Since its launch in 1972, the SEAT 127 was a revolution in the automotive market and the history of SEAT. The 127 was the pioneer of the market’s B-segment, the first front-wheel drive SEAT and also the first to break the million-unit barrier.

The 127 was unveiled to the press in April 1972, in Lanzarote, and a few weeks later it was the great novelty of the Barcelona Motor Show. It went on sale immediately and the first cars were delivered in June. Success was instantaneous: in just six months 50,000 units were produced.

SEAT was then still manufacturing the legendary 600, as well as the 850 range, both with the classic rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout for small cars. The 127 brought this concept up to date for the ’70s, making the most of the space optimization allowed by front-wheel drive and with the powertrain in transverse position. The leap forward was spectacular: with a length similar to that of the 850 sedan (3.6 metres), the 127 offered enough room for 5 people and a trunk with twice the capacity.

However, the advantages derived from front-wheel drive were not the only novelty. The 127 was also the first SEAT with rack-and-pinion steering and McPherson suspension struts. The engine was the lively 903cc, 47 HP block premiered in 1969 on the exclusive SEAT 850 Sport Spider. This engine was one of the great assets of the 127, as it offered sensational capabilities both in terms of driveability and performance and fuel efficiency.

Initially, the 127 was unveiled with a 2-door bodywork. The silhouette was modern and attractive; the waistline rising towards the rear window gave the car a fastback look, and the headlights were built into the body. By the end of 1972, the 3-door version appeared, with a handy tailgate instead of the boot lid. In addition, on the 3-door 127 the rear bench could be folded down to increase the loading surface.

Finally, at the 1973 Paris Motor Show SEAT launched the 4-door 127, an exclusive SEAT development that was sold throughout Europe. The impact of the 127 was such that it won the Spanish Car of the Year award two years in a row, in 1972 for the initial 2-door version and in 1973 thanks to the 3- and 4-door variants.

In September 1977, the 2nd series 127 was launched, when more than 700,000 units had already been built. With this 127 restyling, the 903cc engine received a 43 HP variant for 2-star petrol, and in 1978 SEAT developed its own 1,010 cc, 52 HP version at the Martorell Technical Centre.

The SEAT 600 record of 800,000 units built (in 16 years of production, 1957-1973) was broken during 1978, and in 1980 the 127 surpassed the million-unit barrier. In November 1981 the 3rd series 127 was launched, known as Fura. Until the unveiling of the Fura Dos in 1983, more than 1,250,000 units of the 127 were built. We would have to wait more than 10 years, until the successful first generation of SEAT’s Ibiza, to overcome this figure, a fact that illustrates the historical importance of the 127 in the SEAT chronology.

This red-coloured 2-door 127 has always been owned by SEAT. It was registered in May 1972 for the use of the communication department, and today it is part of the SEAT HISTÓRICOS’ Collection.