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Seat 600 L Special: 'Pelotilla' in Video

At this point, little more can be said about the SEAT 600. So, Why do we go back to him so much? Well, because it has the value of the classic. It is the constant, the permanent. A myth in its own right supported by figures and mechanics. As in literature, architecture or politics, the classical is the grip to hold on in confused times.

The 600 is established as a milestone in the eventful history of the Iberian ring. After all, few automobiles have transcended to the point of becoming true national icons. Even people who have no love for cars turn their heads when they see a SEAT 600. And it is that, beyond its mechanical details, he "pellet"Conquered a privileged place in our collective memory.

Together with the little flat on the outskirts and the Mediterranean holidays, our protagonist marked the birth of the middle class in Spain. Powered by the small four-cylinder of Italian origin, the new urban family said goodbye to the past by stepping on the accelerator of their 600. Having one of these not only gave freedom of movement, but also proclaimed to the four winds that you had entered through the great door of progress.

In fact, during its early years the 600 was not as popular a car as it might seem. In the impoverished Spain of 1956 we were still a long way from the European average. Although today it may seem shocking to us, at the end of the 50s a 600 fresh out of the factory was only within the reach of solidly established rents. In truth this car did not become popular for its price. But because of the growing purchasing power of the middle class that emerged from the Stabilization Plans of 1959.

From there the development of the country galloped exponentially. So things in 1968 SEAT launched the 124. A larger and more powerful model designed for a society that no longer traveled, but entered mass consumption without return. Furthermore, in 1972 It was released on the 127. A true revolution since it passed from "All behind" al "All ahead”Sealing the end of 600. However… The myth still had a final word to say.

Therefore in October 1972 the SEAT 600L Especial appeared. This model was the swan song of 600. The most refined of all series produced and the star of the new video that we present to you.

"YOU ARE BORN A PRINCE, YOU DIE A KING"

On August 3, 1973, the media entered the SEAT Zona Franca factory in Barcelona. Something very special was going to happen: the farewell to the 600. A Special 600L appeared before the cameras. The latest in a saga with almost 800.000 units and different evolutions over 16 years for sale. The protagonist wore a wreath of flowers in which you could read "You were born a prince, you die a king".

That day many regretted the cessation of the model. However… Let's reflect on it. Was the 1973 still a suitable car for 600? The answer is no. Although the resistance of its mechanics and the benefits of its consumption cannot be doubted, the truth is that by the beginning of the 70s our protagonist it was already over. His cabin was too small. And the little engine to defend itself on roads populated by vehicles with greater vigor.

Even so, the 600L Special sold thousands of units, especially in foreign markets. But… Taking into account that SEAT itself already offered the 127, by this time much of the meaning of these sales comes from the model's own inertia. For its cover letter and the fact that it was commonplace in the collective mentality of the time.

Even today we are not very clear about the reasons why SEAT launched the 600L Special, but the most widely accepted explanation is that they were not clear about certain ideas either. Say that though SEAT's management recognized that the 600 was no longer an appropriate car for the new times -and the launch of the 127 verifies this-, they had qualms about stopping its manufacture dry. Perhaps that is why they launched this latest model equipped with all possible extras. By way of farewell ...

600L SPECIAL. WHAT WAS DIFFERENT?

If on the back of a car you put the word "special”… Theirs is to equip it with reasons to name it that way. In the case of our protagonist, it must be recognized that, although he has them, they are scarcer than one might think. Especially if you compare its price with that of the 600E from 1969. 63.000 pesetas for the E compared to 78.000 for the L. Almost 20 percent more ...

Regarding its mechanics, the 600L Special increased the compression of the engine from 7 to 5. This brought its potency to 28CV, to which a camshaft from 850 Special with which it grew up to 5.000 r.pm. 200 more than those offered by E.

Regarding the interior, new opening controls were incorporated in doors and windows, in addition to a padded dashboard and more enveloping seats. Aesthetically, the vents next to the rear windows. The rear window had a defroster. At the stability level things remained the same, and its direction was still dominated by an endless screw system.

As many rally fans know, if you add stiffer and lowered suspensions to one of these 600, it sticks like limpet to the asphalt. However, this was not the case for drivers who bought the model at the beginning of the 70s. The 600 was still an ideal car for the urban environment but lhe families already used to make long trips more often.

However… Can anyone claim something against 600? Few cars in history are capable of presenting a service record like yours. Robust mechanics, maximum practicality, low consumption, easy repair and maintenance, almost 800.000 units sold, being a popular icon, having made motorsport available to a whole country ... Do you see why every little bit we talk about the 600 again?

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Written by The Escudería

LA ESCUDERÍA is the main website in Spanish dedicated to Classic Cars. We give all kinds of machinery to move by itself: From cars to tractors, from motorcycles to buses and trucks preferably powered by fossil fuels...

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