Seat Sales Soared By 25% In Three Years
SEAT closed 2015 with increased sales for the third consecutive year. Brand deliveries broke the barrier of 400,000 vehicles sold in a year (400,037; +2.4%) for the first time since 2007, amounting to a growth of 25% since 2012 (321,000 vehicles). This is the best sales result of the last eight years.
SEAT Executive Committee Chairman Luca de Meo delivered the annual results yesterday on the occasion of the first edition of the 2016 “Encuentros SEAT” meeting, under the title “Quality: success factor of Spanish industry”. The increase in sales is a result of recovery in Spain (77,200 vehicles; +14.3%) and Italy (15,900; +22.1%), the fifth consecutive year of growth in Germany (87,800; +3.8%) and the successful Mexican market (24,100; +13.2%), which is the fourth largest for SEAT. In addition, the brand achieved its best-ever sales result in countries such as Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Turkey, Israel, Tunisia and Morocco.
Regarding the models, sales of the Leon went up by 4.4% (total: 160,900 units) and was once again the brand’s top-selling car. Meanwhile, the Alhambra posted the highest increase (17.2%) and achieved the second best sales result in its history (27,000). The Ibiza also made progress, with a 2.4% growth, amounting to a total of 153,600 delivered vehicles.
The sales increase, in addition to the success of the Audi Q3, boosted production in Martorell by 7.8% (total: 477,077 cars), reaching the highest figure since 2001. The Martorell plant manufactures the most cars in Spain and has recorded its sixth consecutive year of growth. Between 2009 and 2015, production volume went up by 60%.
When speaking about 2016, Luca de Meo explained that “the highlight of the year will be the launch of the first compact SUV in the history of the company”, which is due to reach the dealerships in the middle of the year. It will be joined by three more new models in 2016 and 2017. “The SUV is set to become the brand’s third major pillar, together with the Leon and the Ibiza, and will enable us to cover the fastest growing segment in recent years”, said SEAT Executive Committee Chairman.
Quality – a success factor
Furthermore, in his presentation, SEAT Quality Director Joaquín Serra highlighted the opportunities for the brand to improve competitivity through excellence in quality. “Design, quality and cost efficiency are key elements. The Quality department is involved in the entire cycle of the automobile, from vehicle design and development to supplier component industrialization and in-house production, all the way to after-sales service. The challenge for the entire Quality team is to make SEAT a distinctive brand with industrial excellence.”
SEAT is the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting more than 80% of its vehicles, and is present in over 75 countries. In 2015 SEAT achieved worldwide sales of 400,000 units, the highest figure since 2007.
SEAT Group employs more than 14,000 professionals at its three production centres – Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon. Additionally, the company produces the Alhambra in Portugal, the Mii in Slovakia and the Toledo in the Czech Republic.
The multinational has a Technical Centre, which operates as a knowledge hub that brings together 1,000 engineers who are the driving force behind innovation for Spain’s largest industrial investor in R&D. In line with its declared commitment to environmental protection, SEAT undertakes and bases its activity on sustainability, namely the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy efficiency.