SEAT 1400
Encyclopedia
The SEAT 1400 was a rear-wheel drive four door sedan mid-size car
launched by the Spanish car maker SEAT
between 1953 and 1963, the first model ever produced by SEAT
and the first car to be assembled at the firm's new plant located in Barcelona
's Zona Franca zone.
The car was a rebranded Fiat 1400
, itself Fiat’s first integrated chassis
model.
Production started on November 13th 1953 carried out from an early workforce of 925 employees with a potential of 5 units produced per day, and the first SEAT 1400 car rolled off the assembly line with the licence plate 'B-87.223' . Initially in 1953 components were shipped as CKD kits from Italy and assembled by SEAT at their plant in Zona Franca, but in a quite short term from 1954 the Spanish-made parts raised up to a 93% proportion out of total in order to limit imports from one part and from another part to help the development of the almost non-existent Spanish supplier industry thus fulfilling SEAT's assigned key role in the development of the Spanish economy as the national car maker of the post World War II Spain
. In the next few years the model's production output would gradually increase and already by 1956 10,000 cars would be annually produced with an average of 42 cars per day.
In 1963, when the car was replaced by the SEAT 1500
, 82.894 examples covering four distinctively different versions of the 1400 had been produced.
engine with a claimed output of 44 bhp and top speed of 116 km/h (72 mph).
the previous year. Published power output was now raised to 50 bhp and the top speed to 125 km/h (78 mph).
styled body, came from the recently introduced Fiat 1800
. The previous SEAT 1400 B remained in production: the two cars were offered in parallel, sharing the same engine, though the newer car was longer and, it appears, slightly heavier than the old. The decision to fit the old four cylinder unit in the new bodied SEAT rather than to tool up for assembly in Catalonia
of the new six cylinder engines being fitted by Fiat in the new bodied cars appears to have been taken on cost grounds: disposable incomes in Spain at this time were far lower than those in Italy. In 1963 a five door estate version of the 1400 C appeared, featuring a two piece tailgate. The introduction of a diesel engined version would have to await the successor model
, however.
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
launched by the Spanish car maker SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
between 1953 and 1963, the first model ever produced by SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
and the first car to be assembled at the firm's new plant located in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
's Zona Franca zone.
The car was a rebranded Fiat 1400
Fiat 1400
The Fiat 1400 is a model of car produced by Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat between 1950 and 1958. The car was introduced in 1950 Geneva Motor Show. It was the first chassisless Fiat automobile...
, itself Fiat’s first integrated chassis
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
model.
Production started on November 13th 1953 carried out from an early workforce of 925 employees with a potential of 5 units produced per day, and the first SEAT 1400 car rolled off the assembly line with the licence plate 'B-87.223' . Initially in 1953 components were shipped as CKD kits from Italy and assembled by SEAT at their plant in Zona Franca, but in a quite short term from 1954 the Spanish-made parts raised up to a 93% proportion out of total in order to limit imports from one part and from another part to help the development of the almost non-existent Spanish supplier industry thus fulfilling SEAT's assigned key role in the development of the Spanish economy as the national car maker of the post World War II Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In the next few years the model's production output would gradually increase and already by 1956 10,000 cars would be annually produced with an average of 42 cars per day.
In 1963, when the car was replaced by the SEAT 1500
SEAT 1500
The SEAT 1500 was a Spanish-built 6-seater model of saloon and estate cars, based on the Italian Fiat 1800. The 1500 was the successor to the SEAT 1400 C: it was manufactured between 1963 and 1972, with the five door estate version arriving in 1965...
, 82.894 examples covering four distinctively different versions of the 1400 had been produced.
SEAT 1400
The first SEAT 1400, offered between 1953 and 1955, incorporated a 1395 cc four cylinder watercooled FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
engine with a claimed output of 44 bhp and top speed of 116 km/h (72 mph).
SEAT 1400 A
The SEAT 1400 A, the first revision, launched for 1955 was a modernised version of the original 1400, based on the Fiat 1400 A which had appeared from TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
the previous year. Published power output was now raised to 50 bhp and the top speed to 125 km/h (78 mph).
SEAT 1400 B
Announced at the end of 1956, the SEAT 1400 B appearing for 1957 retained its predecessor’s bodywork but featured a revised front grill and offered a two tone paint scheme. In addition to the sedan, a five door station wagon and commercial delivery truck version were available. Claimed engine output and maximum speed for the sedan were now 58 bhp and 135 km/h (84 mph). This version of the 1400 would continue in production until 1964.SEAT 1400 C
The SEAT 1400 C was introduced in 1960. The modern PininfarinaPininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
styled body, came from the recently introduced Fiat 1800
Fiat 1800/2100
The Fiat 1800 and 2100 are six-cylinder saloons produced by Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat between 1959 and 1968. Both six-cylinder models appeared in 1959: in 1963 a four-cylinder 1500 cc version was added to the range...
. The previous SEAT 1400 B remained in production: the two cars were offered in parallel, sharing the same engine, though the newer car was longer and, it appears, slightly heavier than the old. The decision to fit the old four cylinder unit in the new bodied SEAT rather than to tool up for assembly in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
of the new six cylinder engines being fitted by Fiat in the new bodied cars appears to have been taken on cost grounds: disposable incomes in Spain at this time were far lower than those in Italy. In 1963 a five door estate version of the 1400 C appeared, featuring a two piece tailgate. The introduction of a diesel engined version would have to await the successor model
SEAT 1500
The SEAT 1500 was a Spanish-built 6-seater model of saloon and estate cars, based on the Italian Fiat 1800. The 1500 was the successor to the SEAT 1400 C: it was manufactured between 1963 and 1972, with the five door estate version arriving in 1965...
, however.