First presented in December 1975, and sold commercially from February 1976 to September 1979,[1] it was the first car developed entirely in the company's newly opened Martorell Technical Centre.

Its initial version was powered by the bigger 1,197 cc engine of 67 PS (49 kW) (developed for the SEAT 124), transversely mounted and canted forward by 16°, giving the little 2+2 a top speed of 157 km/h (98 mph) via its four-speed gearbox transmission.

Despite its sporting aspirations, its power output was limited by a relatively low compression ratio, reflecting the fuel octane levels available in its home market.

The car's boot featured remote opening through a handle on the driver's door,[7] and had a fuel capacity of 339 litres.

In this application, the 1,438-cc engine provided a power output of 77 PS (57 kW) and a top speed of 164 km/h (102 mph).