SEAT 124
Encyclopedia
The SEAT 124 is a mid-sized
family car
produced by the Spanish manufacturer SEAT
in its Barcelona
Zona Franca and Landaben Pamplona
plants between 1968 and 1980. The car was very successful in Spain having sold 896,136 units, and was produced in both the 4-door and station wagon (Familar) versions under various engines and trim levels.
car and represented a great step forward for the automotive era in Spain when it was introduced. It aimed at the middle class, as it combined generous offerings and livability but at the same time in an accessible to buy and own package.
During its launch time SEAT already sold the SEAT 1500
, SEAT 600D
and SEAT 850
models, and by the time the 124 model pulled over it was succeeded by the SEAT Ritmo fabricated in Spain from 1979 onwards.
In 1975 the model suffered a restyling from Giorgetto Giugiaro
; the circular front headlights were replaced by rectangular ones and its rear was altered amid several modifications, while the SEAT 124 and SEAT 1430
ranges were unified under a single model officially named SEAT 124D versión 75. The car's initial production in Zona Franca was transferred in 1976 to the Landaben - newly-acquired from Authi
- plant in Pamplona
, resulting in the elimination of the '124 Familiar' station wagon 5-door versions.
The 4-cylinder 2-barrel carburetor 1,197 cc motor originally delivered a 60 CV (DIN) horsepower, however in 1973 a new derivative was implemented with the introduction of the SEAT 124 LS which performed 65 CV (DIN).
The variants equipped with the double camshaft
(biárbol in Spanish) motor, victorious for decades in all-type competition, were massively known as FU which had been the internal code name used by the brand.
Its engine soon became famous for its nerve and offered high performance in many circumstances: either as a taxi cab, a police car, an ambulance, a hearse, or even a fire truck. As a race car, it won numerous competitions and trophies driven by pilots like Salvador Cañellas
and Antonio Zanini amid others. Modified for this purpose in order to be used in rallies, its engine displacement was raised to reach 2,090 cc.
More Sport versions were made with 1,600 cc (1970–72), 1,800 cc (1972–75) and 2,000 cc (1978–79).
Its sibling, the SEAT 1430
also originated from the Fiat 124 range when the latter received several elements borrowed from the higher-class Fiat 125
and gave birth to the Fiat 124 Special edition presented in 1968.
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...
family car
Family car
A family car is a car classification used in Europe to describe normally-sized cars. The name comes from the suitability of these cars to carry a whole family locally or on vacations. Most family cars are hatchbacks or saloons, although there are MPVs, estates and cabriolets with the same structure...
produced by the Spanish manufacturer 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....
in its 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...
Zona Franca and Landaben Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
plants between 1968 and 1980. The car was very successful in Spain having sold 896,136 units, and was produced in both the 4-door and station wagon (Familar) versions under various engines and trim levels.
History
The SEAT 124 model derived from the italian Fiat 124Fiat 124
The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
car and represented a great step forward for the automotive era in Spain when it was introduced. It aimed at the middle class, as it combined generous offerings and livability but at the same time in an accessible to buy and own package.
During its launch time SEAT already sold 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...
, SEAT 600D
SEAT 600
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 , that came at the end of the slow recovery from the Spanish Civil War...
and 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...
models, and by the time the 124 model pulled over it was succeeded by the SEAT Ritmo fabricated in Spain from 1979 onwards.
In 1975 the model suffered a restyling from Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
; the circular front headlights were replaced by rectangular ones and its rear was altered amid several modifications, while the SEAT 124 and 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...
ranges were unified under a single model officially named SEAT 124D versión 75. The car's initial production in Zona Franca was transferred in 1976 to the Landaben - newly-acquired from Authi
Authi
The Authi car company of Pamplona, Spain, was founded in 1965 as a result of a collaboration between BMC and NMQ ....
- plant in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, resulting in the elimination of the '124 Familiar' station wagon 5-door versions.
The 4-cylinder 2-barrel carburetor 1,197 cc motor originally delivered a 60 CV (DIN) horsepower, however in 1973 a new derivative was implemented with the introduction of the SEAT 124 LS which performed 65 CV (DIN).
The variants equipped with the double camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
(biárbol in Spanish) motor, victorious for decades in all-type competition, were massively known as FU which had been the internal code name used by the brand.
Its engine soon became famous for its nerve and offered high performance in many circumstances: either as a taxi cab, a police car, an ambulance, a hearse, or even a fire truck. As a race car, it won numerous competitions and trophies driven by pilots like Salvador Cañellas
Salvador Cañellas
Salvador Cañellas is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and rally car racer from Spain. He had his best year in 1970 when he finished fourth in the 50cc world championship. He became the first Spanish rider to win a Grand Prix when he won the 1968 125cc Spanish Grand Prix. Cañellas won two...
and Antonio Zanini amid others. Modified for this purpose in order to be used in rallies, its engine displacement was raised to reach 2,090 cc.
More Sport versions were made with 1,600 cc (1970–72), 1,800 cc (1972–75) and 2,000 cc (1978–79).
Its sibling, the 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...
also originated from the Fiat 124 range when the latter received several elements borrowed from the higher-class Fiat 125
Fiat 125
The Fiat 125 is a large family car introduced by Fiat in 1967 and produced by them until 1972. Derivatives were built under license outside Italy until the 1990s...
and gave birth to the Fiat 124 Special edition presented in 1968.
Versions
- 1: SEAT 124 (FA) 1968-1971
- 2: SEAT 124 Lujo (FB) and SEAT 124 L (FB-02) 1968-1971
- 3: SEAT 124 D (FA-03) 1971-1975
- 4: SEAT 124 D Lujo (FB-03) 1971-1973
- 5: SEAT 124 LS (FB-05) 1973-1974
- 6: SEAT 124 D "Extras" (FB-11) 1974-1975
- 7: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 (FL-00) 1975-1980
- 8: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 LS (FL-03...) 1975-1980
- 9: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 Especial 1430 ( FL-10/11/12) 1975-1980
- 10: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 Especial 1600 (FL-40/45) 1976-1979
- 11: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 Especial 1800 (FL-80/82) 1976-1978
- 12: SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 Especial 2000 (FL-90) 1978-1979
- 13: SEAT 124 5p (FJ) / SEAT 124 D 5p (FJ-02) / SEAT 124 D Versión ´75 5p (FN) 1969-1976