The fifth generation of the ever popular SEAT Ibiza is about to be released - we look back !

• About to enter its fifth generation, the SEAT Ibiza has sold more than 5.4 million units
• 80% of its production is exported to over 75 countries 
• It has been on the market for 33 years and was the car that internationalised the brand

In 1984, Michael Jackson took the music world by storm with Thriller. On the big screen, Ghostbusters and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom smashed all box-office records. 

It was also the year when Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was born, and the year the first SEAT Ibiza was launched on the market. 

Since then, this model has been driving on streets and roads all over the world continuously for 33 years. Keep reading to find out some interesting facts and figures about this legendary model.

-Four generations and more than 5.4 million units sold

In three decades, the SEAT Ibiza has accumulated four generations. It is the top-selling Spanish passenger car – to date, more than 5.4 million units have been sold. If they were arranged in a straight line, they would exceed the distance between Barcelona and New Zealand.

- Created in Barcelona

Every generation of the Ibiza was designed, developed and produced in Barcelona. Italy’s Giorgetto Giugiaro was the Design Director responsible for the first generation. The engine was developed with the collaboration of Porsche, thereby creating the System Porsche designation, and car module manufacturer Karmann helped build the bodywork. 

- Fuel consumption lowered to less than half

After 33 years, the SEAT Ibiza consumes less than half as much as the first generation – from 7.8 litres/100 km in 1984 down to 3.6 litres on today’s 90 hp Ibiza 1.4 TDI.  

- 8 out of 10 Ibizas are exported

Every day 700 new SEAT Ibizas roll out of the Martorell factory. Of these, 80% are exported to over 75 countries. In fact, the Ibiza was behind the internationalisation of the brand as it was the first model to be regularly exported from Martorell. 

-Headline figures of the Ibiza

More than 700 robots are involved in its production. Each vehicle contains 3,000 parts, and it travels nearly 12 km to complete its production process. In addition, since 1984 more than 70 million kilos of paint have been used, which is equivalent to painting the Eiffel Tower more than 1,000 times. 

- Women’s role

The Ibiza was the first SEAT car to integrate women on the production line. Today, women account for 1 out of every 5 workers on this line (21%), the highest rate in Spanish industry. In addition, the global market has seen more and more women buyers in the last ten years, accounting for 51% of the share compared to 42% in 2004.

-Passion for competition 

The Ibiza was the official car of the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games. It also achieved notable successes in competition racing, such as the three FIA World Rally Championship titles in the 2 litre category in 1996, 97 and 98.

MINI Celebrates as it has hit the three million production mark at Plant Oxford.

• MINI Plant Oxford has built three million MINIs since 2001
• Three millionth car is a MINI John Cooper Works Clubman
• 80 per cent of Oxford MINIs built for export around the world
• Milestone comes in BMW’s Centenary year and 15th year of MINI production

Plant Oxford has celebrated the three millionth MINI to roll off the assembly line since production began back in 2001.

The three millionth Oxford-built MINI is a John Cooper Works Clubman - the first model to combine the latest John Cooper Works performance enhancements and a new ALL4 all-wheel drive system.

From around 300 cars a day in 2001 to around 1,000 built to order cars today, the 4,500 strong workforce at Oxford produce one new MINI almost every minute. Around 80 per cent of MINIs built here are exported to more than 110 markets across the world.

On Thursday, 1 December, the plant was visited by Oliver Zipse, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production, who joined the team in Oxford to celebrate this major UK manufacturing milestone.

Oliver Zipse said: “It’s great to be back in Oxford to mark this fantastic MINI production milestone. Since we began building MINIs back in 2001 the car has proved to be hugely popular with customers right around the world. The passion and commitment that everyone here at the plant has for building a high-quality product is central to that success. The three millionth Oxford-built MINI is a remarkable achievement. Congratulations to everyone who has played their part in making this celebration possible.”

Frank Bachmann, Managing Director of Plant Oxford, said: “Hitting this milestone is a fantastic achievement for everyone on the team here at Oxford. Building the volume of high-quality cars that we have over the past 15 years is something everyone working here can be very proud of.”

Sales of MINI, both in the UK and internationally, have gone from strength to strength over the last 15 years. In its first year nearly 40,000 MINIs were sold worldwide. By 2015 this number had risen to nearly 340,000.

Three UK plants have a part to play in its production - Hams Hall near Birmingham makes engines, Swindon produces body pressings and sub-assemblies for MINI, and this all comes together at Oxford with body shell production, paint and final assembly. Together these plants have helped to generate and sustain employment for thousands of people directly and indirectly though the wider supply chain and retailers.

Since 2000 £1.75 billion has been invested by BMW Group at the three plants and at Oxford this has included a state-of-the-art paintshop, a high-technology body building facility, a new final assembly area, a new logistics centre, Quality and Engineering Centre and the MINIcademy, where the plant’s apprentices are trained.

Oxford, the heart and home of MINI production, has a rich motor manufacturing history. It has been building cars since 1913 when the great designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist William Morris (later Lord Nuffield), produced its first car, a “Bullnose” Morris, near today’s present state-of-the-art MINI production facility.

The classic Mini, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis and launched in 1959, revolutionised the automotive world and was produced at Oxford until 1968 with a peak output of 94,889 cars during 1966-7.

Models built at Oxford today include three and five door MINI Hatch, the MINI Clubman, including the Plant’s first all-wheel drive ALL4 model – and the high-performance MINI John Cooper Works Hatch.