The 1969 Seat 1430, a model that stood out for its 1,438 cc engine , is now celebrating its 50th anniversary . It has been a long time since this engine hit the market, being used in eight different models over the years, and even giving way to the 150 hp 1.5 TSI, which has some of the most successful models of Seat today. like the Arona, the Leon, the Ateca or the Tarraco. The difference between one and the other is infinite, although both share the peculiarity of having been used in numerous models of different nature, thus demonstrating their versatility, toughness, sobriety and balance.
In fact, one of the most sought after goals today when developing a new engine is that it can be used in different models. The 1.5 TSI is a good example of this, in the same way that the 1430 was during the 70s and 80s. Likewise, the 1430 and the current León range have many similarities to each other, both in terms of vehicle they represent as per the customer they are targeting.
The 1.5 TSI arrived in the Seat range in September 2017, being implemented for the first time in the fifth generation of the Ibiza. Later, the engine was reaching the rest of the range, also joining the León, the Ateca, the Arona and the Tarraco. This engine, developed at a speed of between 5,000 and 6,000 rpm with a compression ratio of 10.5: 1, manages to offer the user an easy driving with few gear changes, as well as excellent dynamism when squeezed to the maximum .
Be that as it may, and although the engine represents a really important part of any car , it needs other elements to function in a specific way, so that two vehicles with the same engine but with different characteristics end up being completely different in practice. So, just as important is the chassis, suspension, transmission, steering or brakes. The combination of all will be the one that will define the final behavior of the car on the road.
