SEAT, the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain is targeting the launch one new car every six months until 2020.
The first two vehicles will be the SEAT Tarraco and the CUPRA Ateca, which are going on sale at the end of 2018. Next year the new generation SEAT Leon will be available in dealerships with two variants, the five-door model and the ST family sized version. 2020 will see SEAT's first fully electric vehicle, built on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform and featuring a range of 500 kilometres and, for the first time, the addition of a CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) in the SEAT model line-up.
According to SEAT President Luca de Meo at the annual results presentation to the media held in Madrid, SEAT is taking a step forward in boosting electric mobility, which includes the hybrid version of the new generation Leon, also in 2020. In addition, the brand will remain committed to vehicles powered with compressed natural gas (CNG) as well as internal combustion engines.
The President of SEAT pointed out that "we can be happy with the 2017 results, but we shouldn't be satisfied. Together we've closed a period of consolidation and now it's time to look to the future with the ambition to grow."
The new model offensive comes as a result of the highest investment figure since the Martorell factory was built in 1992. Last year, SEAT allocated €962 million to investments and R&D expenses, which is 11.6% more than in 2016 (862), and 10.1% of the brand's total turnover. Of this amount, €464 million were earmarked entirely for R&D, a figure which represents close to 3% of the total R&D investment expenses in Spain, making SEAT the leading industrial investor in Spain.
Moreover, in 2017 SEAT exported 81.1% of its business volume and established itself as Spain's main industrial exporter, accounting for close to 3% of the total figure for the country. SEAT's goal for upcoming years is to step up the internationalisation of the brand and keep growing beyond Europe.
Luca de Meo says: "SEAT is going to launch one new car every six months until 2020" and also revealed that "2020 will be SEAT's year of electrification with the launch of a plug-in hybrid version of the new SEAT Leon, to be built in the Martorell factory and featuring a range of at least 50 kilometres, as well as the brand's first fully electric vehicle, manufactures on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform."
The President of SEAT also reaffirmed the company's commitment to vehicles fuelled with compressed natural gas (CNG). "We are leading the CNG vehicle technical development project within the Volkswagen Group. With the Arona TGI we are launching this year we will have the only SUV in the world powered with natural gas."
