The SEAT Malaga was SEAT's first front-wheel drive saloon. Its unveiling in 1985 was the culmination of SEAT's effort to put together its own family of models. Designed by Giugiaro and powered by the renowned SEAT System Porsche engines, it was the higher-end model of the SEAT line-up.

SEAT reinvented itself in the ’80s, the start of the second era of its history, now as an independent manufacturer. The 1984 SEAT Ibiza has rightly been considered the symbol of the new beginning of the brand, but we must not forget the importance that the Malaga, SEAT’s big saloon for the second half of the ’80s, had at the time.

In fact, when the SEAT Technical Centre in Martorell planned the projects that were to bring the new SEAT brand to life, there were three models in the pipeline: S-1 was to be the future Ibiza, the substitute for the 127 in the B-segment; S-2 was the Ronda, a compact C-segment model, which was the first one to hit the market (in 1982), and S-3 was the Malaga, the D-segment saloon that replaced the SEAT 131.

With the launch of the Malaga, SEAT completed a large family of its own models, formed by the Fura Dos (it was to be discontinued precisely in 1985), Ibiza, Ronda and Malaga, to which at the end of 1986 the Marbella would be added as an A-segment car.

The Malaga project at Martorell’s Technical Center began in early 1981 and culminated in its worldwide presentation at the 1985 Barcelona Motor Show (two days before the motor show’s opening, a press presentation of the model was held... in Malaga, where else!).

As it had done with the Ibiza, the Technical Centre led the project working closely with the best European specialists. Giugiaro’s Ital Design team were in charge of design; Karmann, of structure and body development; the engines were SEAT’s System Porsche, while Spanish design firm Astesa took care of the project and creation of the interiors. With all this, the Malaga brought together the most modern technology, an advanced safety design and the maximum maintenance economy.

Thus, the Malaga replaced the SEAT 131, which had been launched ten years earlier, in 1975, and had been discontinued the previous year, in 1984. Malaga's success in the domestic market was immediate, and already in 1985 more Malagas were sold in Spain than Ibizas. If SEAT’s 131 had been Spanish Car of the Year in 1976, the Malaga received the same award in 1986.

The 131 still had a classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. The Malaga was SEAT’s first front-wheel drive saloon, also with a classic three-volume design, but superior throughout to 131. With a very similar length, the compact powertrain in the front engine bay and the lack of a propeller shaft enabled much greater habitability and boot capacity in the new model.

In particular, Malaga’s trunk was simply cavernous, with no less than 515 litres of capacity (ISO standards - almost 600 litres in spheres measurement). It also offered better performance and much lower fuel economy: with 4.9 litres per 100 km homologated at 90 km/h (both in petrol and diesel) and a 50 litre fuel tank, the Malaga boasted a potential 1,000 kilometres range.

However, marketplace development placed the 131 and Malaga in slightly different segments. While the 131 was at its time a mid-range/high-end vehicle, Malaga belonged to the mid-market segment; the higher-end level was occupied by the Volkswagen Passat and Santana that SEAT was manufacturing at the Zona Franca plant at the time.

Malaga's initial range consisted of the 1.5 litre, 85 HP petrol engine and the 1.7, 55 HP diesel. At first, the 1.2, 63 HP petrol engine was intended for export, but was also marketed in Spain from mid-1987. Trim levels were L, GL and GLX with petrol engines, and L and GL in diesel.

The top-of-the-range GLX had chrome mouldings in the windows, internally adjustable wing mirror, velvet seat upholstery, fabric roof covering, centre console, folding centre armrest in the back seat, light in the trunk, internally adjustable headlights, tachometer, etc. Optionally, it could be fitted with central door locking, electric windows and 14" rims.

Even though the Malaga was completely different from the Ronda, when seen in profile the doors looked identical to the Ronda’s. Interestingly enough, however, they were different, and also the outside door handles. Subsequently, production was unified for both models, and it was the Ronda that went on to receive Malaga’s doors until the end of 1986, when the Ronda was discontinued.

The engine range was expanded in mid-1987, when the SEAT Malaga Injection was launched. The engine was the 1.5 SEAT System Porsche, now fuel-injected and with a power output of 100 HP. (The following year, this engine would power the hot hatch Ibiza SXI).

The Malaga received a restyling in 1989, focusing mainly on the interior. The highlight was a new dashboard, much more modern, in which conventional indicator and windscreen wiper stalks replaced the distinctive satellites of the original model. At the time SEAT was already working flat-out on its replacement, the SEAT Toledo, launched at the 1991 Barcelona Motor Show, six years after the unveiling of the Malaga.

SEAT HISTÓRICOS keeps two Malagas in the Collection. One is the very first unit built, a 1.5 GLX painted in Biskaya metallic blue. The other one is a 1988 Malaga 1.5 GLX in Meteoro grey, recently restored by SEAT HISTÓRICOS specialists, in order to have a dynamic unit of the model in perfect running order. The thing is, with more than 35 years behind it, the Malaga already deserves the status of (future) classic car.