30 years of Seat Ibiza, yet the design compromises sound familiar

Over four model generations and thirty years, the Seat Ibiza's design has been overseen by some influential people; Giorgetto Giugiaro, Walter de Silva and Luc Donckerwolke shaped the Ibizas of the past, while the facelift of the most-recent model is the first to receive input from current Seat design director, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos. Volkswagen has been the majority shareholder of Seat since 1986, taking full control in 1990. In that time, despite the designers who have passed through its doors, the brand has struggled to find its position within the Group.

One Lap of the Web: New Zonda, Euro-spec Porsches and a Gordini R17

-- The Pagani Zonda just refuses to die. World Car Fans is reporting the company is working on the Zonda X, based on the 760LM version. Like the 760LM, power is expected to come from a 7.3-liter AMG V12, and some sort of sequential gearbox.

New Longbridge production line

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 31 May 2007 10:10 Reborn MG opens its doors at Longbridge Yesterday marked the latest chapter in one of the genuine rollercoaster stories of our times: the rise and fall – and now yet another recovery – of car production at Longbridge, the spiritual home of some of the most famous nameplates in British car manufacturing. This time it’s the rebirth of MG, now in Chinese hands and back from a near-death experience since MG Rover collapsed in April 2005. Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) is the oldest car maker in China and paid £50 million to snap up the MG brand and manufacturing rights, but can it really stand a chance with its new English project?  The Chinese manufacturer is reviving the MG brand and, in Europe, the first model on sale will be the revised TF roadster on sale around September 2007.