Estates still make much sense these days. I think they’re even more practical that most crossovers since, at least, estates don’t suffer from any identity crisis.

Here’s Seat with their new compact estate – the Seat Ibiza ST estate.

Powering the car is the a range of six engines consisting of 3 gasoline engines and 3 diesels with the 1.2 TDI and 1.2 TSI engines built new for the Ibiza range.

The car’s 18 cm longer than the regular Ibiza hatch creating 430 liters of cargo space – significantly more than the hatch’s 292 liters. The rear folding split seats would allow for more storage capacity when needed.

The car will be unveiled at the coming Geneva show and will be on sale this summer.

A Seat Ibiza Ecomotive cruised all the way from Spain through France and Germany on the way to a world record for average fuel consumption for its class. The trip put the Ibiza at 81.1 mpg after making a single-tank trip for 970.6 miles.

The Ibiza Ecomotive was driven by former rally driver Gerhard Plattner from the Seat headquarters in Martorell near Barcelona. It left the facility with a sealed bonnet and a sealed fuel tank mouth. The car ran no more than under 70 mph. The car arrived at the predetermined finish point in Germany with still some fuel in the tank.

With the record already bagged, the car went on to Göttingen, to have the seals removed by the International Police Motor Corporation. Plattner described the feat as incredible. “Without a doubt, it has been the most spectacular fuel-saving challenge this year,” he added.

Seat banked on the Seat Ibiza Ecomotive’s optimized aerodynamics, weight-saving measures, and a modified TDI power plant to clinch the world record. Here’s hoping the record translates to a boost in sales.

Source: Autocar

Seat announced that it will be coming up with a limited-run variant of its Ibiza supermini. The Spanish automaker will be making 150 Ibiza Black variants, featuring a Black Magic paint job along with additional styling upgrades.

Aside from the gorgeous black colorway, the new Ibiza Black will have all-new exterior components to match. The front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and a roof spoiler will be among the updated features. It will also feature 17-inch alloy wheels and, on the inside, sport seats.

Essentially, the Ibiza Black features the same specs as Ibiza Sport Coupe 5dr, on which the variant is based. It will be powered by a 1.4-liter engine that can push the car to a top speed of 108 mph. It can accelerate to 62 mph in a decent 12.2 seconds. Fuel mileage is pegged at 45.6 mpg, while CO2 emission levels are at 149g/km.

It’s a limited-run offer, so it’s bound to get some interest. The Ibiza has proven to be a respectable seller, and the stats show the car isn’t a pushover.

Source: Autocar

Spanish automaker SEAT, S.A. has just unveiled its hybrid family car concept, called the León Twin Drive, capable of an all-electric drive through the city with the option of switching to a combustion engine for a longer drive.

The automaker intends to make the Ecomotive line all-electric in the future, citing that eliminating the need for an internal combustion engine “is on the agenda.” The Twin Drive Ecomotive concept has lithium-ion batteries. Certainly, hybridizing the diesel-powered León Ecomotive is the first step towards that all-electric goal.

The current León Ecomotive is powered by a 1.9-liter engine with turbocharged direct injection. At the heart of the company’s Ecomotive line is a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that effectively removes the harmful soot particles that the engine gives off. The SEAT engineers have also worked hard at tweaking gear ratios for even more reduced emissions. Lower-resistance tires and drastically-reduced weight also help make the Ecomotive more eco-friendly and efficient.

SEAT is targeting a 2014 date for the production model of the León Twin Drive Ecomotive.

Sources: Autocar and SEAT León Ecomotive Page