Volume VII, Number 11

The first attempt to mass production cars was done by Fiat in 1939, in association with 5 Spanish banks, but the world war frustrated the plans. Anyway, a major investor was needed, and the capital came from the Spanish government, thanks to the first credit done by the US Congress to Spain. With italian tecnology, american tools and machinery, and the Spanish state protection, Seat ( Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo or Spanish Society of Touism Automobiles) was founded in 1950, and by 1953 the first model, the Fiat 1400A, came out of the new plant of Zona Franca de Barcelona ( Cataluña, NE Spain)

In the beginning, the plant just assembled the talian parts, so the first workers turned the acronym meaning into " Siempre Estarás Apretando Tornillos" ( You will be always tightenning screws) The massive incorporation of locally produced parts changed the plant in a real factory but the 1400 even succesful, was not the car which can motorize the country. This honour came to the humble 600. First introduced by Fiat in Geneve in 1955, this car was produced in Spain between 1957 to 1973. Designed by Dante Giacosa in his usual pattern to make the spacious car in the smallest body as he did it before in the 1400, 500 Topolino and Balila, this was a nice 2 doors-rear engined car, with 633 cc and 19hp, but later evolved to 767cc with 25 and 32hp. This car had a capital importance, because in despite the price around US$1000 and really long waiting lists, was the most suuccesful car in the 60s and became the symbol of the Spanish economic development and the first massive motorization in a way that their Fiat cousin maybe never reached in Italy. Besides, in 1964, it provided the base of the first national variation in a Fiat body, introducind the 800 a 600 with 40 doors and 767 engine.

In 1959, the 1400A/B made room for the 1400C, which used the body of the new Fiat 1800/2100 (later 2300). As the engine was really weak for handle the weight of the car, the Seat tecnicians took the 1481cc/72hp from the Fiat 1300/1500 ( a smaller car) to introduce the 1500 as a saloon or estate. Thois was a good idea even for Fiat, who made the same for the italian market, offering as a 1500L (long). Other model introduced was the 850, offered since 1965 as a 2 doors saloon or a coupé. Also was offered a 4 doors-3 volumes model called the Especial, unique to Spain.

Seat was not alone in the market, as FASA-Renault, Citroën, or Spanish industrialists such Eduardo Barreiros, who made lorries and diesel engines before to take licences for the Simca 1000 and the Dodge Dart, enlarged the maket offer with new models. To keep the leadership, Seat launched the 124 in 1968 as a saloon or estate, and in 1970 as a coupé. A luxury sallon model was launched as the 1430. After 14 years of loyal services, the 1500 neé 1400C, was replaced by the 132, a car with 1600, 1800 and 2000cc. twin camshafted engines.

By 1973, the oil crisis crushed the western economies. The new middle classes asked for a practical and economic to run, yet fiun to drive, small and spacious car. The Seat 127, launched in 1972 as a 2 or 3 doors hatchback, was a big hit, even if now had to fight strongly against the Renault 5 for the national preferences. In 1974, the 133, the first real national design, replaced both the 600 and 850 with a 2 doors-rear engined fastback. The 131, launched in 1975 as a saloon or a estate with 1430 and 1600 engines, soon used the 132 engines, and became a popular sporive car.

In 1975, the King Juan Carlos I leaded Spain into democracy and the approach to the European Community, after the long dictature of the died General Franco. Seat had to fight against more competitors like Ford and GM/Opel, and also against a more massive presence of imports cars. Even worse, Seat had to absorbe the British Leyland plant in Landaben, Navarra and now had a excessive wiorkforce, prodcing a large range of models in a overcrowded market. The Spanish government asked Fiat to take over the control of the company, but the italian refused because the government refused to cut jobs and rationalize the company. In despite of the crisis, the second own design, the 1200 Sport, was launched in 1976 to give a smaller replacement for the 124 Coupé.The 3 doors hatchback version of the 128 was released ( 1976-79) to prepare the market for the all new Ritmo (1978-84) turned Ronda ( 1984-87) The last Fiat design made by Seat was the Panda, launched in 1980 and evolved into the Marbella in 1986.

The Spanish govenment finally invested in new models, Ibiza I (1984) and Málaga (1985), rationalized the range of products and cut many jobs. Volkswagen was interested, and absporbed Seat in 1990. The current Seat are reliable and improved models, with a sporty appealing. It's sad that such cars as the Ibiza II (1993) Toledo I (1991) or Córdoba I ( 1995) were not made in small scale. We can hope that the current line, lead by the León and the Altea can attract the attention for 1/64 models.

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