Seat IBX targets Tiguan and Q3 01 | 03 | 2011

SEAT USED Geneva to unveil its likely rival for Volkswagen's Tiguan, the IBX. Seat's small SUV concept revisits territory the Spanish manufacturer covered with an earlier concept shown almost four years ago in Frankfurt, the Tribu.

The IBX is the work of chief designer Luc Donckerwolke’s work, and Seat president James Muir believes it has potential. “We could envisage the IBX as a future expansion of our production portfolio,” he said.

At 4.26 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.62 metres high, it's shorter, narrower and slightly lower than a Tiguan and while the concept is a three-door, Seat insiders suggested if it were to make it to production, it would have to become a five-door.

Unlike a number of other so-called concepts in Geneva which are essentially production-ready models, the IBX is not understood to feature an interior — Seat has not issued any images of the cabin — and it has also not detailed the car’s running gear.

Seat did though, as you would expect, confirm it has been “conceived for an advanced hybrid powertrain application” and claiming that the car could travel around 30 miles on electric power alone.

The company also stated that the IBX could use TDI and TSI engines from the current line-up, and that it has the potential to be or four-wheel drive, and there are natural indications it has been designed to sit on the same platform as the VW Tiguan and Audi Q3.

And given that Seat’s Martorell factory — which will shortly manufacture the Q3 — is currently running a long way under its capacity, a sister vehicle, badged as a Seat, would make both economic and business sense.

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Jim McGill