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THE ITALIAN COACHBUILDER SITE

Seat Proto TL

1989

THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE

Model dossier

Manufacturer
SEAT
Base model
Proto TL
Version
Epowood Proto T evolved into Proto TL; programme led to production SEAT Toledo in 1991
Production period
1989
Body style
Berlina
Type
Prototype

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR

Coachbuilding, design & conversions

PRICE & SALES RECORD

Vehicle value

Original price
Not documented
Latest recorded sale
Not documented

01 / THE STORY

History & context

The Seat Proto TL was introduced by Italdesign as a solid epowood model at the Frankfurt motor show in 1989 named the Proto T, the car gained an interior passenger compartment at the subsequent Geneva motor show, when it became known as the Proto TL. The Seat Proto TL, which was to give rise to the Seat Cordoba, was a five-door saloon with a decidedly sporty feel, as borne out by its Cd of 0.243. When compared with traditional standard-production bodies where the subdivision of volumes is always precise, the proto T/TL represented a combination of a classic three-box car and an MPV (just as the Proto C was to be a blend of hatchback and MPV).The windows were flush with the body while the wings and bumpers were built into a vehicle body with compact overhangs. An air intake opened toward the rear wheel, formed out of the rail, to cool the brake discs and this accentuated the sporty nature of the Seat Proto TL. The roof was in glass of variable transparency that was automatically modifiable based on the exterior lighting level. Two probes positioned at each side of the fog lights were designed to obtain data relating to traffic and weather conditions from a hypothetical metal track embedded in the asphalt and control the car as part of a hypothetical future development.

02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY

Specifications & construction

Production & construction

Production type
Prototype

Engine & performance

Specification notes
Italdesign primary source: Proto T/TL was developed with SEAT as the proposed future mid-range car that led to the Toledo; Proto TL is a five-door saloon and Italdesign reports Cd 0.243.

Dimensions & accommodation

Doors
5

Design & manufacture

Designer · Candidate
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Design Studio · Documented
Italdesign
Manufacturer · Documented
SEAT

06 / EVENTS & AWARDS

Events & awards

Torino General · legacy_preserved
Date
1990
Chassis
General

Preserved CI 1.0 relation. Evidence field: _yoast_wpseo_primary_events. No award inferred.

08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE

Archive

References held in the vehicle dossier. Their inclusion does not establish that every historical claim has been independently verified.

ReferenceSource type
Italdesign official archive — Seat Proto TL www.italdesign.it Official first-party project archive

10 / CONNECTED HISTORY

Timeline

Chronological history1 dated records
  1. Unassigned chassis · Event

    Torino

THE CONVERSATION

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