The 600 is the second model made by SEAT after the 1400. The first version was born in 1957 as plain 600 but is now known as 600 N ("normal", to distinguished it from the later versions). It is the rarest and more interesting of the mass-produced 600s. From a total of around 800.000 SEAT 600 built, only around 130.000 were of this early version, produced until July 1963.

The unveiling of the SEAT 600 was the social phenomenon of the year and marked the start of Spain's motorization and economic development in the '60s. Thanks to the 600, many middle-class families were able to realize the dream of buying their own vehicle. Demand of the new car was exceptional: even before production started, there was a two year's waiting list and already in 1958 production grew six-fold.

Undoubtedly, SEAT's 600 contributed to the improvement of living conditions for a large part of the population, by allowing them the possibility to enjoy some mobility and independence. In a domestic market which used to consider a sidecar motorcycle as a family vehicle, the 600 was a proper car even allowing for its relative modesty, with metal doors that opened and closed, glass windows that could be raised or lowered, four seats and even heating, and a water-cooled 4-cylinder engine.

Five years after production started, on July 23, 1962 the 100.000th unit left the assembly line, just one year before the unveiling of the 600 D, with a bigger, more powerful engine. This happened at the same time as the expansion of the Zona Franca factory, which would allow to double the production rate.

Actually, the 600 N was the only 600 whose 633 cc engine capacity mirrored the car's name, which on early SEATs (1400, 600, 1500, 800, 850) was a rounded-off number matching the engine's capacity. In the 600 D, capacity grew to 767 cc and the power output went from 18 HP to 25, but the model's name remained the same.

However, the most characteristic feature to distinguish the 600 N from the later D, E and L are the indicators over the wings, which were put on the sides from the 600 D. The 600 N's doors were "suicide"-type, that is, rear-hinged instead of front-hinged, a feature kept in the 600 D. The car would not get doors that opened in the "right" way until the 1970 E version.

The 600 N was sold in a single trim, but from July 1958 a convertible variant was available, with folding cloth roof. From February 1961, a Comercial van was also marketed, with no rear sits nor rear windows.

This wonderful 600 N green example was restored by the SEAT HISTÓRICOS team at its Nave A122 premises in SEAT's Barcelona factory to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the car in 2017. The job was a complete nut-and-bolt restoration that took a full year to complete. No effort was spared to ensure the car would end up in the condition it shows today. It could be argued that this is the best SEAT 600 example in the brand's Collection, together with the penultimate unit built, a pristine 600 L Especial from 1973 which has never left the Zona Franca premises.

On September 9, 2017 this SEAT 600 N made its debut leading the impressive parade of 787 'baby SEATs' on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track, at Montmeló, to set the Guinness World Record with the largest gathering of 600s in history.