At the 1958 Barcelona Motorshow, the SEAT 1400 B Especial was launched, the latest evolution of the first car made by the Spanish brand. The most significant differences were a more powerful engine and a characteristic tape-type linear speedometer, which earned it the nickname "Mercury"… (read more)
Launch: May 1958
End of production: 1959
Price: 144.000 Ptas.
Number built: 5.000 approx.
Petrol, 4 cylinders in-line
Position: At front, longitudinal
Bore x stroke: 82 mm x 66 mm
Capacity: 1.395 cc
Valvetrain: Overhead valves, push-rods and rocker arms
Carburettor: 1 double choke Weber
Max. power: 58 HP at 4.600 rpm
Top Speed: 135 km/h
Drive: Rear-wheel drive
Gearbox: 4-speed manual, plus reverse
Clutch: Dry single-plate
Front suspension:
Independent, trailing arms, coil springs, hydraulic dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear suspension:
Live axle, semi elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering: Worm and sector
Front/rear: Drums
5,90 x 14
Body: 3-volume saloon, 4 doors, 6 seats
Length/width/height: 4.325/1.655/1.575 mm
Wheelbase: 2.650 mm
Weight: 1.130 kg
At the 1958 Barcelona Motorshow, the SEAT 1400 B Especial was launched, the latest evolution of the first car made by the Spanish brand. The most significant differences were a more powerful engine and a characteristic tape-type horizontal speedometer, which earned it the nickname "Mercury".
The 1400 had had the honour of being the first SEAT. Actually, since its launch at the end of 1953 and the unveiling of the 600 in 1957 it was "the SEAT", because the brand's catalogue had no other models available. Among other things, the 1400 served to set in motion the complex mechanism of the vast Barcelona Zona Franca factory and to provide cars to government bodies and public services.
The 1400 was quite a modern car, already with monocoque-construction body, and with an American styling, very fashionable back then. So the interior showed a front bench seat and the gear lever on the steering column, which allowed for six passengers to fit inside.
The American style became even more noticeable in the successive versions and reached a high point in late 1956 with the 1400 B. This model was fitted with plenty of chrome, a central fog headlamp, white-wall tyres, a panoramic rear window and could be painted in an elegant two-tone paint.
But the 1400 would still receive a final evolution, the 1400 B Especial launched in May 1958 (with the 600 already in production), also known as 2nd series 1400 B. Now the engine was fitted with a double choke carburettor that increased the power output to 58 HP, fourteen more than the original 1400 from 1953. This engine would go on to power the 1400 C from 1960, a hybrid model with the future SEAT 1500 body.
On the outside, it was distinguished from the plain B by the "SEAT Especial" badge at the bottom of the front wings. On the inside, the most significant feature was the already mentioned dashboard with a linear speedometer, which made this model better known as 1400 B Mercurio than 1400 B Especial.
17.053 units were made of the 1400 B and 1400 B Especial, of which less than 5.000 of the "Mercury" version, from a total of around 50.000 SEAT 1400. So the 1400 B Especial is the rarest of the 1400, together with the first examples made until May 1954.
SEAT Históricos keeps a painstakingly restored 1400 B Especial in perfect running order, a car which is a hit in all the events it takes part on.