SEAT continues to post double-digit growth. In the first five months of the year, the carmaker sold 201,300 vehicles worldwide, which is 13.9% more than in the same period last year (176,700). In May, SEAT delivered 42,600 vehicles (2016: 38,100), which represents an 11.9% increase compared with the same month in 2016.
The company’s Vice-President for Sales and Marketing Wayne Griffiths underscored that “SEAT is drawing the first half of 2017 to a close ahead of expectations. We are one of the brands that is growing the strongest in Europe this year and we still haven’t launched the new Ibiza, that will give us a further impulse. In addition, we will present this month the new SEAT Arona, our first compact crossover. This is one of the fastest growing segments and it is going to increase our market coverage to 80%.”
SEAT’s upward trend is fostered by strong growth in most countries where the brand operates, spearheaded by the main markets. From January to May, Spain led deliveries with 44,100 cars (+23.1%), Germany rose by 10% to 38,700 vehicles and the UK exceeded 20% and achieved sales of 24,600 units (+20.9%). Also featuring among SEAT’s fastest growing markets are Austria (7,800 vehicles; +23.7%), Poland (5,100; +25.8%) and Switzerland (4,300; +66.5%). In addition, the company has continued to grow in the different sales channels and has, for instance, delivered a fleet of 42 Leon units for the Red Bull sales network in the United Kingdom.
The SEAT range will be extended in the second half of 2017. On June 26th, the brand is going to reveal the new Arona in Barcelona. SEAT is scheduled to launch its first compact crossover by the end of the year. It will be the third commercial development of 2017, following the Leon and the Ibiza. In fact, SEAT is currently in full launch stage of the new Ibiza, which will be reaching dealerships beginning this month. The biggest product offensive in SEAT’s history started in 2016 with the successful Ateca.
