Hot new SEAT Ibiza's make international debut

chrisjgill

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Dec 13, 2007
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I think another concern with the 7 speed DSG is that (from what I have read) it can't handle oodles of torque so the re-mappers may well have to go easy on it. Shame if that's the case as this car looks to have so much potential.

Is that why peak torque is earlier in the rev range than expected? Someone mentioned it on the discussion section of the Autocar article
 

Leonidas

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Found these pic of different colours. Just to give ye an idea...

cupra1.jpg

cupra4.jpg

cupra2.jpg

cupra3.jpg

cupra7.jpg

cupra5.jpg
 

BeezerDiesel

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Is that why peak torque is earlier in the rev range than expected? Someone mentioned it on the discussion section of the Autocar article

I think you're probably along the right lines there, they've kept the torque down but brought it in nice and early to give a long flat curve which is probably more gentle on the new style clutches in the 7 speeder.
 

Trumpetman21

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Jan 17, 2006
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From the Autocar article:

"Still, it’s difficult not to feel that if Seat had chosen to offer a standard manual box and a lower list price this could have been a genuinely excellent hot hatch contender. As it is, it’s good but still less than satisfying."

Couldn't agree more on the gearbox & price - seems too expensive to me....a normal manual for £1000-£500 less would be the way to go IMHO.
 

Trumpetman21

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Jan 17, 2006
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Have to agree with this part of the CAR review too:

"There have been, I’d say, two missed opportunities for Seat to combat its pesky French rival. Firstly, not offering a manual is a bold move, but it impacts on that list price. A manual option might just provide enough financial incentive for Clio buyers to jump ship. Secondly, the Bocanegra should have turned up the Cupra wick by a few more degrees, taking the fight directly to the Clio Cup."
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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From CAR Magazine, just to point out that each reviewer is an individual and what one says another might not (my advice drive one yourself and make up your own mind:

"The engine is smooth and linear, pulls from nothing and yet, despite its civilised manners, still feels punchy at either end of the rev range. The gearbox, too, expertly walks that tightrope between daily driving manners (yes, honestly, we did find time to pootle in between flat-out blasts) and satisfyingly fast, clean shifts when you’re really gunning it."
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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If you want the styling additions of a Bocanegra then you pay a bit more, but they are both the same under the skin.

£15995 for a Cupra compared to the Clio starts to make a little more of a financial statement.
 
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xJib

Full Member
Couldn't agree more on the gearbox & price - seems too expensive to me....a normal manual for £1000-£500 less would be the way to go IMHO.

I wonder how much adding a manual would lower the price. I can only guess one of the reasons that Seat might have gone for the 7 speed DSG on all 1.4 TSI's is to lower the price of development as they don't need to engineer things like clutch links, cylinders, gear linkages to the gearbox (I'd expect they'd be different that other engines in the range), etc. Also by only offering that gearbox they are increasing volumes and so will be able to lower costs.

It would be interesting if the new Polo or Fabia with the 1.4TSI only come with the DSG too.

A manual would be nicer when you're at maximum attack down your favorite country road, but I think I'd prefer it for the DSG for the 95% of the time I'm stuck in traffic/going to Tesco/driving to work.
 

225

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Have to agree with this part of the CAR review too:

"There have been, I’d say, two missed opportunities for Seat to combat its pesky French rival. Firstly, not offering a manual is a bold move, but it impacts on that list price. A manual option might just provide enough financial incentive for Clio buyers to jump ship. Secondly, the Bocanegra should have turned up the Cupra wick by a few more degrees, taking the fight directly to the Clio Cup."

Definately, tweak the ecu and give it another 20nhp or so and manual gearbox.
 

Trumpetman21

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Give the weight of initial opinion of journos & forums alike I wouldn't be surprised if a manual became an option at some point in the future.
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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To be honest 90% of my driving is spent tackling the daily commute and a manual is a pain, I got sick of my Cupra R because the clutch was so heavy. The Mk2 Cupra has a lighter clutch in comparison but there are days when I think i wish this was a DSG.

If the Mk2 Cupra had been available with DSG I would of had it in a heartbeat, I was seriously considering an FR for the fact it has the DSG box. However my heart over-ruled my head on the Cupra. Though I've already decided that whatever I get next will be an auto of some description.

For the odd increasingly rare occasions I find an empty B road with no speed cameras I can live without a manual box.
 

Trumpetman21

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Once you start hankering after an auto it's a slippery slope....until you'll eventually be in an auto Volvo with a caravan on the back Z!

;)
 
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