SEAT 600
Encyclopedia
The SEAT 600 was a Spanish
car made by SEAT
from May 1957 to August 1973. It helped to start the economic boom, the Spanish Miracle
(1959-1973), that came at the end of the slow recovery from the Spanish Civil War
. It was a relatively inexpensive vehicle (then 60,000 Spanish Pesetas
) and was the first car that came within the modest but rapidly growing economic means of most Spanish families from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s. The vehicle has become an icon of the period.
The SEAT company was born as a joint venture of the Spanish state holding agency Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI)
, six Spanish banks and Fiat
, and almost all SEAT models up to 1982 were license-built Fiat based cars although the 1200/1430 Sport
"Bocanegra" and 133
were models created in-house by SEAT in the 1970s.
Up to 797,319 SEAT 600 and 18,000 SEAT 800 were made until 1973. They were exported to Argentina, Mexico, Poland and Finland. The Fiat version enjoyed far less success in its homeland than the Spanish model, probably because the Italian
market was more advanced than the Spanish at the time.
Among the reasons for ending production were the thin and weak b pillars
, which made seat belt
installation very difficult. The SEAT 600 was replaced by the far less successful SEAT 133
, a modernized derivative of the SEAT 850
designed by SEAT.
of 1955 with a rear engine/rear wheel drive layout. The engine was a 4-cylinder, water-cooled unit formerly with a displacement of 633 cc producing 19 hp and later 767 cc, yielding 21.5 hp at 4600 rpm.
. Third series 600 E had normal doors, bigger headlamp
s, a different plastic Grille
and other improvements. The final production run was the 600 L Especial, produced only for a few months in 1973.
A commercial body called SEAT 600 Formichetta was also available.
, but the Conti
, Autolinea or Zakspeed
were known. They were equipped with SEAT 850
or SEAT 1430
engines, tuned up to 110 bhp. The brakes and wheels were also changed, providing the SEAT 600 the unique capacity of great acceleration and relatively high speed, 215 km/h (133.6 mph).
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...
car made 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....
from May 1957 to August 1973. It helped to start the economic boom, the Spanish Miracle
Spanish miracle
The Spanish miracle was the name given to a broadly based economic boom in Spain from 1959 to 1974. The international oil and stagflation crises of the 1970s ended the boom.- The pre-boom situation :...
(1959-1973), that came at the end of the slow recovery from the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. It was a relatively inexpensive vehicle (then 60,000 Spanish Pesetas
Spanish peseta
The peseta was the currency of Spain between 1869 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra .- Etymology :...
) and was the first car that came within the modest but rapidly growing economic means of most Spanish families from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s. The vehicle has become an icon of the period.
The SEAT company was born as a joint venture of the Spanish state holding agency Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI)
Instituto Nacional de Industria
'Instituto Nacional de Industria' , literally National Institute of Industry, was a Spanish state-owned financing and industrial holding company, currently succeeded by the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales' .-History:...
, six Spanish banks and Fiat
Fiat
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...
, and almost all SEAT models up to 1982 were license-built Fiat based cars although the 1200/1430 Sport
SEAT 1200 Sport
The SEAT 1200 Sport is a 2-door 4-seater coupé presented officially by SEAT in December 1975 and commercially launched from February 1976 to September 1979. Its huge importance for SEAT lied on the fact it was the first model of the Spanish brand entirely developed in its newly-opened Martorell...
"Bocanegra" and 133
SEAT 133
The SEAT 133 was a small rear-engine car designed and sold by SEAT in Spain from 1974 to 1979. The car used the chassis and engine of the by then defunct Fiat/SEAT 850 and featured a new body in the style of the contemporary, somewhat smaller and only indirectly related Fiat 126.The car was first...
were models created in-house by SEAT in the 1970s.
Up to 797,319 SEAT 600 and 18,000 SEAT 800 were made until 1973. They were exported to Argentina, Mexico, Poland and Finland. The Fiat version enjoyed far less success in its homeland than the Spanish model, probably because the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
market was more advanced than the Spanish at the time.
Among the reasons for ending production were the thin and weak b pillars
Pillar (car)
Pillars are the vertical supports of the greenhouse of an automobile — known respectively as the A, B, C or D-pillar moving in profile view from the front to rear....
, which made seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
installation very difficult. The SEAT 600 was replaced by the far less successful SEAT 133
SEAT 133
The SEAT 133 was a small rear-engine car designed and sold by SEAT in Spain from 1974 to 1979. The car used the chassis and engine of the by then defunct Fiat/SEAT 850 and featured a new body in the style of the contemporary, somewhat smaller and only indirectly related Fiat 126.The car was first...
, a modernized derivative of the SEAT 850
SEAT 850
The SEAT 850 was a car launched in 1966, based upon the Fiat 850. Originally only available with the same 2-door sedan body as used in Italy, two different 4-door versions also appeared in 1967...
designed by SEAT.
Technical specifications
Technically, the car was basic and not very modern; it was a license-built Italian Fiat 600Fiat 600
The Fiat 600 is a city car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969. Measuring only 3.22 m long, it was the first rear-engined Fiat and cost the equivalent of about € 6,700 or US$ 7300 in today's money . The total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori...
of 1955 with a rear engine/rear wheel drive layout. The engine was a 4-cylinder, water-cooled unit formerly with a displacement of 633 cc producing 19 hp and later 767 cc, yielding 21.5 hp at 4600 rpm.
Versions
There were two initial series:600 and 600 D, distinguishable by the use of "suicide doors"Suicide door
A suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....
. Third series 600 E had normal doors, bigger headlamp
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s, a different plastic Grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
and other improvements. The final production run was the 600 L Especial, produced only for a few months in 1973.
A commercial body called SEAT 600 Formichetta was also available.
SEAT 800
A slightly longer 4-door version of the same car, the SEAT 800, was launched in September 1963 and built up to 1968. It was also known as a 4-door 600, although the official designation was 800. This car was only built in Spain.Tunings
There were also tuned cars. The most common ones were prepared by AbarthAbarth
Abarth is an Italian racing car maker founded by Austrian-Italian Carlo Abarth and Italian Armando Scagliarini in Turin in 1949. Its logo depicts a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow background.- History :...
, but the Conti
Conti
-People:* Bill Conti, film music director* Bruno Conti, former football player and member of the Italian national football team in 1982* Carlos Conti , Spanish comic writer* Francesco Bartolomeo Conti , Florentine composer...
, Autolinea or Zakspeed
Zakspeed
Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
were known. They were equipped with SEAT 850
SEAT 850
The SEAT 850 was a car launched in 1966, based upon the Fiat 850. Originally only available with the same 2-door sedan body as used in Italy, two different 4-door versions also appeared in 1967...
or SEAT 1430
SEAT 1430
The SEAT 1430 was a 4-door sedan made by SEAT in Spain from 1969 to 1975. The car was based in the FIAT 124 Special, but the front lights were the square ones from the FIAT 125 instead of round. In 1973, the GTI version of the SEAT 1430 was introduced as the 1430 Especial 1600 model, popularly...
engines, tuned up to 110 bhp. The brakes and wheels were also changed, providing the SEAT 600 the unique capacity of great acceleration and relatively high speed, 215 km/h (133.6 mph).