Current line-up will be revised and new EVs such as an ‘ID 1’ sibling are in the frame
JAMES ATTWOOD
Seat boss Wayne Griffiths says the brand “is in great health”, with its entire model line-up set to be refreshed in the near future – and it is continuing to investigate options for an entry-level electric car.
In recent years, the Barcelona firm has placed its focus on performance-oriented sibling brand Cupra, which has led to reports that the Seat brand could ultimately be retired.
But speaking at Seat SA’s annual media conference, Griffiths insisted that the marque still has a key role to play. “For us, it was always clear that the brand was not going to disappear,” said Griffiths. “Why would you let a brand that has existed for 70 years disappear? The question is: when is the right time to do more?”
Griffiths said that the recent focus on Cupra was necessary to improve the company’s margins and profitability, and that the ability to increase Seat’s volumes was affected in recent years by the semiconductor shortage.
But the firm sold around 290,000 Seat models last year, a rise of 24% year on year. Griffiths added: “The message is clear: the Seat brand is in great health and will continue to play a key role in meeting our profitable growth in the future.”
To that end, the Seat Leon will receive a facelift this year and revamped versions of the Seat Arona crossover – the brand’s best-seller – and Seat Ibiza hatch are due to follow in 2025. The Ateca will also be “upgraded and have its life extended” in the future.
Griffiths added that the firm is “looking at what we can deliver in the electric world under the Seat brand”, adding that “the best is still to come”. Although he said no decisions have been made, he did hint that the new entry-level platform being developed by Volkswagen for the sub-£20,000 ‘ID 1’ could be an option.
Asked about that particular programme, Griffiths said: “The project that the Volkswagen brand is working on is still in the first phase and it doesn’t make sense for all brands at once to go straight into this segment, so the group has set a priority for Volkswagen – but for me it remains a clear objective that we get an entry model for Seat.
“Seat as a brand is in an ideal position to contribute to the group by attracting the youngest customers. We’ve always been the entry gate into the VW Group. So for me it’s natural that in the future there will be an entry-mode
