MR_BOL'S EUROSHITE SCANS - New Jan 2018 - Renault 4 built by Alfa Romeo

[nisfan]

Another thing that differentiated it from the standard 18 is that it didnt work 99% of the time as opposed to 98% of the time

 

I can say this as i own one of these chod boxes

[Mr_Bo11ox]

What, you've got a 4x4 one??

[nisfan]

Ha i wish, just the usual fwd bo11ox

[derskine]

I've got a 4 wheel drive one.

That is it has 4 wheels and it drives.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I have found that the photocopier at work will scan in A3 size making this uploading biz a lot easier as all the pics inevitably stretch across 2 pages of A4. Bonus!! So tonight I have got a splendid period appraisal of the Matra-Simca Bagheera lined up for your delectation....

[scooters]

Bravo Monsieur Bollox superb effort thanks for this

[Felly Magic]

Zut Alors! Moar Voitures de merde Francais?????

[Ratdat]

There were RWD Trafics. Chassis cab based versions such as tippers were RWD.

[Felly Magic]

Rat, never seen RWD Tragics, but seen plenty of RWD Masters over the years, 5 tonner versions

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I dont know about you but when i read a magazine I want INFORMATION. I want some FACTS about stuff I didnt know, some technical DATA, some LESSONS about how to do something I have not previously understood. I dont want to read the driving imprsssions of some lad or other who's no better qualified than myself to test drive a car, who makes a big deal of a Mini being bouncy or a Lada having a thrashy engine, everybody knows that, come on man try harder! SO tonight heres something that is a FACT FEST and something you are unlikely to get in Retro Cars or Classics Monthly or whatever. Its an article based on a pukka period evaluation by Renault of the then-new matra Bagheera!!!! These things are solid shite of course but theres defo a lot to like about them. Just take a look at the green interior in these pics. Is there a better car interior anywhere? The flat floor and crazy window winders are just pure class. read this and WANT! (Dont forget to click the pics for a proper look)

 

Succeeding the Matra 530, The Bagheera was more ambitious, positioning itself as a GT coupé capable of competing with Europe’s best mid-range coupé offerings. Notably the Renault 17TS, which set the engineers of La Regie worrying! Thieir ‘Competitor Comparison Dept’ got hold of an example and evaluated it carefully. Here are the results!

 

 

 

Would the ‘Black Panther’ of Vélizy become as famous as the one from Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book?? At Renault, they were starting to wonder, with the initial sales of this very original 3-seater mid-engined coupe suggesting a healthy sales career ahead of it. ON the 6th Nov1973, just a few weeks after it went on sale, the results of an initial study by the ’Service Comparaison Concurrence’ of La Garenne were forwarded to the upper echelons of Renault,. particularly those managers concerned with the development and sales of more sporting models. As was its custom, the SCC got hold of an example (chassis no. 17.868.A, reg. no 8219DF92) and subjected it to a thorough evaluation. When the tests were carried out, by Mr. Lebrun on the 12th November 1973, this example had 5149km on the clock. At this stage a basic review was carried out, comparing the car to the then best the French industry had to offer - the Peugeot 504GL, along with its obvious french counterparts in the market - Peugeot 304S coupe, Peugeot 505, Renault 15TL and Renault 17TS. A later report, dated 24th January 1974, is far more detailed. In the introduction, the specification of the car is given. It was a ‘Version II’ which “fared very well against its obvious competitors; the Alfa Junior 1.3/1.6, Alpine 1300/1600, Fiat X1/9, Lancia Fulvia, MGB GT, VW-Porsche 914, MGB GT, Renault 17 etc…… the expected production capacity is 65 cars/day (15,000 units/yr)†and the report mentions an expected new model in the range - the “U8, featuring an interesting V8 engine built from 2 x 1300 ‘fours’ sharing a crankshaft. This car is expected to cost of the order of 60,000FF and compete with the likes of the Porsche Carrera, Ferrari Dino and Alfa Montrealâ€Â.

 

 

    From the first lines of the text, you can sense an admiration for Philippe Guédon’s styling of the Bagheera: “As a compromise between an ‘industrial’ coupé, derived from a production saloon car, and an ‘artisan’ specialist low-volume coupé, the Bagheera is an impressive example of the innovation that a small team can achieveâ€Â. Next, a very precise description of the car and its manufacturing process: “The parts that make up the outer skin of the car (approx 20 panels) and manufactured from resin-injected glass fibre….. the key competence of Matra in this field is to achieve both a surface quality comparable to a steel panel and an acceptable service life of the mould tools (up to 10,000 units before renovation or replacement)â€Â. The bodywork’s construction (metallic structure with GRP outer panels) inevitably “made for a heavy car - 935kg ready to drive†so comparable to a Simca 1100 5-dr saloon of the time “from whence are sourced all the key mechanical elements of the bagheera….. This weight compares badly to the 725kg of an Alpine Berlinette 1300 and contrary to the publicity material of the time the mid-engine layout does not necessarily give an even F-R weight distributionâ€Â, in this case measured as 41% front/59% rear. This bulk partially explains the car’s straight line performance, the power/weight ratio being “more like that of a sportier saloon than a genuine sports carâ€Â, being 11.1kg/ch for the Bagheera, 11.6kg/ch for the Simca 1100Ti and 5.75kg/ch for the Alpine 1600. This shows in the car’s acceleration, the 1000m standing start taking 34.1 secs in a Bagheera against 30.1 in an Alpine 1600.
    All the mechanical elements are then minutely detailed, with a few digs along the way. The author points out that the engine is “the most ancient part of the car, and is found in identical tune in the Simca 1100Tiâ€Â. He doesn’t think much to the ‘unskirted’ engine block (any idea what that means??), the very low-mounted camshaft, the iron rockers, the steel pushrods or the small diameter valves all of which he considers very outmoded, although he notes that the performance is at least “interestingâ€Â, while deploring the external oil pump. He then moves onto the suspension system which “re-uses the entire Simca 1100 front axle†lowered by 15mm. He mentions that Simca’s steering rack is used (keeping the 15.6:1 ratio) but notes that although the upper column is unchanged, the lower column loses a flex joint and replaces it with a universal joint. The rear axle, he adds, “is new and specific; trailing arms with transverse torsion bars and geometry that maintains a constant track dimensionâ€Â.
    On the equipment front, he’s quite positive, finding the driving position ‘remarkably correctâ€Â, and he notices that the overall reception by the public has been “in general very favourable, the shape of the car is very pleasing and certainly much sportier than the R17TS and 504 coupé. It seems to appeal to a younger more dynamic customer….. and furthermore its rare in its category by virtue of having a decent boot spaceâ€Â.

 

Soon after he gets on to the criticisms, starting with the front seats. in his eyes, the seats are “compromised; the car is actually wider than most and is not as easy to position in town as larger Mercedes, Opel, BMW models despite its very sharp steering, because of difficulty in judging the extremities of the car….. despite this width the the passenger is uncomfortable due to the inadequate width of the two ‘side-by-side’ seats. In the central seat, the passenger’s shoulder rubs the drivers’ and he has to put up with the gear lever between his legs in 4th and reverse. I also think the seat arrangement would be better if there was not a marked ‘divider’ between the two passenger seatsâ€Â. The seatbelts failed to impress: “the angle of attack is not very good, making it very difficult to reach the belt to put it onâ€Â. On top of that “once buckled, it sits most uncomfortably on the bodyâ€Â. Thats just the start of a long list of complaints. Next he mentions “the ashtray points at your knees and is above your right leg†which he thinks is dangerous ‘seeing as the entire dashboard support is built very rigidly (for safety perhaps??) and covered with soft fabricâ€Â. The ventilation is not to his taste; Its even “poor - the car gets very hot inside forcing you to open the windows. Furthermore the rear window between the passengers and the engine fogs up very quickly and takes a long time to clear itself with the engine’s heatâ€Â. Rearward visibility is unsatisfactory, and “one is obliged to use the mirrors, which are not adjustableâ€Â. Whats more, “the wipers are inefficient if the screen is only lightly damp and the delivery from the washer jets is feebleâ€Â.
    To read the litany of complaints which follow, you could start to wonder how on earth the Bagheera saw any sales success at all; the engine “lacks torque beneath 2000rpm†even it is it somehow ‘more successful than in the Simca 1100, with better drivabilityâ€Â; the gearbox “feels like it has a fragile selector mechanism, with the cable that passes by the exhaust having a tendency to stiffen up when hot†( he notes elsewhere that “first gear can be difficult to select, like on many Fiat and Simca 1100’sâ€Â, an odd remark seeing was those cars have totally different mechanicals); “the damping of the suspension on cobbles is poorâ€Â; “the brakes are the car’s black spot; their efficiency is insufficient and sap confidence during heavy braking; despite that, the discs wear rapidly†and so on. Fortunately, Renault does find some reasons to take the car seriously; “The open road behaviour of this car is its strong point and it could easily take a more powerful engine. On dry surfaces it corners beautifully, very flat and feels very safe; cornering limits are not easy to find and high-speed stability is excellent. the car corners neutrally, with a light weight transfer to the front which does not affect the trajectory.  On backing off and braking, the rear can break traction but its easily controlledâ€Â. On the other hand, “on wet roads great care must be exercisedâ€Â. Our tester is also seduced by “the steering which has a very nice ratio, and is soft but always precise. the car responds and positions itself instantly on twisty roadsâ€Â. He adds that the steering wheel’s shape with its flat section at the bottom is “absolutely not a problem†and aids entry, while the foam that covers the rim is “pleasant to holdâ€Â. Starting the conclusion, Mr. Croguennec (who signs the document) acknowledges that “this car is a pleasure to drive†and that “the faults noted could in most cases be considered teething problems rather than inherent weaknesses. We believe that Matra have excelled by virtue of:

    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    re-using Simca 1100 mechanicals and realising the benefits of this in the after-sales network;
    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    Achieving a good design and thus an attractive car;
    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    A sale price of the order of 24-26,000FF;
    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    wise use of a 3-seater layout, the only real option with this mechanical arrangement which also gives a useful boot volume;
    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    Performance and economy which are excellent for a 1300cc car;
    Ã¢â‚¬Â¢    The ease of driving; the car is notably more civilised than The R17TS or R12 Gordini which both have much harder suspension and more abrupt accelerator and clutch actions.

 

 

Highlights:

• 0.32m3 boot volume: better than a lot of 4-seaters!
• Heated rear window with gas-strut opeing (a great novelty at the time)
• Glazed divider between engine and passengers; refinement even at high engine speeds
• Servo brakes: precise, powerful braking
• Aerodynamic lines; 0.33Cd
• Daytime running lights set into the front bumpers
• pop-up lights with pneumatic and manual over-ride lift functions
• Anti-roll bars for extra-flat cornering
• Triplex high-security tinted windscreen
• 3 'front' seats; same comfort level for all passengers.
• 4-wheel independent suspension
• 4-wheel disc brakes
• mid-engine layout; best balance on dry or wet roads, straight lines or curves
• Matra-Simca - a combination of high technology and high-volume manufacture.

 

The Press of the time largely shared this positive sentiment. In its June 1973 test, Sport Auto’s José Rosinski had reservations but could not hide his enthusiasm; “The Bagheera, achieves more than all other comparable cars in its price bracket of 25,000FF….. It is intelligently constructed, and, unlike the 530 on which it improves in most areas, its appearance has no shortage of appeal. It is, whether you mind that or not, somewhat underpowered, and even oven if its overall performance is ‘good’, it does feel a little ‘lacking’ in acceleration on the open road. From the queen of the jungle who shares its name, the Bagheera keeps if not the ferociousness, at least the vivacité, the agility, the subtlety. So if you prefer a car with finesse rather than outright grunt, you will be like me…. seducedâ€Â. What better compliment is there for a 40-yr-old?

 

[Ratdat]

They made about 10,000 RWD Trafics. A bloke I used to work for had a blue flat bed that was RWD.

[Inspector Morose]

I had a Bagheera S RHD (BYG222T long gone I suppose) in the 90s and I can agree with most of that. It wasn't the fastest of things but boy, could it handle! I've never had a car that cornered so flat and confidently. It was a shame that it really was as rotten as a pear! One of the memories was travelling along the A5 just by Norton Canes after a thrash to Hull on a bus related matter, one of the rear light units (Talbot Sunbeam) made a bid for freedom, only held by its wiring. On inspection, there was nothing to re-attach it to apart from ferrous oxide so it was hastily glued in with silicone! Further poking showed little of the frame left so it departed the fleet with haste to be replaced by an Opel 1900GT. Not a patch on the Matra for handling but it did make up for it in style and a headlamp operating mechanism that was more reliable (rod actuation as opposed to vacuum)

 

Thanks Bol, that article poked some fond memories back into the forefront of my brain!

[twosmoke300]

I had an ex south west water 4wd tragic. What a beast.

[dollywobbler]

Not driven a Bagheera, but I have driven a Murena. Three up as well. Deliciously quirky and actually good too. Shame they never built them in RHD.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Got a new euroshite article here. Its only a 1-pager with no pics but its an interesting view on big Renaults, reflected on by the former PREZ of renault himself, Louis Schwitzer. i read it and admired the Vel Satis even more afterwards. Hope you like!!1

 

12th November 2009: The End of the Vel Satis

 

 

The message was sent out to a reception of general indifference. 12th November 2009, Renault announced the shutdown of its Vel Satis assembly line at Sandouville, Normandy. A top of the range car with power outputs between 170 and 245ch, and sold between 35,000 and 50,000 Euros, the Vel Satis never really seduced. The anaemic size of the Vel Satis order book meant that by the end, it was being produced at a rate of 5 to 10 cars per day. Such was the swan song of a car that had already disappeared off the market, and which was now kept alive only by the requirement for a suitable car for government ministers and the organisers of the Cannes film festival. Was it a conceptual failure or a new ‘halo car’ in Renault’s efforts to conquer the top of the market? Such a reflection is much more interesting if it is carried out by the President of Renault himself. IN his book ‘My Renault Years’, Louis Schweitzer, president of the company from 1992 to 2009, talks about the gestation of the Vel Satis.

 

    All car manufacturers aspire to a presence in the upper echelons of the car market, the top-end models being the most profitable and the best image-projectors for the rest of the range. Renault always followed this theory, particularly after the war, when the circumstances of the liberation tried to confine it to smaller vehicles. The Frégate, produced between 1951 and 1959, began a process of history repeating itself at Renault. The optimism in which it was launched soon turned to disillusionment. With 180,000 examples built in 9 years, the disappointment is clear, explainable via a number of reasons: design studies done under difficult conditions, second-rate detailing and some questionable technical choices. The comeback was significant and forced Renault to abandon the segment. A difficult decision as the replacement was canned in 1961 when development was well underway. Project 114, a 6-cylinder saloon with hydropneumatic suspension, would never see the light of day. Almost a perfect repetition of this situation came 7 years later. Project ‘H’, a joint Renault-Peugeot project started in 1966, was abandoned in 1968, sending an promising V-8 super saloon to the museum. Two failures with similar causes - spiralling development costs and a dwindling market. Renaults next attempt at a luxury model came in 1975 with the R30 V6. This car arrived at a bad time with the first oil crisis getting underway and the price of fuel going into orbit, so much so that fuel rationing was introduced in a number of european countries, none of which helped the cause of luxury car sales. On top of that the R30 suffered other problems, including a style that ‘seriously lacked sex appeal’ according to Schweitzer, and an image tainted by the fact that the body shell was shared with the R16’s successor. With sales of less than 140,000 the R30 was not a great success, although not such a drain on Renaults finances due to the large commonality with the R20.

 

    IN 1984 the R25 arrived, and went on to sell 780,000 units which sounds more like a success story. Nonetheless, most of the sales happened in France. And with Renault’s reputation for producing cars that ‘rusted while they were still in the catalogue’ they did not convince buyers everywhere. Abroad, explains Schweitzer, the image of Renault cars did not cut it at the top end of the market whereas in France, a civil servant or a mayor could not dream of driving a foreign car, so the 25 became the default choice.

 

    To replace the R25, Renault tried to avoid the two main pitfalls of the R25, which were 1) mediocre build quality, and 2) a standard of finish below international standards. Thus was born a car more technologically advanced and more in line with the expected performances of upper-end european cars.  “We spent a LOT of moneyâ€Â, says Louis Schweitzer. The Safrane had a unique platform with all component specifically designed for that one application. The result was disappointing. Not only did the Safrane sell less well than the 25 in France, but was barely any more successful on the export market. The first car launched on Louis Schweitzer’s watch was “a financial disasterâ€Â. As he explains: “Trying to learn some lessons from that catastrophe, we decided that we needed a car that shared its platform with another, as it happened, the car immediately below it in the range (the Laguna and the Espace). By reducing the development cost we hoped to make a car that was still profitable despite lowering our sales expectations. We also said, that if we try to offer a pseudo-german car, at a time when it was becoming acceptable for a Frenchman to drive a German car, we would fail. We realised that with smaller sales volumes than the Germans, to make a german-style car in France that would cost us a lot but not achieve the same prestige, would have bankrupted us. We thus concluded that we had to do something completely different, get away from the well-trodden executive car path, and come up with a car that could succeed on very small sales volumes but which would be very original, and with a focus on driver & passenger comfort. That comfort would derive from interior space and light, that we considered a part of the historic ‘DNA’ of Renault cars. Thats how we ended up at the specification of the Vel Satis. If I assume ‘paternity’ of the Vel Satis I can say that it also was a matter of consensus at Renault. Finally, in wanting to make something that was the opposite of the Safrane, we found ourselves in the position of a driver scraping along the left-had kerb who makes a very sharp tug of the steering wheel to correct, and ends up scraping down the right-hand kerb. By attempting to address a clientele used to the German model of executive cars, then offering them something completely different, we found ourselves without a clientele at all. The fact that the design tried to capitalise on its inventiveness, also accentuated a rejection of the design by customers.â€Â
    Its thus necessary to ask who takes responsibility - particularly in matters of style - for the final decisions on the car’s specification. Whenever there is a question which involves a level of ‘betting’, i.e. a choice thats not completely rational, there are two ways of approaching it. The first is to get a committee that includes a representative of all involved parties and find a consensus. This is the model employed by General motors, which removes any element from a car that a committee member dislikes. The outcome is thus a car that no-one particularly likes, but which is competent and no-one dislikes either, but which risks resulting in a bland car. The alternative strategy preserves a certain level of creativity and originality. It requires a ‘decider’, in this case the president, who has to absorb the points of view of his experts then make a call. Its this option which brought us the Vel Satis. Lastly, and contrary to received wisdom, Renault lost much less money on the Vel Satis than it did on the Safrane, despite the lowly sales figures, as those had been to some extent predicted during the initial market research. On the other hand, concludes Louis Schweitzer, ‘It cost us dearly in image terms, as our top-of-the-range car, supposedly emblematic of the company, was a sales dud.’

NOTE: The final sales tally for the Vel Satis was 62,000 units and the Safrane 310,000 units.

[carlo]

Fascinating stuff, it really was a dud wasn't it.  I think I recall a couple of tests of the car when new and both criticized the ride; really, if a big French car can't offer a super comfortable ride what is the point?  Have heard similar criticisms of the C6.  Still like the look of the Vel Satis though, especially the interior of a cloth seated one.

[Taff]

Had missed this, what a great thread.

 

Thanks especially for the Tagora bit, my dad had three of them back in the day.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I admire an heroic failure as much as the next shiter, but presumably the only reason Schwitzer can say the Vel Satis loss was not catastrophic was because most of the development* costs would have been shared with the Espace and Laguna 2.

Which reminds me, in 08 my Not so Grande Espace had to be left at a massive Renault dealership in Aix- en- Provence, when it ruined a holiday in the Ardeche. There was a separate business class service reception for Laguna/Espace/Vel Satis, complete with posh coffee machine ,croissants etc. Almost made the Ryanair flight,€80 taxi fare and €1300 bill for an alternator palatable.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

^^^^^urgh, sounds horrendous

[R9UKE]

What a great article. Thanks for sharing that. It all adds to the kind of "shite pride" you feel driving something like the Vel Satis and knowing the story behind it. I go as far as saying if I had to drive one car for the rest of my life it would be the Vel Satis - the whole car encapsulates everything as mentioned above, and you can feel the French endeavour (and failure) wafting around you with every journey you make.

 

My grandmother recently sold her Citroen C4, I leant her one of my Vel's for a few weeks before she got the Pug 308. She'd call me in panic that the lady was telling her to adjust the tyre pressures and should she continue driving because a massive orange SERVICE was displayed on the dash. Then in the last few days it decided to pish it's coolant everywhere and go into limp home mode every time she went above 40.

 

Yet at the end of her disastrous few weeks, this 70 year old woman's inner Hyacinth Bouquet still parted with the words "that car is really something else, I'll miss it"

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Alright Shidders, we’ve got a new article here and this time it’s a buyers guide on the Seat Malaga Injection, translated from Spanish would you believe. I don’t speak much Spanish so Google translate has helped me out. I must warn you, that as  was translating it I realised that it is the lamest, flimsiest ‘Buyers Guide’ I’ve ever seen, it makes a Practical Classics one look like a detailed engineers’ evaluation in comparison. If ever an article was ‘phoned in from the beach’ its this one, its flipping hopeless. Still, its very rare to see the Malaga in print and the utter half-arsedness of the article is interesting in itself so here goes. Don't forget to click on the pics!!!

 

 

With the Ibiza and Malaga, Seat got through the period between alliances with Fiat and Volkswagen, surely the trickiest period in its history. Its impossible to meaningfully evaluate these models without taking that fact into account.

 

The criteria for assessing a classic car, as in buying, are not the same as those of a new car. It makes little sense to evaluate whether an Orion or a Regata are a better car than a Malaga, from a practical point of view. Therefore, whoever is reading these lines, must be doing so because they are interested in the Malaga, and not another competitor form that era. Having said that, it’s a fact that the Malaga was not better than the Orion or Regata.

It appeared in 1985 as the third reincarnation of the Ritmo, after the Ronda and the Ibiza. Truthfully the Malaga, more than a successor of the 131 and an ancestor of the Toledo, was the predecessor of the Seat Cordoba. Dimensionally, the car was very similar to the Ibiza which appeared the previous year, with identical floorpan and suspension featuring a transverse leaf spring at the rear. At the time Seat did not have the resources to develop a new chassis.

The most singular feature of Seats of this era is the ‘System Porsche’ engine. It was not a ground-breaker in any engineering sense but it allowed Seat, with the scant resources it had, to survive without Fiat’s engines until its later accord with Volkswagen. The system Porsche engine illustrates Seat’s position at that time; It had to survive in a sort of vacuum between its relationships with Fiat and Volkswagen; and it came up with a product which was surely the best it could have hoped to achieve under the circumstances.

 

 

Engine & Transmission

 

Among the requirements that Seat gave to Porsche in its role as a consultant was that the engine had to be economical to build and maintain. Starting from an existing block, (I wonder which one? -Bo11ox) they chose the simplicity of a SOHC heron-head (flat surface with combustion chamber in the tops of the pistons) design. This had the advantage that in case of overspeeeding the engine or breaking a cambelt, there was much-reduced chance of damage, as the valves were perpendicular to the piston surface and would simply push upwards against the valve spring rather than bending.

The injection system was Bosch’s LE/LE2 Jetronic, with its ‘L-shaped’ airflow meter that was much more durable than later versions. Although the injection is the rarest Malaga variant, it’s the one least likely to cause problems if you need parts as Bosch can supply all the hardware still. The catalyzed export version has a different system again.

In fact, the injection version has several different parts beyond the fuel system; the cylinder head (different inlet tracts), pistons (different compression ratio), and the exhaust manifold. This can be difficult if you need these parts as ‘donor’ Malaga Injections are hard to find; Ibiza SXi’s are more common and can provide these parts however. Thankfully the mechanicals are tough and the electrical system is simple. The most problematic items are the peripherals, such as the cooling system and a few of the engine seals, such as the cam cover gasket.

 

 

Chassis

 

The general configuration of the suspension is that of the Fiat 128, predecessor of the Ritmo. Alignment of the wheels and uneven tyre wear are common although they are easily and cheaply sorted. The most expensive operation necessary on the front suspension is replacement of bushes and shock absorber supports/strut tops. You don’t get the problem of the Ibiza with the drop of the rear wheels (WTF this means I don’t know – Bo11ox). One thing you will find is a significant change in road behavior with empty and loaded boot spaces.

            A difference with the carburetor versions s that the front discs are vented and the servo is of 8†diameter; all other parts are interchangeable. There are no particular problems beyond normal wear, tear and maintenance. The non-assisted steering is heavy, slow and the wheel is inclined at an awkward angle. Its trouble free, though the wheel alignment should be checked periodically. The transmission is the same; if its vague and imprecise, its not because there is a problem – its supposed to be like that. The Injection version has the shortest diff ratio of the range but the gearing is still quite tall for a supposedly sporting car of the time. Thus the maximum speed is reached in 5^th gear but you will not reach the engine’s peak power in this gear.

 

 

Bodywork

 

The build of the Malaga has more in common with its Fiat predecessors than later Volkswagen Seats. Rust protection is mediocre, so its worrh inspecting areas of the car that are exposed to mud and water, and under the floor. The battery support is a favourite rust spot. The differences with carburetor Malagas are purely decorative and everything is interchangeable. Only a handful are unique to the injection and series 2 cars, such as the ‘Injection’ badge.  Don’t forget to check the general condition of the many plastic mouldings inside and outside the car.

 

 

Interior & electrics

 

The quality and the design of the Malaga’s interior were heavily criticized at the time, particularly the series 1 cars. Its admittedly not the highest quality finish, but as with any car of this age, whats important it not how it was, but how it is. Its easy to check for cracked or warped mouldings and, if a car has made it this far in good condition, its just a matter of taking care with the sun to prevent the interior plastics being damaged. When looking at the interior don’t forget to check the operation of the electrical items (there aren’t many), the door locks and of course the upholstery.

 

 

First Person - Antonio Palmero

 

Although I didn’t grow up with Malagas, my childhood was marked by the contemporary Seats. I learned to drive in my Dad’s Malaga 1.2L which alerted me to the model, but when I had the chance a few years later I went for the sporting version; A Series 1 Injection. You get a very pleasureable sensation of the road when driving it; It feels tough and the injected System Porsche engine pulls it along well. Apart from the lack of power steering its easy to drive and in my view you get the best out of it if you don’t push it to extremes. Its Achilles’ Heel is the quality of the interior. It’s a model very under-appreciated apart from by a handful of aficionados, and considering its celebrating its 30^th this year it really remains an unknown. Reliving the mechanics and the driving experience of the 80’s with this car is a real time-travellers passion.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I know!!!! Brilliant innit.

[Alexg]

Nice one Bollox, appreciate the effort in the translating.

[garethj]

I also liked the last pictures - probably translated as "also consider" or something?  Fiat Regatta, Renault 9, Ford Orion and Opel Kadett.  That's your Autoshite Gold Card right there.

[Vin]

Spot on Boll. Great work. 8)

 

I remember seeing these back in the day. Are there actually any RHD examples left??

 

I quite like that they've left the parking light on in the first picture. Or the bulbs gone...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Think the consensus is that RHD ones are extinct

[Vin]

So there is a 'holy trinity' of the Seat Malaga, Sao Penza and the Lonsdale YD...

[nigel bickle]

I have an lhd, Belgium registered carburettor version. It's a near identical car to my Bitsa 1500, but a deal clunkier.

Some nameless Herbert gas butchered the heater controls beyond use, so- unless I can find replacements ( trying- honest) it's kinda out of the scene till next Spring.

[flat4alfa]

There used to be one which would visit a house round the corner from me about 6 years ago, I got a couple of photos and stuck them on Flickr.

 

 

Not that long afterwards, it stopped appearing and then washed up in Copart with minor fire damage. Looked like some kind of electrical issue, it was only the engine bay, probably fixable to be fair but it was "death by paperwork". The numberplate was taped over but it was clearly the same car from the bodywork.

 

Somebody sent me a message and said that photo was probably the last one in the UK but I've gone on HML now and it says there's an "XL" still about at the very least, so the guy was talking nonsense.

 

Photos do survive on here

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/10833-which-80s-autos-do-we-know-have-died-out-to-nil/page-2?do=findComment&comment=316152

 

 

Also this one on the flickr

[flat4alfa]