Seat increases sales by 10% and production at its Greater Barcelona plant grows by 13% in 2014

Barcelona (ACN).- The Barcelona-based car manufacturer Seat, which is part of the Volkswagen group, ended 2014 with a 10% growth in sales thanks to the León model. During last year, Seat sold 390,500 vehicles worldwide, which are produced in its factory in Martorell (Greater Barcelona). This plant increased production by 13.5% and has now reached its highest level for 12 years, producing a total of 442,677 cars in 2014 (52,629 more than in 2013). The Martorell plant produces Seat vehicles but also other models of the Volkswagen group, such as the Audi Q3. The factory has now achieved 5 consecutive years of growth, contributing to Seat’s recovery. However, the company’s shining light during 2014 was the León model, sales of which increased by 50%, reaching 154,100 units sold, breaking its sales record. This type of car has become “the brand’s second pillar” after the Seat Ibiza, stated the company’s President, Jürgen Stackmann. The León range have achieved their best result since the first model of this family was launched in 1999 and have beaten the results of the Ibiza model, which used to be the company’s most-sold vehicle. During the last 2 years, Seat global sales have grown by 21.7%, selling 70,000 more vehicles than in 2012 and surpassing their 2007 pre-crisis levels. Furthermore, during the last 5 years, Seat has invested €1.4 billion in research and development, becoming Spain’s foremost company in this area. This has enabled the company to reduce the CO2 emissions of its vehicles by 21% since 2006. Besides all this, in 2014, Seat hired 800 temporary workers in its Martorell plant, 350 of which now have permanent contracts.

In 2013, Seat sold 355,000 cars and in 2014 it distributed 390,500 units, a 10% increase. The main push is thanks to the Seat León cars, sales of which have increased by 51,300 units, reaching 154,100 vehicles sold (a 50% increase). Since the new generation of Seat León models was launched in 2012, having 3 different chassis, this family of cars has registered a 116% sales growth.

The León family model (ST), launched at the end of 2013, reached 47,100 units sold, which represents a 30.5% of the total sales of this type of car. The Seat Alhambra, which is the brand’s minivan model, also registered a significant growth, selling 23,100 units (a 15.6% increase on 2013 figures).

The Seat Ibiza family has registered a 2.9% sales decrease, selling 150,000 vehicles worldwide. Sales of the Seat Mii decreased by 12.3% (25,300 units); the Toledo model also registered negative results with a 2.3% drop and 18,600 cars sold; and sales of the Altea range dropped by 18.8% (19,300).

Seat aims to “consolidate” this growth 

Jürgen Stackmann welcomed these results. He highlighted that “for the second consecutive year, sales are showing a two-digit increase”. Stackmann also emphasised that the León cars have granted Seat access to a new segment of clients, and this type of model has become “the brand’s second pillar” after the Seat Ibiza. For 2015, Stackmann explained that their aim is “to consolidate this increase” by expanding and renovating the models already existing. In addition, in 2016, the Barcelona-based company will welcome the arrival of its first SUV.

304,000 cars sold in Western Europe

During 2014, the Catalan brand sold more than 300,000 cars in Western Europe (304,000). It was the first time Seat reached such figures since 2008, putting the economic crisis behind it. This represents an 11.3% increase on 2013 results, when 273,200 cars were sold. In Germany alone, sales increased by 10.4%, reaching 84,600 units sold. During the last 4 years, Seat has doubled its presence in this country, since in 2010 it sold only 43,000 vehicles on the German market.

Spain, despite it no longer being Seat’s main market, brought the highest sales increase in absolute terms, with 8,500 more cars sold than in 2013. In 2014, 67,500 vehicles were sold in Seat’s home country, 14.5% more than the previous year.

The United Kingdom is the third largest market for the Barcelona-based manufacturer, registering a new sales record for the fourth consecutive year. For the first time, Seat has gone beyond 50,000 cars sold in the UK. It distributed 53,400 vehicles, some 16.8% more than last year. Since 2009, it has grown by 80% in the UK. The brand is also improving its presence in Italy, where it reached 13,000 vehicles sold (a 28.1% increase) and Portugal, where it sold 6,900 cars (a 79.9% increase).

Strong growth in Poland and the Czech Republic

The brand continues to grow in Central and Eastern Europe, where it increased sales by 44.2%, reaching 24,700 cars sold (in 2013 it distributed 17,100 vehicles). This is its best result in this region since 2008. In Poland it increased sales by some 192.7% (6,300 cars) and in the Czech Republic by 61.3% (6,800 cars). This was followed by Slovakia and Hungary, both with 2,500 units sold. 

Turkey and Israel break their own record

In both Turkey and Israel Seat has broken its record for these markets. In Turkey, it sold 12,000 cars, representing growth of 8.9%, and in Israel it distributed 6,100 units (a 2.9% increase). In Mexico, the Catalan brand sold 21,300 cars and in Algeria, 16,300.

The company’s Commercial Vice President, Andreas Offermann, highlighted that “sales are now diversified”. “We are growing strongly in the main European markets such as Germany, Spain, the UK and Italy, but also in Eastern Europe and in countries such as Turkey and Israel”, he stated.