The History of Seat car maker & VIN decoder

SEAT was founded on May 9, 1950. The full name of the new car manufacturer was Sociedad Espanola de Automoviles de Turismo. In 1953 the first company's plant was launched in Barcelona, from the gates of which in the same year the first SEAT car - the 1400 model - showed up. In fact it was Fiat 1400, which is not surprising, because Italian concern Fiat was the patron of the new company and one of its shareholders. At the initial stage, the company produced five cars a day. In the following year about three thousand cars were produced.

And in 1955, seven thousand cars rolled off the assembly line, and in 1956, ten thousand. In 1957 the production of Seat 600 began - a reliable and nice-looking car, which has won great popularity in Spain. This model marked the beginning of the era of universal motorization, and became the symbol of mobility in Spain. After 14 years, in 1971, every fourth car in the country was a 600. And its production will be discontinued only in 1973. In 1960 the company celebrated a double anniversary: its own tenth anniversary and production of one hundred thousandth car. By 1964 the head office of the company moved to Madrid, and the staff grew to 10 thousand people. The company produced 300 cars per day. The Seat 1500 has replenished the lineup. In 1965 the first export deal took place: The 1500 cars were sold to Colombia. Achievements of the next year were the production of half a millionth car and demonstration of the next model - Seat 850. This was the first car made in several versions, including a four-door, sports car and a convertible version. In 1968 the production of the Model 124 (a 'clone' of the best European car of 1967 - Fiat 124) was launched - a spacious and comfortable car with a sedan body.

In the same year the millionth car was presented. Production was growing and by 1969 the model lineup was completed with a rear-drive Seat 1430. Quite lightweight car with the engine capacity of 1.4 liter has a speed up to 155 km/h. At the same time the construction of SEAT research and development technical center in Martorel has been begun in order to create cars by their own forces. In 1970 the export volume, compared with 1965, has increased by 10 times. In the same year the sports history of the company began. The special cars department, which later grew into the SEAT Sport department, was organized at the factory. The next SEAT model produced under the Fiat license was the Seat 127. This car was as popular as the 124. 1974 was another landmark for the company - two-millionth SEAT left the conveyor. In addition SEAT entered the ten of the largest European car manufacturers (the eighth place). In 1975 the Technical Center in Martorel began its work. Its first development was the model 1200 Sport, which was presented in the same year. In 1976 the 3 millionth SEAT car was produced. In the same year the production of the 128 model has been started. An interesting innovation of the year was the SEAT Ritmo, an innovative multifunctional model, which served as a base for SEAT cars of the 80s.

In 1980 - m SEAT released SEAT Panda, which became the most fashionable utilitarian car in Spain. In the next decade SEAT expected changes. Already in 1980, seemingly eternal ally of Spaniards - concern FIAT - refused to increase its capital in SEAT and stopped 30 - years collaboration with the company. In this connection, in a year, SEAT developed a new strategy of development. The first fruit of the new policy became the line of new cars: Ibiza, Ronda, Malaga and Marbella. SEAT Marbella is in fact the result of transformation of SEAT Panda. On September 30, 1982 was signed an agreement on industrial and commercial cooperation with Volkswagen, under the control of which the Spaniards have been to this day. In 1983, the release of SEAT Ronda, the first model, equipped with a computer, took place. At the same time SEAT celebrated the next anniversary - the five-millionth car rolled off the assembly line. Do not forget to use Seat VIN decoder in order to avoid potential problems when buying a used car.

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