SEAT Ronda

SEAT Ronda (022A)

Manufacturer	SEAT
Also called	SEAT Málaga hatchback
Production	1982–1986
Assembly	Spain
Predecessor	SEAT Ritmo
Successor	SEAT Ibiza SEAT León
Class	Small family car
Body style	5-door hatchback
Wheelbase	2,448 mm (96.4 in)
Length	4,011 mm (157.9 in)
Width	1,650 mm (65 in)
Height	1,400 mm (55 in)
Related	SEAT Ritmo SEAT Málaga Fiat Ritmo

SEAT Ronda, side view

The SEAT Ronda (codenamed 022A) is a small family car produced by the Spanish automaker SEAT from 1982 to 1986, and styled by Rayton Fissore in collaboration with the Technical Centre in Martorell. The Ronda was also briefly sold in the United Kingdom as the SEAT Málaga hatchback.

The SEAT Ronda was a restyled SEAT Ritmo which in its turn derived from the Fiat Ritmo, however the Arbitration Chamber of Paris declared in 1983 that differences between those cars were important enough so as not to consider the Ronda as a rebadged Ritmo. The most visible external design differences between a Ritmo and a Ronda are rectangular headlights on the Ronda in place of the round ones featured on the Ritmo, different tail lights and panels, and changed door handles. Mechanically, there were also some differences.

The Ronda featured a boot capacity of 370 litres which could be increased to 1,250 litres by folding rear seats.

Powertrain

The engines were:

Petrol

• 1.2 1193 cc 63 bhp (47 kW) 88 N·m (65 lb·ft)
• 1.5 1461 cc 86 bhp (64 kW) 116 N·m (86 lb·ft)
• 2.0 1995 cc 120 bhp (89 kW)

Diesel

• 1.7 D 1714 cc 56 bhp (42 kW) 98 N·m (72 lb·ft)

The dispute with Fiat

SEAT Ronda, rear view

In 1982 took place the end of the co-operation between SEAT and the automaker Fiat which had lasted almost 30 years. Conforming to the end of partnership agreement signed by the two automakers, SEAT had to quickly restyle its entire model range in order to be able to offer its models on sale, so that its cars would be now more distinct to those of the Italian firm. This would be marked by a change in SEAT's own logo and the first car under the new SEAT logo without Fiat involvement appeared that same year in 1982 : this was the SEAT Ronda.

The launch of that model though sparked a lawsuit from Fiat against SEAT, as the former claimed the car was still too similar to a car in Fiat's own range, the Fiat Ritmo. In defence of SEAT, the then president of SEAT, Juan Miguel Antoñanzas, showed a Ronda to the press with all the parts different from the Fiat Ritmo painted in bright yellow, to highlight the differences. An El País journalist who covered the trial claimed that the result was spectacular.

The case was eventually taken to the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris which in 1983 declared that differences between the cars were sufficiently substantial for the Ronda not to be judged as a rebadged Ritmo, ending the dispute in favour of SEAT. This also meant that SEAT was free to export the Ronda, although the car never sold particularly well outside of Spain. Rumour at the time had it that Fiat was angry because the Ronda restyling was in fact too close to their own planned restyling for the Fiat Ritmo, which they had to scrap.