“We are not killing Seat,” says brand chairman

The foreseeable future of Seat is protected for the time being, despite getting unprofitable and positioned together with its sibling manufacturer Cupra’s meteoric increase. Skoda chairman and Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schafer informed Autocar: “We are not killing Seat. We just need to have to come to a decision on its foreseeable future.”

The VW Group-owned Spanish manufacturer appreciated considerably achievement with models these types of as the Seat Ateca and Seat Leon but has been struggling in the latest a long time, although the more-expensive, higher-margin Cupra line-up has been a triumph.

Seat’s European gross sales year-on-12 months dropped 45% in July and 42% in August, as it appears very last in the queue at the VW Team for semiconductor offer. It has no electrical automobiles on sale, a stark contrast to the rest of the group.

When Schafer insisted Seat will continue on, he also commented: “Cupra is the long run of Seat. Cupra is the reinvention of Seat likely forward. Cupra will transfer substantially speedier into electrification.

“We are even now working on a strategy for Seat, It is fantastic right until 2028 or 2029. It’s an entry-stage brand for young clients. It genuinely performs to Europe, significantly Spain, Uk and Austria,” he extra.

One particular notion for its long run outlined by Schafer is as a mobility manufacturer. This would guarantee Seat neatly equipped into the broader VW Group line-up though not conflicting with other marques, specifically Skoda.

Seat is already screening the h2o in the mobility space, acquiring showcased its Renault Twizy-esque Minimo, as well as a variety of electrical scooters these kinds of as the Mo 125.

Meanwhile Cupra “is not a volume player” stated Schafer, but has “a sharp positioning” inside the group desirable to a much more “rebellious, younger audience”.