Seat units sights on overhaul of all its vehicles

After a yr of document working earnings carmaker Seat is planning to replace all of its automobile fashions to counter strategies that it’d cease making vehicles carrying the Seat emblem.

Refreshed variations of the Arona and Ibiza had been revealed on the firm’s annual monetary outcomes convention, that includes up to date entrance ends and enhanced expertise. The Seat Leon may also endure updates and is ready to debut earlier than the top of 2025, with a brand new plug-in hybrid powertrain with a bigger battery for an extended electrical driving vary of round 60 miles.

The lifecycle of the Ateca can be prolonged with a collection of updates.

Waiting for past 2030, Seat acknowledges the need to affect with a purpose to stay aggressive. There have been studies suggesting that the Seat model might be shut down in order that the corporate can focus extra on its worthwhile Cupra division.

With its sharper styling and sportier model positioning, Cupra has enabled Volkswagen Group to promote what are successfully the identical vehicles as Seat however at larger checklist costs

Final yr Thomas Schäfer, board member at Volkswagen Group which owns Seat, mentioned it had grow to be ‘prohibitive’ to proceed investing in each Seat and Cupra, and that VW Group would again Cupra as a consequence of its “far larger” incomes potential and rising reputation.

However now the group appears to see a future for each.

Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, mentioned this week: “My message is obvious, the Seat model is in nice well being and can proceed to play a key function in assembly our worthwhile progress sooner or later. It’s vital that Seat will get again to the place it belongs.

“On our journey to electrification, we are going to launch improved plug-in hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles all through the Seat model till the top of the combustion engine period. We’re working to spend money on the model and can replace the Ibiza, Arona, Leon and Ateca.”

Griffiths mentioned plans to transition Seat into the electrical market, utilizing platforms from the VW Group’s upcoming electrical autos.

In the meantime, Cupra, Seat’s high-performance division, will introduce new fashions just like the Tavascan, Terramar, and Raval. The Cupra Born may also be up to date with a sportier model. Facelifted variations of the Cupra Leon and Formentor are anticipated to be revealed quickly.

Griffiths emphasised Cupra’s significance in Seat’s future profitability, noting its function as the first driver for fulfillment and readiness for the following section with new fashions.

After dealing with a number of challenges lately, together with the rising price of uncooked supplies, inflation and the affect of warfare, provide chain stabilisation in 2023 led to a rise in manufacturing and deliveries. Globally, Cupra as soon as once more broke data with 230,739 deliveries, up 50.9% in comparison with 2022 (152.896). The Seat model, in the meantime, returned to double-digit progress with 288,437 deliveries (2022: 232,696; +24.0%).

Its 2023 working revenue reached a document 625 million euros, rising 592 million euros (2022: 33 million euros). This represents an enchancment in return on gross sales of 4.1 share factors, from 0.3% to a constructive 4.4%. Annual turnover additionally reached an historic 14.333 billion euros, 31.0% greater than 2022 (10.941 billion).