SEAT Alhambra

SEAT Alhambra
Overview
Manufacturer	SEAT
Production	1996–present
Assembly	Palmela, Portugal (AutoEuropa)
Body and chassis
Class	Large MPV
Body style	5-door multi-purpose vehicle
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

The SEAT Alhambra is a large multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) designed to compete with the Renault Espace, the Citroën C8 and the Peugeot 807. It is manufactured under the SEAT brand since 1996, at the Volkswagen Group's AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal. It shares the same platform with the Volkswagen Sharan, and the first generation was also related to the Ford Galaxy. The vehicle is named after the Alhambra of Granada, a famous monument in Spain.

First generation (Typ 7M; 1996–2009)

SEAT Alhambra Mk1 (7M)
Overview
Also called	Volkswagen Sharan Mk1 Ford Galaxy Mk1
Production	1996–2009
Body and chassis
Related	Volkswagen Sharan Mk1 Ford Galaxy Mk1
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol engines: 1.8 L I4 20V Turbo 2.0 L I4 2.8 L VR6 24v Diesel engines: 1.9 L I4 TDI 2.0 L I4 TDI
Transmission	6-speed manual 5-speed automatic 5-speed Tiptronic automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,835 mm (111.6 in)
Length	4,634 mm (182.4 in)
Width	1,810 mm (71.3 in)
Height	1,762 mm (69.4 in)
Curb weight	1,599–1,709 kg (3,525–3,768 lb)

A prototype of the first generation SEAT Alhambra was presented at the 1995 Geneva Salon International de l'Auto. Next year the production Alhambra was launched at the same motor show.^[1] The Alhambra shares most of its components and design with the VW Sharan Mk1 and Ford Galaxy Mk1. However, the Alhambra has more options fitted for a given price range. The Alhambra has seven seats—the five rear seats can be folded down or unclipped and removed completely. When removed the seats leave a flat-floored load space, a unique feature for SEAT vehicles at that time. The load volume varies, from 256l with seven seats, to 852l with five seats, and 2610l with only the two front seats fitted.

The Alhambra was essentially unchanged from 1996 to 2010 but a major restyling in 2000 reflected the new SEAT image. Even so, the Alhambra remained faithful to the original design produced under the Volkswagen Group and Fordtechnology sharing agreement. When Volkswagen and Ford lost market share to other manufacture's MPVs, including the Toyota Previa and Mitsubishi Space Wagon, they changed the design of their versions.

The Alhambra, Sharan, and Galaxy were built on the same production line at the joint venture AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal, and were essentially the same but with different engine options and interiors. This led to the three vehicles being referred to collectively as the "Sharalaxy" or "Shalambraxy". Ford has now withdrawn from the collaboration, and the Galaxy Mk III and the S-Max (a seven-seater based on the Mondeo Mk IV platform) are built in Genk, Belgium, alongside the Mondeo. The AutoEuropa plant now produces the VW Scirocco III.

Introduced in 2009, the environmentally friendly SEAT Alhambra Ecomotive is fitted with the 2.0 TDI 140 PS (103 kW) engine producing 159 g/km CO2 emissions.^[2]

• 

  SEAT Alhambra first generation pre-facelift

• 

  SEAT Alhambra first generation pre-facelift instrument panel

• 

  SEAT Alhambra first generation pre-facelift

Awards

• 'Monovolume do Ano' award in 1997, in Portugal^[3]

Engines

• Petrol
  • 1.8L I4 110 kW (150 PS) 20V Turbo
  • 2.0L I4 85 kW (116 PS)
  • 2.8L VR6 150 kW (204 PS) 24V

• Diesel
  • 1.9L I4 66 kW (90 PS) TDI
  • 1.9L I4 81 kW (110 PS) TDI
  • 1.9L I4 85 kW (116 PS) TDI
  • 1.9L I4 96 kW (131 PS) TDI
  • 1.9L I4 110 kW (150 PS) TDI
  • 2.0L I4 103 kW (140 PS) TDI

Second generation (Typ 7N; 2010–present)

SEAT Alhambra Mk2 (7N)
Overview
Also called	Volkswagen Sharan Mk2
Production	2010–present
Body and chassis
Platform	Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ46)
Related	Volkswagen Sharan Mk2
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol engines: 1.4 L 110 kW (148 hp) TSI 2.0 L 147 kW (197 hp) TSI Diesel engines: 2.0 L 103 kW (138 hp) TDI 2.0 L 125 kW (168 hp) TDI
Dimensions
Length	4,850 mm (190.9 in)

The second generation SEAT Alhambra was announced on 19 April 2010 and went on sale in October 2010.^[4] At 4.85m long, it is 22 cm longer than the first generation: it is also 9 cm wider. Like the new Sharan, access to the middle row of seats is via sliding doors.^[5]

In February 2011 SEAT presented the Alhambra four-wheel-drive version featuring a permanent all wheel drive combined with the 2.0 TDI 103 kW diesel engine and a manual six-speed gearbox.^[6]

• 

  SEAT Alhambra second generation rear doors now slide open rather than being hinged.

Safety

In 2010, the safety of the second generation SEAT Alhambra was assessed under the Euro NCAP scheme; it achieved a 5-star overall rating:^[7]

Test	Score	Points
Overall:		N/A
Adult occupant:	96%	34
Child occupant:	80%	39
Pedestrian:	46%	16
Safety assist:	71%	5

Awards

• ‘Auto Trophy’ 2010 for the imported MPV category, by the German car magazine Autozeitung^[8]
• ‘Best imported MPV’ in 2011, by the readers of the German car magazine 'Auto motor und sport'^[9]
• ‘Best MPV on the market’ award in 2011, by the British magazine 'WhatCar?'^[10]
• ‘Best MPV’ in 2011, at the UK Fleet World Honours^[11]
• ‘Best MPV’ in 2011, by the British motoring magazine 'Diesel Car'
• ‘MPV of the Year’ award in 2011, by panel members of the Portuguese ‘Car of the Year – Crystal Steering Wheel Trophy’^[12]
• ‘Best MPV’ in 2011, at the second edition of the Ecomotor Awards organised by the Spanish newspaper 'El Economista'
• ‘Best MPV on the market’ award in 2012, by the British magazine 'WhatCar?'
• ‘Best MPV on the market’ award in 2013, by the British magazine 'WhatCar?'

Engines

• Petrol
  • 1.4 L 110 kW (150 hp) TSI
  • 2.0 L 147 kW (200 hp) TSI

• Diesel
  • 2.0 L 103 kW (140 hp) TDI
  • 2.0 L 130 kW (177 hp) TDI

Sales and production figures

Since its launch in 1996, more than 250,000 SEAT Alhambras have been sold.^[13]

In the year 2009, the total annual retail sales number of SEAT Alhambra cars was 5,923 vehicles,^[14]

The total production per year of SEAT Alhambra cars, manufactured in SEAT and other Volkswagen group's plants, is shown in the following table :

model	1998 [15]	1999 [15]	2000 [16]	2001 [17]	2002 [18]	2003 [19]	2004 [20]	2005 [21]	2006 [22]	2007 [23]	2008 [24]	2009 [25]	2010 [26]
SEAT Alhambra Total annual production	21,300	27,440	23,924	26,524	26,308	23,693	21,580	14,902	14,352	14,242	10,282	6,215	10,023

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to SEAT Alhambra.

• SEAT Alhambra official website

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