SEAT Ibiza Raider and Anibal Podadera
Car of the Day #37: SEAT Ibiza Raider and Anibal Podadera
From the great stew of collaborations, consolidations, and components comes some of the world's best vehicles. (And some of the worst.)
I'm not sure where today's vehicle falls, actually. It's not as if magazine editors are fighting to place it on their covers. The Anibal Podadera was born in the time after SEAT had split with Fiat, but before it was acquired by Volkswagen.
It was a time period spanning less than a decade, but it showed how quickly the company began to flower—SEAT Toledo Marathon, anyone?
First, the Ibiza subcompact hatchback was introduced, interesting because of its practical and performance-oriented design details—SEAT even had Porsche develop the engines and gearboxes in collaboration.
SEAT Ibiza Raider • source unknown
The Ibiza had "System Porsche," stamped onto the engines, worth a royalty payment of 7 German marks from SEAT to the automaker, which is a few dollars today but was crucial back then in helping to fill Porsche’s coffers.
Anyway, Spanish designer Francisco Podadera saw the potential in the vehicle’s mechanicals and proposed what would become a show car prototype: the SEAT Ibiza Raider—two doors and sports car styling over plebeian mechanicals.
It’s easy to spot the Raider: it’s the only example I have shown you. Red with lower black cladding.
Interest from SEAT was lukewarm. Undeterred, Podadera started his own firm, Paccar Corp. SA Anibal, to produce the conversions. Resembling the first-generation Toyota MR2 — and possibly the first Nissan Pulsar EXA, the Anibal is smartly compact but quite kittish from some angles.
You've seen worse.
The body modifications were done to Ibizas mostly in fiberglass with kevlar reinforcement—the roof was cut off and a new top section attached. It also looks like the body kit and unique moulds were identical to the earlier SEAT concept…intellectual property be damned.
Power? Between 90 (F90) and 105 (F100), using versions of the Porsche System 1.5-litre 4-cylinder in different tunes. So it wasn't exactly a powerhouse.
Only 83 were made in total.
Armchair enthusiasts know the drill by now: with Anibal on the hook for its modern monocoque construction, costs, and a lack of a distribution network, it was kaput by 1992.
It's sad because as these vehicles will age, specimens will be parted out and inevitably sacrificed to keep the best Podadera examples running.
As for sporty cars built on the chassis of a subcompact—it's actually quite common. This is far from the last time a dreamer spotted economy car parts and became convinced it was the beginning of their rise to success in the auto industry.
Want to end with a road test of the car? Check this one out from La Escudería (en español):
Miguel Sánchez
(left) SEAT Ibiza Raider; (right) Anibal Podadera • image sources unknown
SUPPORTING MEMBERS
Thank you to my supporting members: Brad B., Chris G., Daniel G., Daniel P., Ingrid P., Karl D., Luis O., Michael J., Michael L., Michelle S., Mike B., Mike L., Mike M., Richard W., Sam L., Wiley H.
