It is already 70 years since the still young brand Seat was born. It arises from the will of the Spanish government, which wants to both equip itself with an industry capable of putting the population to work, while giving them access to mobility. As in many countries during those years, something was needed to get out of the post-war doldrums, and this is particularly true in the case of Spain, which the Franco regime places in a relative international isolation. However, whereas today the automobile seems to be in the eyes of some the cause of all the evils, it is at the time an industry so to speak saving.
A helping hand ... from the Boot
Of course, Spain cannot build a large automobile industry on its own. She needs a partner, and finds him on the other side of the Mediterranean. Already a major automotive hub, Italy welcomes this market with open arms where it can sell its products in a roundabout way, and thus better recover itself. It is therefore Fiat that will sponsor the birth of Seat, allowing it to build its models under license, or even to modify them slightly and affix the Spanish badge. The foundations are laid!
The first Seat came out in 1953 from a brand new factory built in the free zone of Barcelona. It is a 4-door station wagon named 1400, precisely like its almost twin Fiat. But the real rise of Seat will come with another model, now more adored in Spain than its Fiat counterpart in Italy. This small revolution arrives in 1957: it is the Seat 600, obviously almost identical copy of the Fiat 600, launched two years earlier. And while in Italy the 600 will be practically erased by the 500, also launched in 1957, it will have its revenge in Spain, where it becomes a real star of the market. Simple and affordable, the Seat 600 allows many Spaniards to afford a car, and the feeling of freedom that goes with it. Out of production in 1973, the 600 will be built in more than 800,000 copies.
From one partner to another
At the end of the 1970s, the Spanish government wanted to sell its shares in Seat, and Fiat was obviously well placed to completely absorb the Spanish brand. But by discovering that the brand had "hidden" debts, Fiat withdraws its marbles and Seat is left to fend for itself. For 2 years, nothing new came out and sales declined. Then, in 1982, a new partner arrived. The VW group takes a stake in the brand and uses the Spanish factories to locally produce VWs and Audi. Then the Spanish government decides to inject funds into Seat, which can again develop new models. But the first international bestseller, the one that really made Seat known throughout Europe, was launched in 1984: the Ibiza! A design by Giugiaro, an engine developed by Porsche, competitive prices… the Ibiza has it all and in fact, it pleases!
The total takeover by VW in the early 90s, and therefore the new models based on German technology, will then only strengthen the position of the Spanish brand.
The sport
It was very early but rather timidly that Seat dabbled in sports cars. Seat is really getting into sport, and even competition, with the 124 sedan. This well-designed, performance car was indeed extremely popular with rally drivers. The manufacturer set up its own competition department in the early 1970s, but for real sports versions for the general public, it was not until the VW era.
The Ibiza 1 had already had a 100hp SXI version, and things started to get serious with the Ibiza 2 launched in 1993. It will be entitled to a GTI version worthy of the name, and even two, one of 115, the other of 130 horses. It was on the basis of this Ibiza GTI that Seat developed its own sports label in 1996. The car draws 150 horsepower from a 2 liter engine and, having been created for the homologation of the Ibiza in Kit Car competition, it receives a name which is the contraction of Cup Racing. Cupra was born! Nasty look, more "radical" settings and ultra competitive prices compared to rivals, the Ibiza Cupra enchants fans of small bombs. Besides the Ibiza, the Leon will also be entitled to its Cupra versions, making the label even more famous. So much so that since 2018, Cupra has been a full-fledged sports brand.
In 70 years, therefore, Seat has come a long way that most of its rivals have taken more than a century to cover. It deserved a few words, and a "Compleaño Feliz"!
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