SEAT S.A. is one of the most well-known brands in Spain. Founded over 73 years ago, SEAT put Spain on wheels and shaped the lives of many for generations. The Spanish brand offers younger and first-time car owners a dynamic driving experience at an affordable price, without compromising on quality. SEAT  designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain and has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona) and sells vehicles under the CUPRA and SEAT brands. CUPRA has a simple goal: to build emotional cars with great design and impressive performance. Sporty and provocative, passionate and sexy: the brand proves that electric cars don’t have to be boring and functional. SEAT S.A. is a member of the Volkswagen Group

SEAT was the leading automotive brand in Spain for the fourth year in a row in 2022. Its largest and most important market is Germany, and SEAT has also seen strong growth in countries such as France, Turkey, Mexico and Israel in recent years.

SEAT exports more than 80% of its vehicles and is present in more than 70 countries. The company employs over 14,000 professionals and has three production centres – Martorell, El Prat de Llobregat and Barcelona, where it manufactures the SEAT Ibiza, SEAT Arona, Leon family and the CUPRA Formentor. Additionally, SEAT S.A. produces the CUPRA Born and the SEAT Tarraco in Germany and the Ateca family in the Czech Republic. SEAT MÓ is the company’s business unit that covers urban mobility products and solutions, while its operating centres also include SEAT CODE, a software development hub, and CASA SEAT, located in the heart of Barcelona.

The company is playing a leading role in turning Spain into an EV hub in Europe. Through the Future: Fast Forward project, SEAT S.A., the Volkswagen Group and their partners are investing 10 billion euros into the electrification of the country.

Spanish-made, SEAT (Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo) SA sells nearly half a million passenger cars per year. The company’s brand names include Arosa, Cordoba, Leon, and Toledo. SEAT exports about 60% of its production, and although Europe accounts for most of its sales, the company operates in more than 70 countries through a network of nearly 3,600 dealers. Additionally, the company produces the Alhambra in Portugal, the Mii in Slovakia and the Toledo in the Czech Republic.

 

CUPRA is the unconventional challenger brand that brings together emotion, electrification, and performance to inspire the world from Barcelona. Launched in 2018, CUPRA has its corporate headquarters and CUPRA Racing division in Martorell (Barcelona), in addition to a global network of specialised points of sale.

CUPRA proves that electrification and sportiness are a perfect match, and in 2022 the brand hit new heights with over 150,000 vehicles delivered. Each successive launch of a model has marked a new milestone in defining the brand’s character, with a challenging and original design: the CUPRA Ateca, a unique model in its segment; the CUPRA Leon, its first electrified model thanks to a plug-in hybrid electric engine; the CUPRA Formentor, the first model to be developed exclusively by the brand and the company’s best-selling vehicle to date; and the CUPRA Born, the brand’s first 100% electric vehicle.

CUPRA is FC Barcelona’s official automotive and mobility partner, the World Padel Tour’s premium sponsor and the official sponsor of the eSports Club Finetwork KOI. CUPRA is the only automotive brand that participates in the EXTREME E and Formula E racing competitions. The CUPRA Tribe is made up of a team of ambassadors who want to be the driving force of change. Among its members are Street Artist TV Boy, Olympic gold medalists Adam Peaty, Melvin Richardson and Saul Craviotto, the German goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, and two-time Ballon d’Or and Best FIFA Award-winning footballer Alexia Putellas.

 

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SEAT SA History

SEAT was founded in 1950 by Spain’s Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI) in cooperation with Italy’s Fiat S.p.A.

SEAT is a Spanish motor company and member of the Volkswagen Group. It employs more than 14,000 people worldwide and offers a broad range of cars: Mii, Ibiza, Ibiza SC, Ibiza ST, Toledo, Leon, Leon SC, Altea, Altea XL, and Alhambra. Each combines the best German engineering with a distinct Spanish design theme, imbuing every one with a unique character.

The firm began its UK operations in September 1985, registering 24 cars in its first month, and 405 for the year. That number soon grew to more than 10,000 by 1988. A decade later it was 18,500-plus, and by the year 2000 SEAT was selling upwards of 20,000 cars in the UK. In 2013, SEAT is on course to break the 40,000 barrier for the first time in its history.

SEAT UK enjoyed a record-breaking year for sales in 2012 – its best since the brand was introduced in the country. In total, 38,798 cars reached new owners, representing a 1.9% market share – both figures that eclipse those of 2011, itself a record year for the company. In fact, since 2008 SEAT has defied the economic climate by registering year-on-year sales volume and market share increases. SEAT is a company on the rise.

The word SEAT is an acronym of the original company name: Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo, and is therefore written in block capitals. SEAT was founded on 9 May 1950 with production of its first vehicle, the 1400, beginning in 1953. The 600 model, launched in 1957, is the car credited with putting Spain on wheels. So successful was it that sales hit one million by 1968. Volkswagen bought 51% of the company’s shares in 1986, taking a 99.9% share in 1990.

SEAT’s production is concentrated at the ultra-modern Martorell plant, near Barcelona, which in February 2013 celebrated its 20th anniversary. The company also has a major research and development facility – the Martorell Technical Centre – in which around 1,250 highly qualified staff work. And, in 2007, SEAT opened both a new centralised Design Centre and cutting-edge Prototype Development Centre at Martorell, bringing its entire production process together in one city.

In 2015, SEAT achieved worldwide sales of 400,000 units, the highest figure since 2007.

The multinational has a Technical Centre, which operates as a knowledge hub that brings together 1,000 engineers who are the driving force behind innovation for Spain’s largest industrial investor in R&D. In line with its declared commitment to environmental protection, SEAT undertakes and bases its activity on sustainability, namely the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy efficiency.

SEAT has a proud history of international motorsport success, most recently claiming back-to-back driver and manufacturer titles in the 2008 and 2009 FIA World Touring Car Championships. SEAT Sport secured these prestigious successes via its mould-breaking Leon 2.0 TDI – the first diesel car to win races in both the BTCC and WTCC.

SEAT SA
Zona Franca, Calle 2, No. 1
08040 Barcelona, Spain

Phone: +34-93-402-85-00