The 133 L Especial is the most powerful and luxurious in the 133 line-up, the last rear-engined SEAT, produced in the second half of the ’70s. The SEAT 133 was a uniquely SEAT manufactured model, and the L Especial version already featured more modern elements of active and passive safety, such as disc brakes and wraparound bumpers.

The SEAT 133 was born in 1974 to face up to the oil crisis with an economic, sober and functional model. It was a technical initiative by SEAT, which was responsible for its exclusive manufacture in Barcelona for the whole of Europe (the international launch took place at the SEAT stand at the Paris Motorshow in the same year of 1974).

The 133 was built on SEAT’s 850 platform, which it replaced that same year, and took up the rear engine, rear-wheel drive layout of the 850 itself and also the famous 600, which had been discontinued the previous year. But the aesthetics were much more up-to-date, in line with the modern 127, the first front-wheel drive SEAT. The engine also derived from the 127, but with a reduced capacity of 843 cc (same as the 850) and two versions, for two-star petrol (34 HP) and four-star (37 HP).

So the 133 is a rear-engined 127, but its heart is that of the 600. Compared with the famous "pellet", where the technical progress is most noticeable in the 133 is in the field of passive safety, thanks to a better devised and stronger monocoque chassis, crumple zones front and rear, collapsible steering column (so as not to enter the cabin in the event of collision) and seat belts. Even the spare wheel was placed as a shield on the front of the car. In terms of active safety, the 133 was fitted with a dual circuit braking system, independent for each axle.

One year after its launch, the 133 became the "133 range", with four different versions, the result of combining two different engines and two trim levels. Thus, the basic model was the 133 Berlina, powered by the two-star petrol engine, and the higher-end was the 133 Especial Lujo or L Especial. Thus, the 133 mirrored the old 850 line-up, which also culminated in a "Especial Lujo" version.

The name L Especial (a nod to the final version of the SEAT 600) illustrates the improvement in the areas of powertrain, safety and equipment. The "Especial" engine was fitted with a double-choke carburettor that increased power to 44 HP and speed, up to 135 km/h. In addition, it featured the 127's front disc brakes and 13-inch perforated wheel rims, which improved brake cooling and efficiency. The tires were radial ones, offering better grip.

Besides, the Lujo body offered an attractive and distinguishable exterior look, thanks to bigger polyurethane wraparound bumpers (unalterable to corrosion), metallic panels front and back (framed by a moulding), side indicators on the side protection stripes, fully adjustable seats and velour trim, as well as the velour-coated cabin roof.

The development of the model did not stop there. In autumn 1976, the 133 L Especial got a rack-and-pinion steering, which greatly increased comfort in city and parking manoeuvrers, as well as driving precision on the road. This innovation was also fitted into the rest of the 133 range, along with the disc brakes and radial tyres.

Interestingly, however, the horn pushbutton in the centre of the steering wheel still kept SEAT’s old anagram, rather than the new lettering introduced in 1970 (that the 133 did sport in the exterior mouldings).

This 133 L Especial example, painted in a striking yellow colour, was registered in Barcelona in 1977. SEAT HISTÓRICOS recently recovered and restored it, as the last piece of the rear-engined layout in the SEAT range. It is a very well-kept unit, with only 3,500 kilometres on the odometer, that the SEAT HISTÓRICOS team keeps in perfect running order to participate in events and reports. The Collection also features the very first SEAT 133 chassis ever manufactured.