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SEAT Córdoba
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The SEAT Córdoba is the saloon, estate and coupé version of the supermini SEAT Ibiza, built by Spanish automaker SEAT from 1993 to 2008.
first SEAT Córdoba was launched in the summer of 1993, penned by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on the chassis of the SEAT Ibiza which would spawn the Volkswagen Polo Mk3 the following year. In 1996 the Córdoba range was extended to an estate (Córdoba Vario) and a coupé (Córdoba SX).
Its 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines were also found in the Volkswagen Polo and Ibiza, as was the 1.9 TDI.
Though based on the Polo and Ibiza, its extended rear overhang meant its length was close to a Golf but still smaller than the Jetta.
It was considerably cheaper than saloon versions of small family cars like the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 306 and Renault Mégane and its boot was about the size, though it failed to match the interior space due to its shorter wheelbase.
SEAT homologated a World Rally Car version of the Córdoba 16v for competition in the FIA World Rally Championship and other international rallies.
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Encyclopedia
The SEAT Córdoba is the saloon, estate and coupé version of the supermini SEAT Ibiza, built by Spanish automaker SEAT from 1993 to 2008.
First generation (1993–2002)
The first SEAT Córdoba was launched in the summer of 1993, penned by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on the chassis of the SEAT Ibiza which would spawn the Volkswagen Polo Mk3 the following year. In 1996 the Córdoba range was extended to an estate (Córdoba Vario) and a coupé (Córdoba SX).
Its 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines were also found in the Volkswagen Polo and Ibiza, as was the 1.9 TDI.
Though based on the Polo and Ibiza, its extended rear overhang meant its length was close to a Golf but still smaller than the Jetta.
It was considerably cheaper than saloon versions of small family cars like the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 306 and Renault Mégane and its boot was about the size, though it failed to match the interior space due to its shorter wheelbase.
SEAT homologated a World Rally Car version of the Córdoba 16v for competition in the FIA World Rally Championship and other international rallies. 1994 World Drivers' Champion Didier Auriol, of France, and Toni Gardemeister and Harri Rovanpera, both of Finland, were among those to pilot the factory cars. Debuting at the 1998 Rally Finland with Rovanpera, and with podiums achieved at the 1999 Rally New Zealand (Gardemeister), the 1999 Rally of Great Britain (Rovanpera) as well as the 2000 Safari Rally (Auriol), the works programme concluded at the end of the 2000 season.
Rebadges
The contemporary Volkswagen Polo Classic (saloon) and Variant (estate) were in fact restyled versions of the Córdoba, and not based on the Polo Classic/Volkswagen Polo hatchback.
FAW-Volkswagen, VW's Chinese subsidiary assembled and sold the Mk1 Córdoba under the Citi-Golf name in 1996.
The Citi-Golf had the Córdoba rear and front design not the European / South American versions which helped distinguish the Córdoba from the Polo Classic/Derby models. In Mexico it was rebadged as the Volkswagen Derby. In 1995 it was imported from Spain, but the 1996 model was assembled in the Volkswagen de México assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico. In 1998 the Spanish made Polo Classic/Volkswagen Polo Classic was introduced in Mexico as the new Volkswagen Derby.
Córdoba SX
The Córdoba SX was a two-door coupé version of the Córdoba. It came in four variants. A 1.6 , 1.9TD, 2.0 8V (Cupra) which has the same engine as the Córdoba GTi and a 2.0 16v. The 16v ABF engine is identical to the engine found in the Mk3 Golf GTi. The 16v SX also came with 16" multispoke alloys, front discs, ABS, traction control and air conditioning as standard. The model was slightly revised in 1998 with a new rear splitter which required the exhaust to be hidden, a revised front lower grill and splitter and leather interior became standard.
The Córdoba 16v, however, was not as popular as the Ibiza Cupra 16v due to being £1000GBP more expensive at list and 1 second slower 0-60 because of the added weight of the rear end.
In 2000 the Córdoba was face lifted, and the 16v ABF engine was replaced with a 1.8 155 bhp Turbo engine and joined the Cupra range. However the SX was no longer available in the UK and limited numbers are known to exist in southern Ireland in right hand drive format but only in a 100 bhp 1.6 8v model. This decision was made based on the poor sales performance of the phase 1 SX.
Engine choices
The following petrol and diesel engines were available:
Phase 1 (1993–1999)
| Model | Engine code | Engine type | Displacement | Power at rpm | Torque at rpm | Top speed (saloon) | Years | SX | Saloon | Estate
(Vario) |
|---|
| Petrol engines |
|---|
| 1.4 i | ABD | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1993–1995 | | | | | 1.4 MPI | AEX/APQ | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1995–1999 | | | | | 1.4 MPI | AFH | I4 DOHC 16V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | | | 1.6 i | ABU | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1993–1994 | | | | | 1.6 i | 1F | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1994–1997 | | | | | 1.6 MPI | AEE | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1997–1999 | | | | | 1.6 MPI | AFT/AKS | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | | | 1.8 i | ABS/ADZ | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1993–1996 | | | | | 1.8 MPI | ADL | I4 DOHC 16V | | | | | 1994–1996 | | | | | 2.0 MPI | 2E/AGG | I4 SOHC 8V | | | (2E)/2,600 (AGG) | | 1993–1999 | | | | | 2.0 MPI | ABF | I4 DOHC 16V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | | | Diesel engines |
|---|
| 1.9 D | 1Y | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1993–1999 | | | | | 1.9 TD | AAZ | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1993–1996 | | | | | 1.9 SDI | AEY | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | | | 1.9 TDI | 1Z/AHU | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | | | 1.9 TDI | AFN/AVG | I4 SOHC 8V | | | | | 1996–1999 | | | |
Second generation (2002–)
The second generation of the SEAT Córdoba is virtually identical to the Ibiza III. It is again a four-door saloon version; no estate or coupé versions were built. The Córdoba II also shares its chassis and engines with the Volkswagen Polo Mk IV and Škoda Fabia: straight-3 12-valve 1.2-litre petrols, straight-4 16-valve 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols, a straight-4 8-valve 2.0-litre petrol, a straight-3 1.4 litre TDI turbodiesel and a 1.9-litre TDI turbodiesel in and variants.
Saloons based on successful hatchbacks rarely become a sales success in Europe, and the SEAT Córdoba has done little to change that. It is to Seat what the Jetta and Vento were to Volkswagen and what the Orion was to Ford.
The Córdoba was imported to the United Kingdom until 2006.
As of February 2009, the Seat Cordoba is currently available with the following engines: 1.6, 1.4 and 1.2 petrol, 1.9 and 1.4 diesel.
In Mexico, Córdoba production continues in the Volkswagen de México Puebla assembly plant. It has the VW 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre. engine combined with a 5-speed manual or an optional 6-speed Tiptronic transmission.
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