Ronda, the transition from Seat

In the late 1970s, Spain was going through a political transition…and other transitions. On June 11, 1979, Fiat signed an agreement with INI, the National Institute of Industry. In a few months, the Italian giant, which owns 41% of the Spanish brand, is expected to take over most of the shares. But a year later, everything changes:
Agnelli resigns and breaks the agreement.

Anger explodes in Seat and in the INI, but Antoñanzas, president of the Spanish brand, knows that it is rational to maintain ties with Fiat, which provides the technology, until Seat can go its own way…

And here begins the odyssey of Ronda,
a key model The S1 project, the Ibiza, won’t be available until 1984 and meanwhile you have to survive by selling cars abroad. After complicated negotiations, in June 1981, the Italians finally authorized the export of models derived from their own cars, provided that their appearance clearly distinguishes them.

The tranquility of the rhythm (project S2) is launched. The project for the SEAT study center is confronted with the work of Italian designers: Rayton Fissore (the star designer is Tom Tjaarda, author of the spectacular De Tomaso Pantera), IDEA (Walter da Silva) and Aghemo (Paolo Martín). In March 1980, the Rayton Fissore model and interior were chosen.
conceived in Martorell. The Ritmo has changed everything possible: front, rear and interior, and it is seven centimeters longer, thus entering the group of “four meters”, segment C. The car will be presented in May 1982 at the Barcelona Salon.

initial
the three rhythm mechanics are preserved (1197/65 CV, 1438/75 CV and the 1.7 SOFIM diesel with 55 CV) and the 1600 biarbol has been added, used by the 1430 FU, but in a transverse position and transferring power to the front wheels: it was a lot of fun, that can I assure you in the first place. By the way, curiously, there were two changes available, a long relationship and a short one.

You need to import the Ronda. A network is underway to market it outside of Spain.
But Fiat unleashes all its powers with the intention of ending the career of the Spanish model, which jeopardizes the sales of his Ritmo and which, according to Turin, looks too much like the original. The Italians try to prevent its homologation from the start.

This is achieved in Luxembourg. But between June and November 1982, five letters were sent from Turin requesting Seat not to export the Ronda. And in November, Fiat filed an arbitration claim with the…
International Chamber of Commerce of Paris. The judges travel to Barcelona to take a closer look at the issue. Seat management brings together Ritmo and Ronda, as the court has requested, as well as their rival models, and they’re all painted white to show that their silhouettes are distinctly similar, which isn’t just between the two contested cars. Plus
Seat presents a Ronda in black, but with the elements adjusted with regard to the rhythm, in yellow. Those of Antoñanzas win the competition and at the end of November 1983 the court gives permission for the export of the Spanish model.

There will be other problems.
In 1983, in GermanyHonda sues Seat for unfair competition: the Japanese say “Ronda” looks too much like “Honda”. Many conversations and finally that the car is sold as “Seat Ronda” convinces the Japanese.

The lawsuits are over, and in the summer of 1984 the eternal 1.2 and 1.4 engines (16 years since the first appeared in 1968 in the 124) were replaced by the new System Porsche that Seat commissioned: a “P” on the fin behind distinguished them. Yes indeed,
remains an »Italian»: the 2000 (the classic bi-tree block of the FL), of 1995 cc, is now mounted on the Ronda Crono that with its 120 hp and a weight of only 970 kilos can reach 190 km/h. Not many units of this version were made and today they are highly prized.

In 1986 the SEAT Ronda was no longer produced.
it was a good idea and while the build quality left much to be desired, it was fun to drive and above all allowed Seat to make its own transition from Fiat to the VW group. Without the Ronda, Seat might not have survived.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.