Seat 133
in

SEAT 133: The basic SEAT range for the 70s

When the 133 protagonist of today's report enrolls in Spain, in December 1975, the country is going through a time of change that the population receives with great uncertainty. Barely a month had passed since Franco had died, thus beginning a regime change, the Transition, which would lead many Spaniards to experience democracy for the first time in their lives. Globally, the oil crisis hit the automobile industry particularly hard, forcing manufacturers to create low-consumption models. Meanwhile, SEAT was also experiencing its own transition, the end of an era, that of "everything behind", which the 133 signed with a full stop...

At the beginning of the seventies, SEAT was going through a moment of important changes in its range. In 1972 makes his debut the first model of the brand with engine and front-wheel drive, el 127, which would have a great reception by the Spanish public since its launch. This car belonged to a new car concept born at that time, the “supermini”, inspired by the configuration of the 1959 Mini. This compact car, together with the Renault 5, which also entered the Spanish market in 1972, represented a real revolution due to its tremendous versatility, which, together with low consumption and modern bodywork, captivated the public of the time. 

With the unprecedented success of the newcomer 127, SEAT decides to retire what until then had been the brand's most popular car, veteran 600, presented in 1957. On August 3, 1973, the last SEAT 600 left the assembly plant., a white L in which factory employees pay homage with a banner that reads: “You were born a prince and you die a king”, ending 16 years of production and almost 800.000 units manufactured. The car that starred in the motorization of a country.

As is popularly said, king dead, king on, and immediately after the cessation of production of the 600, the access model to the SEAT range would become another "all back" manufactured since 1966, el 850. But just a year later, in 1974, the end of this model also came, which, although it also enjoyed great popularity, never reached the manufacturing figures of the 600. 

With the last 850, the workers of the SEAT factory once again paid tribute to the model with a banner that this time read: “You die expired, but you already have a substitute”, a clear reference to a new model of the brand was going to take over from the 850. 

1974: The substitute arrives

It was in that same year of 1974 when SEAT presented a new access model of its catalogue. This new car was called SEAT 133, and inherited from its predecessor, the 850, its mechanics, which is again housed in the rear of the car, in addition to many other components, the most notable difference being the direction, what in 133 it is zipper. The model is presented in May of that year in the Barcelona Motor Show, and receives an aesthetic reminiscent of the FIAT 126 and 127, with which it shared the headlights, differing from the prototypes that the press had leaked that had large round headlights. The 133, would have the honor of being one of the few SEAT cars from the FIAT era that would not have a counterpart in Italy, being its entirely Spanish production. 

The 133 shared headlights with the FIAT-designed 126 and 127

The new 133 counted on an extensive marketing campaign which featured a Bond girl, Ursula Andrews, as an ambassador for the model's presentation to the press in Ibiza. Also, a few months after its launch, in the summer of 74, the group of artists Show Art Nou (MAN) exhibits on the Ramblas of Barcelona an exhibition of sculptures for those who employ a score of 133 bodies, which had been donated by Jaume Pañella, the then director of production at SEAT. Years later she would reach television fame with her appearance on the popular TVE program "One, Two, Three… Answer again", where 133 were one of the most desired prizes, and of which an entire country spoke the next day when a contestant was lucky enough to leave the program with a new car.

Driving school manual with a 133 on the cover

To these events was added a series of ingenious advertisements in the press and on television, among which the slogan stood out: "SEAT 133, a great little car". Although without a doubt, the greatest attraction for buyers of the 133 was its low price, being the ex-factory price in 1974 only 100.710 pesetas. A record in economy that was then only surpassed by the veteran Renault 4 in its "basic" finish and by the Citroën 2CV-6. Perhaps for this reason the 133 was the most remembered car of those years in the driving school sector, being the car an entire generation learned to drive in.

133 press announcement

Evolution of the Seat 133

End of 1975 they present themselves new versions that join the most basic and presented in 1974. These are the 133 Special, 133 L and 133 L Special. The cars that had the name of Special They used the same engine. 843 cubic centimeters from the standard model, which was inherited from the 850, but with a higher compression ratio of 9:1 and a twin-barrel Weber carburettor allowed the little car to develop 44 horses, 10 more horses compared to 34 base model. Aesthetically these 133 they were distinguished by sharing the same rims as the 127, rather than the steel ones of the more basic 600 and 850. The other most notable difference is found inside, with a frame that marks up to 160 kilometers per hour, compared to 140 of the lower power versions.

The full 133 range

As for 133 called "L" or "Luxury”, is a higher packaging finish. They have modern black plastic bumpers, and a plastic coating, imitating aluminum, both at the rear and at the front, resulting in a more contemporary aesthetic than that achieved with chrome bumpers. So, the 133 best equipped were the Special L like the one in the report, although it is worth mentioning that the price difference between the lowest range 133 and the highest was barely 11.000 pesetas.

Despite the fact that there were four different versions of the 133, these only coexisted on the market for a short period of time, specifically for the 1976 season, since in 1977, SEAT decided to reduce the range to the 133 L and L Special finishes, also increasing at this time the power of the most basic engine to 37 horsepower. 

Just in case it wasn't clear, in 1976, the 133 would remain only in the Spanish market as the only "all behind" of national production, since that same year, two veterans in this technique, the Renault 8 and SIMCA 1000 ceased production, further highlighting that the era of rear-wheel drive cars was drawing to a close. 

By the end of the decade, runaway inflation hit the car manufacturers particularly hard, SEAT being perhaps the most affected by this situation. The rise in prices had made the outlay for a new SEAT doubled in just a couple of years, causing a big decline in new car sales. 

With more modern cars on the market and with the 127, which was to become the first model of the brand to exceed one million units sold, the sales of the 133 they decline year by year. to 1979, last year of production of the small 133 only 5.968 units were manufacturedTherefore SEAT decides to conclude the manufacture of the 133 together with that of the 128 3P, to make room for the successor in the basic range of the brand, the Panda, work of Giorgetto Giugiario, and that it would be a success by combining modern design, economy and front-wheel drive. 

When the first units of the Panda were sold, in 1980, there were still 133 in stock, and from the advertising in the press of the time it is known that in 1981 there was still a unit waiting for a buyer at dealerships. 

With the cessation of manufacturing 133 one of the most memorable vans on Spanish roads was orphaned, la Siata Minivan, manufactured since 1967. Initially the Siata used mechanics of SEAT 600, and then use the 850, and with the end of the production of both resorted to 133, which is why the end of this van came in 1980. , when the names were marketed Ebro Siata 50 S, Avia Siata 50 Avia Siata 500.

Ebro Siata 50 S

The total of production of the 133 rose to 178.833 units with the frame code "DB", intended for the national market. But the 133 was a car that had some success outside its home country being marketed in several markets under different chassis codes. Some of the countries in which it was sold were Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Denmark, Holland or Belgium, and there were right hand drive versions for UK and Ireland. As a curious fact, in these countries it was sold as a FIAT, but on its front badge you could read “FIAT construction SEAT”, emphasizing the Spanish origin of the car.

Driving the most luxurious 133 

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the 133 tested is a Special L, registered in Madrid in December 1975, when the new versions of the model appear, so it must be one of the oldest surviving units with this finish. 

It was originally painted in the Color "Moss Green", and is preserved in an enviable state of preservation. Despite its Madrid license plate, the car it was bought new in 1975 by a married couple from Avila, who took the car to the walled city of Ávila, where he lived until 2020, and as you can see in the photos, it was taken care of with great care.

Once seated in 133, good feelings begin before starting the march. Some say that the doors of the SEATs of this time suffered from an endemic disease, and that they could only be closed by slamming doors. Well, this 133 must be the exception and the closing of the doors and the front hood can be done with great delicacy. 

Under the hood almost everything reminds of the 850
The interior of the 133 stands out for its simplicity

Already started, the sound of the engine is more than familiar, as it is almost identical to that of the 850 with which it shares much of its DNA. And behavior-wise, one begins to understand why they called him the Special. Like the 850 Special, the engine, in the 133 with 44 horsepower, together with a light weight and the traction and rear engine make a lot of fun driving, reaching with great ease 80 and 100 kilometers per hour, and 120, are not at all an impossible figure in this car, let us remember that the speedometer shows up to 160, but the characteristics of the car make it drive comfortably at about 90 per hour. Although I must admit that it is very satisfying to be in the left lane overtaking in a 133.

That on the highway, in the city is a car surprisingly agilebig reprise from standing, and attached to a very direct and light steering makes maneuvering something even pleasant. This joins a large interior space, for how small the car is. Something not so nice that the 133 inherits from its predecessors is its wheel arches, which invade the passenger compartment and cause the feet in the front seats to move towards the center, something that is somewhat annoying when driving with pedals. so displaced

The manufacturer advertised 80% useful space in the 133

The biggest difference against the 133 when compared to its predecessors is the level of finish. If compared to the 850, the 133 lacks elements such as armrests or wind deflectors on the front doors, which is surprising considering that the triangle shape in the window frame is there. However, he improves quite a bit on his trunk, which in 133 is even generous for a rear-engined vehicle.

In the doors, the lack of armrests and windshields surprises
The trunk is of good capacity for a car of these characteristics

The truth is that it seems that on the day of the test the gods of meteorology allied themselves to put 133 to the test in the worst situations. In the early afternoon, at temperatures over 40 degrees, which made the temperature needle hardly moved. And at the last minute, a storm that indicates the change of season surprised us with a strong wind and a lot of rain, when I was driving on the M-30, or well, at that time, Avenida de La Paz. The only drawback in this adverse weather that can be blamed on the 133 was the speed and travel of the windshield wipers, somewhat insufficient for strong waterspouts.

The 133 after the storm

Regarding the section of the “L”, which in the 133 means "Luxury”, comes from the hand of the plastic bumpers and side moldings, which can be so useful on a day-to-day basis to avoid pecking from adjoining doors. Although, the greatest luxury of this 133 Specifically, it is to be able to enjoy its exceptional state of conservation, with 42.000 actual kilometers, that is, less than a thousand per year since it was released at the end of 1975. Its current owner has only had to make a couple of improvements, and add to the Calabaza Ruperta del "One two Three" hanging from the rear view mirror, the icing on the cake for a car that evokes memories wherever it goes. 

Production of the Seat 133 outside of Spain

Nasr 133 in Egypt (@carsrob, 2020)

Although the history of 133 in its country of origin ended with the arrival of the Panda, the story of the last all behind continues in a very curious way. If the 133 had enjoyed moderate success at the European level, the production of this small car is taken to other very different markets out of Europe. 

The first one was Egypt, country in which y entre 1978 1981, this model was manufactured as the Nasr 133. Unfortunately, the model did not become a best seller in this market, because, as happened in Spain, Egypt preferred front-wheel drive cars like the 128.

Two Nasr 133 and a 127 Fura in Cairo (@carsrob, 2020)

But unlike Spain, where finding one of these cars is something of the most unusual, the 133 in Egypt are still very common in the streets of the country, as @carsrob of Instagram, immortalized in your trip to Egypt in 2020, and who has been kind enough to share your images to complete this article. Don't forget to visit his gallery Instagram y Flickr, to see the photographs of this traveler who travels the world in search of unusual cars.

An ice cream stand built on a Nasr 133 (@carsrob, 2020)
Owner of a Nasr 133 in Alexandria (@carsrob, 2020)

This is the story of 133 in North Africa, but the journey of the 133 continues, this time across the Atlantic. From 1977 the 133 begins to be sold in Argentina as FIAT 133. Interestingly, it is in this country that the model receives special finishes, one of them was the 133 TBTIA With accessories such as a front spoiler, sportier rims, fog lights, or dual exhaust outlets, together with a decoration typical of a racing car, they seemed to make the 133 a compact with sporty pretensions. But this 133 surprised when mounting the 903 cubic centimeter engine that many cars from the SEAT range were assembled in Spain, including the 127, and that in the T IAVA it developed 50 horses. 

Lastly, in Argentina a final exclusive version of the 133 was presented for this market. This was the FIAT 133 Top, with a new front mask, new plastic accessories and anagrams, which would be manufactured until 1982, year of the end of production of the model in Argentina. 

Thus, the end has come at an international level, of a vehicle designed by and for Spain, and whose last units were manufactured more than 10.000 kilometers away from its country of origin. an unexpected ending for a car as interesting as the 133, who was in charge of putting point and end to the era of everything behindand that born a prince and died in exile “Making the Americas”.

What do you think?

29 Points
Upvote Downvote
avatar photo

Written by Javillac

This thing about cars comes to one since childhood. When other kids preferred the bicycle or the ball, I kept the toy cars.
I still remember as if it were yesterday a day when a black 1500 overtook us on the A2, or the first time I saw a Citroën DS parked on the street, I have always liked chrome bumpers.

In general, I like things from before the time I was born (some say I'm reincarnated), and at the top of that list are cars, which, together with music, make the ideal combination for a perfect time: driving and a soundtrack according to the corresponding car.

As for cars, I like classics of any nationality and era, but my weakness is American cars from the 50s, with their exaggerated shapes and dimensions, which is why many people know me as "Javillac".

Subscribe to the newsletter

Once a month in your mail.

Thanks a lot! Do not forget to confirm your subscription through the email that we have just sent you.

Something has gone wrong. Please try again.

60.2 kHappy fans
2.1 kFollowers
3.4 kFollowers
3.8 kFollowers