SEAT 600 (1957 – 1973) Review
SEAT 600 (1957 – 1973) At A Glance
Spain's very own people's car
It might be easier finding a Fiat original
The post-War years were an exciting time for car manufacturer across Europe – each country’s population was looking for an inexpensive and simple car with which to get motorized. In France, it was the Citroen 2CV, in Italy it was the Fiat Nuova 500 – and in Spain, the car that gave the people their mobility was the SEAT 600. First shown at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show, the new baby car was not only cheap to buy, but it also cost pennies to run. Based closely on Dante Giacosa's design for Fiat, the 600 finally went on sale May 1957, and was an instant sales success.
As well as the Fiat-derived 600 two-door model, the company also offered commercial derivatives, a convertible and later, a four-door version called the 800. Powered by a rear-mounted 633cc engine, the first cars were imported from Italy (as part of a joint venture), but within months a new factory in Barcelona was mass-producing them in large quantities. During its 16-year production run, more than 800,000 examples of the Seat 600 were built.
