Seat to live on with new facelifts, a budget EV and battery assembly plant
It seems that Seat isn’t dead after all, with big plans ahead for the Spanish brand.
The Seat brand is bouncing back thanks to several key developments announced at a recent conference.
Facelifted versions of the Ibiza and Arona will arrive later this year with full details being revealed soon.
The Leon is also set to receive an update with a larger infotainment system, matrix headlights and a new generation plug-in hybrid powertrain that will be capable of having an electric range of 62 miles all being added to the popular hatchback and estate.
The Ateca SUV will also receive an update and have its life cycle extended, meaning it’ll be staying on the road for a number of years to come.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra said: “Firstly, the Seat brand is here to stay. Secondly, we’re taking Cupra to the next level. And thirdly, we’re pursuing what we’ve always believed in. We put Spain on wheels more than 70 years ago – we will now put the country on electric wheels.”
Seat is also focusing on its EV uptake, with a €300 million (£257 million) investment into a battery plant being built in Martorell, Spain.
Within the next couple of months, the production assembly lines for the Ibiza and Arona will be moved to make way for a new line for electric cars.
The firm is also considering plans for a budget city EV, as Wayne Griffiths said, “For me, it remains a clear objective that we get an entry-model for Seat. I think Seat as a brand is in an ideal position to contribute to the group by attracting the youngest customers – our customers are on average 10 years younger than the market.
“We’ve always been the entry-gate into the Volkswagen group. So, for me it’s natural that in the future that there will be an entry-model electric car for Seat.”
