The SEAT Ibiza Friend was part of the last range of the first-generation Ibiza. Launched just after the successful Barcelona 92 Olympic Games, it retained the aesthetics of the Ibiza New Style and, in early 1993, gave way to the second-generation Ibiza. This is precisely the last unit built of the original generation.

The Ibiza was born in the Martorell Technical Centre in 1984, designed in collaboration with the best European specialists: Giugiaro for the design, Porsche for the engines and Karmann for the industrialisation of the project. SEAT thus began to build an independent image which helped internationalise and look to a brilliant future. The Ibiza was a symbol of SEAT's creativity and know-how, features that would smooth the integration of the Spanish brand in the Volkswagen Group just two years later, in 1986.

During its nine-year commercial life, the first-generation Ibiza received two restylings. The first one, in 1989, focused on the interior, with a new, much more modern dashboard.

The second one, introduced in March 1991, was much more ambitious. Dubbed New Style, this third-series featured new general styling details that anticipated the image of the imminent SEAT Toledo, SEAT's new large saloon. The main new feature was the front end, with all-new trapezoidal headlamps and a new grille, very much in the style of the Toledo.

With the Ibiza New Style, the Ibiza's range went from the 44 HP 903 cc engine of the Special to the 105 HP of the new System Porsche 1.7 petrol engine, as well as the efficient 57 HP diesel engine. The 1.7 engine was exclusive to the new top-of-the-range Sport Line version.

All versions were available in 3-door and 5-door bodies, including the sporty SXI models with the familiar 100 HP 1.5 injection engine, and also the Sport Line. The 5-door body had been added to the Ibiza range in 1986. SEAT thus continued a long tradition of its own 4-door and 5-door models, which began in the mid-1960s with the SEAT 800. The following generations of the Ibiza also had 3-door and 5-door versions, until the Ibiza became available only with a 5-door body from the fifth generation.

The Ibiza New Style was on sale for two years until the launch of the second-generation Ibiza, the first SEAT to be built at the new Martorell plant. In the last months of the Ibiza New Style's commercial life, SEAT reorganised the range to give it a new lease of life before the arrival of the new Ibiza.

Thus, in September 1992, the Ibiza range was simplified with just two versions, the Ibiza Friend and the Ibiza Sport, both with 3-door and 5-door bodies. The 903 cc and diesel engines were discontinued, and only the System Porsche petrol engines were retained.

Actually, the Ibiza Sport corresponded to the previous Sport Line and was powered exclusively by the System Porsche 1.7 engine. The Friend was available with the System Porsche 1.2 and 1.5 engines, both with or without a catalytic converter. The catalytic converter meant fuel injection (also on the 1.2 engine) and the use of cleaner, unleaded petrol. It was to become mandatory in Spain in 1993 for newly launched vehicles, but SEAT had been offering it as an option on the Ibiza since 1990 in the domestic market and earlier for export.

All Ibiza Friend cars had the same equipment, regardless of the engine, and were distinguished by the Friend sticker on the lower part of the front doors. Among other things, the Friend had electric windows and central locking. They also had seat belts in the rear seats, which had been compulsory in Spain since 1992. The only options were air conditioning and metallic paint.

Introduced shortly after the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games, the Friend name evoked the great popular success of the Olympic event, in which SEAT had been an important partner. SEAT would use the Friend name again for a limited series of the Arosa in 1999.

As the last version of the first-generation Ibiza, along with the Sport, it was an Ibiza Friend that had the honour of being the last Ibiza I to be built at the Zona Franca plant. It was on 29 April 1993, and it was the 1,290,845th Ibiza. It had been 40 years since those assembly lines had been put into operation for the first time, to start manufacturing the first SEAT, the 1400.

This unit, a 90 HP, 5-door, red Ibiza Friend 1.5, the last Ibiza of the first generation, did not go on sale and was kept by the brand due to its historical relevance. Today it forms part of the SEAT HISTÓRICOS Collection, which also preserves the first Ibiza ever built, in April 1984.