Start with what the SEAT Tango is: a 2-door 2-seat roadster with 1.8 L 20 valve Turbocharged I4, DOHC, built from 2001, in the decade of stability control, dual-clutch gearboxes and the first serious hybrids. What it meant takes a little longer. The shape is credited to Walter de Silva.
How it came about
The SEAT Tango roadster is a concept car presented at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, designed by a team directed by Walter de Silva with the contribution of SEAT's chief of exterior design, Steve Lewis. Featuring a two-door two-seater roadster body style riding on a cut-down SEAT Ibiza platform, it is powered by a 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) version of Volkswagen Group's 1.8L 20VT engine which drives the front wheels.
While it was an internal concept, it was originally intended to be called the Tanga because of its rear end lines, however that name was turned down by Volkswagen Group's management as it was found rather provocative. Extensive safety measures were also integrated into the project: in addition to the progressive deformation structure and central passenger cell which help to cushion impact, it was also equipped with twin front airbags, side airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control systems.
The hardware
The engine is 1.8 L 20 valve Turbocharged I4, DOHC. On the scales it comes to 1150 kg. Drive goes through a 6-speed manual. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 2200 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Family and rivals
The cars a buyer would have weighed it against include the Honda Fit, the Kia Sorento, the Porsche Cayenne. Its SEAT stablemates include the SEAT 124 and the SEAT 133.