THESE days SEAT is speaking a new language.
It is called Arrow Design and features bold geometric lines reflecting the manufacturer's never ending quest to hold the high ground in latest styling.
So it is hardly surprising that one of the latest SEATs to feature Arrow Design, the new Ibiza SC three-door should be chosen as a launchpad for parent company Volkswagen Group's new supermini platform.
Apart from the styling department, Ibiza SC features reduced CO2 emissions, better fuel consumption and a weight advantage.
And the Ibiza SC really is a formidable contender, a far cry from the first Ibiza that arrived on British shores in 1985. At the time I for one dismissed the then lacklustre SEAT as a credible brand in Britain, filing it in the same drawer of also rans as Yugo and Polski Fiat.
But how wrong can you be. As soon as the company was taken over by Volkswagen the foot was on the gas to improve the brand beyond compare and, as with Skoda, SEAT is now considered a quality make and certainly not a joke.
The Ibiza SC is a perfect example of the direction in which SEAT is heading , especially the 1.4 Sport model.
Overtly muscular rear shoulders and flared wheel arches and a beautifully symmetrical swept back style are perfectly poised to create a name in chic motoring. Hardly surprising really because design director Luc Donckerwolke penned Lamborghinis in his previous job.
This car was typical of what modern technology can achieve with a 1.4 petrol engine. A top speed of 110mph, 85PS power and 0-62mph sprint of 12.2 seconds might be considered quite normal in a car such as this. But a combined mpg figure of 45.6, Group 3 insurance and Band C £120 road tax make this model begin to sound much more tasty for anything bearing Sport on its nametag.
CO2 emissions of 149g/km and 17% tax rating for business drivers are also music to the ears in environmentally-driven, cash-strapped Britain.
Bags of room inside and simple to use controls all add to the driving pleasure of the Ibiza SC. On the debit side tyre noise in the higher speed ranges intruded into the normally quiet ambience this car enjoys.
The Ibiza SC was offered at launch with three petrol options, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 with diesels following up fast including a tasty 1.9 TDI.
But it is the 1.4 petrol that is predicted to be the best seller, offering the best balance of performance and economy.
Many people ask what SEAT stands for. So for those who want to know it's an acronym for Sociedad Espanola de Automoviles de Turismo, and the company's production is concentrated at the ultra-modern Martorell plant near Barcelona.
FAST FACTS
SEAT Ibiza SC Sport 1.4
Price: £10,280
Mechanical: 85bhp, 1,390cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 110mph
0-62mph: 12.2 secs
Combined mpg: 45.6
Insurance group: 3
CO2 emissions: 149g/km
BIK rating: 17%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles