SEAT sells 430,000 cars in 2006, up 2% on the previous year. Its U.K. sales rise by 16%, bolstered by the new Leon and Altea.

Word has it that Volkswagen's Spanish division - initially rebuilt in the late-90s as a Latin competitor to Alfa Romeo - now wants to tone down its enthusiast-oriented bent, as its sales volumes are apparently not high enough.

The issue with SEAT, though, is that it has not gone far enough to truly cater to enthusiasts.

Sure, the entry-level Ibiza subcompact offers a driver-oriented console; a sporting steering-wheel and shifter, and clear instrumentation, but there is no flair to its cabin whatsoever: dark, poorly-detailed plastics blend with grey seats; a vertical stack, and oversized air vents to make for an uninspiring environment. A new Ibiza arrives for 2008.