SEAT closed the first quarter of 2015 with the best sales results since 2007. For the first time since then, worldwide customer deliveries exceded 100,000 units between January and March, reaching a total of 102,700 vehicles, which is 10.0% more than during the same period in 2014 (93,400), or almost 10,000 more cars. Once again, the SEAT Leon showed the highest sales growth, with a 14.6% increase. In total, the car manufacturer sold 39,700 units of the compact (2014: 34,600).
Sales of the Ibiza went up by 9.5% (total: 41,900 vehicles; 2014: 38,300), and were the second highest in growth, ending the first quarter as SEAT’s best-selling car driven by momentum in car rental in markets such as Spain due to the seasonal effect of Easter. In addition, sales of SEAT’s Alhambra MPV increased again by over 10% (12.2%) to reach 5,900 units (2014: 5,200).
SEAT President Jürgen Stackmann highlighted the fact that “after two years of double-digit growth, sales continue with the same pace in the first quarter of the year. Recovery in our main markets, such Spain or Italy, and above all the sales success of our models, continue to give momentum to our growth. However, we must be cautious and keep an eye on market developments”.
SEAT is gaining ground in Europe
SEAT sales in Western Europe grew by 10.4% in the first quarter (total: 81,000; 73,300 in 2014) and according to figures published today by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), SEAT remains one of the fastest growing brands in the European Union. Spain is the country that posted the highest growth and closed the first quarter as the brand’s main market, partly boosted by the seasonal effect of the holiday period, after growing 28.0% (total: 22,000; 2014: 17,200). In Germany, SEAT delivered 19,900 units (2014: 19,000), 4.5% more, and is among the top ten best-selling brands. The brand’s sales progress continues this year in the United Kingdom, the seventh in a row, where it sold 4.0% more (14,400; 2014: 13,900). SEAT’s first quarter sales skyrocketed in Italy (+41.4%; total: 4,100), which after Spain and Israel is the country that has contributed most net units, and Portugal (+34.3%; total: 1,700).
In Central and Eastern Europe the brand’s first quarter deliveries rose by 22.4% compared to the same period of the last year, to a total of 7,000 units (2014: 5,700). Poland, with 60.3% growth (total: 2,400), and the Czech Republic (+29,9%; total: 2,300) are the main markets in the zone.
First quarter results also showed excellent progress in Mexico, Israel and Turkey. Sales in Mexico, which is SEAT’s fifth largest global market, improved by 10.5% to reach 5,900 cars. The brand moved into the top ten in Israel’s after growing 87.6% to deliver 3,200 units, while Turkey closed the quarter with a 62.5% increase (total: 2,300).
Production in Martorell continues to grow
Automobile production in the Martorell factory increased by 15.2% in the first quarter of 2015 for a total of 130,700 units, 17,200 more than the same period in 2014. The present growth in demand benefits employment and will lead to working in line 1 (Ibiza) and in line 2 (Leon and Altea) on four Saturdays in May. In addition, SEAT production in Palmela (Portugal), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) collectively increased by 12.8% in the first quarter of 2015. SEAT manufactured 16,100 vehicles in these facilities.