand how anyone would be even remotely interested in a battered old banger which had obviously seen better days. SEAT(Sociedad Espanola de Automóviles de Turismo) is the Spanish national car manufacturer and although now part of the Volkswagen group the company was originally founded in 1950 with assistance from Italian car giant Fiat. Following a disagreement with Fiat over lack of investment in the 1980's however the link was severed and this car which began life as a Fiat/SEAT Panda from 1980 to 1986 was rebadged as a SEAT Marbella from 1986 to 1998. SEAT made some changes to the body style but it still looks distinctively like a Panda. We can actually see the first hint of aerodynamics creeping into the design of this old SEAT model.