Car manufacturer SEAT increases sales by 10.6% in 2013

Martorell (ACN).- Barcelona-based SEAT, which is part of the Volkswagen group, sold 355,000 vehicles last year, representing a 10.6% increase on 2012 figures. The Catalan brand has not sold so many cars since 2008. The SEAT Leon car model was the company’s strongest asset, with 102,000 cars purchased in 2013, which is a 44% sales increase on the previous year. SEAT’s President, Jürgen Stackmann, highlighted “the commercial impetus” that the company currently has, “especially in Europe, when in a market context of sales drop, SEAT is growing faster than its competitors”. In Western Europe, which is the brand’s main market, the Catalan company increased sales by 9.4%, selling 273,200, 23,500 more cars than in 2012.

In Germany, SEAT’s main market, the Barcelona-based brand delivered 76,600 vehicles, which represents a 20.3% increase on 2012 figures. In fact, SEAT was the generalist brand with the highest growth in Germany and was ranked among the top 10 brands selling the highest number of cars. In Spain, the car manufacturer (which has its main factory in Martorell, Greater Barcelona) recovered and posted a positive trend, increasing sales by 6.0%, with 58,900 cars sold; figures which are above the market average.

Germany, Spain and UK are the company’s main markets

In the United Kingdom, which is its third market, 2013 was the fifth consecutive year of growing figures for the Barcelona-based company, with a 17% growth on 2012 data. In fact, during last year, SEAT sold their highest number of cars in the UK ever, with 45,700 vehicles delivered. The Catalan brand also posted record figures in Switzerland (8,300 cars and a 5.2% increase) and Denmark (6,300 units and a 37.6% growth), among other European markets.

The SEAT Leon represents almost a third of the company’s total sales

The essential ingredient behind SEAT’s positive figures in Europe is the Leon model. 102,000 units of this car were sold around the world during 2013, a 44.4% increase on 2012 figures. Its 5-door version, which was promoted during the entire year, is the brand’s top sold car in many markets (Germany, UK, France, Italy and Turkey, among others). SEAT Commercial Vice President, Andreas Offermann, emphasised that “the full availability of the Leon model’s family has to support growth in 2014”. 

SEAT grows in Northern-Africa, the Middle East and Mexico

Outside of Europe, the Barcelona-based brand grew by 13.0% in 2013. Almost 1 out of 5 of its cars was sold outside the European continent (64,600 units). It is the first time that SEAT has 3 non-European countries among its top 10 markets. They are Mexico (ranked 5^th), Algeria (6^th) and Turkey (8^th). In Algeria, SEAT grew by 26.9% and sold 20,500 cars. The greatest news of 2013 was Turkey, where it almost doubled its sales, posting a 90.4% increase and selling 11,100 cars. In both countries (Algeria and Turkey), the Catalan brand reached the highest selling figures in its history. Regarding Mexico, the Barcelona-based company grew for the fourth consecutive year, posting a 0.4% increase and selling 21,200 units.

“In 2014, despite the difficulties that are still present in the economic environment, we will continue working hard to keep progressing. We have a fantastic range of products that will continue to grow around the Leon family, the heart of SEAT brand”, states the company’s President, Jürgen Stackmann, according to a corporate press release.

28,900 units of the Mii model were sold, which represents a 43.2% increase. The classic Seat Ibiza had 154,100 units sold, a 7.7% drop. The Leon model had 102,800 units (+44.4%); the Toledo, 19,000 cars after its launch in November 2012; the Altea, 23,700 cars (-19.7%); the Alhambra, 20,000 units (+4.0%), and the Exeo, a model whose production was stopped in July 2013, 6,500 units.