SEAT global sales soar in 2013

The pace of SEAT’s growth places it among Europe’s fastest growing brands

SEAT range

Following SEAT UK’s phenomenal performance last year (see below), SEAT S.A. announces a 10.6 per cent increase in 2013 sales worldwide.

SEAT sales reached 355,000 vehicles globally in 2013, leaping up by 34,000 vehicles (an increase of 10.6 per cent) as compared to 2012, making 2013 the most successful of the last 5 years.

Amidst a shrinking Western Europe sector, SEAT sales are taking off at a rate of increase of 9.4 per cent, putting the Spanish company among Europe’s fastest growing brands. In Western Europe sales exceeded 273,000 in 2013, a jump of 23,500 units from 2012.

SEAT’s performance was summarized by Chairman Jürgen Stackmann:

“the company is having sales momentum, particularly in Europe, where SEAT is growing faster than the competition in a contracting market.”

European success

In Germany, SEAT’s biggest market, 76,600 more vehicles were sold than in the previous year (a 20.3 per cent increase), making SEAT Germany’s fastest-growing brand – and among its top ten selling brands. In Spain, SEAT sales are also on the rise with a 6 per cent increase (58,900 cars), which is an above average market performance. In the UK, SEAT’s third-largest market, the Spanish company gained momentum as it entered its fifth consecutive year of growth (16.8 per cent), selling more than 45,300 sales and setting a new record for annual UK sales.

SEAT also achieved 2013 sales records elsewhere in Europe, such as a massive 37.6 per cent increase in Denmark (6,300 units) and in Switzerland, where 8,300 units were sold (5.2 per cent), as well as other European markets.

What is the secret of SEAT’s success? The car that has taken Europe by storm is the Leon, which has also seen global sales of over 102,000 units – a 44.4 per cent rise. The new five-door model has been SEAT’s best seller in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Turkey and other countries, making Sales and Marketing Vice President Dr. Andreas Offermann confident that

“full availability of the Leon family should sustain growth in 2014.”

The wider picture: growth in Africa, Middle East and Mexico

The shape of SEAT globally has also shown growth with an increasing number of vehicles sold outside Europe: due to 13 per cent growth, nearly one fifth of cars built in 2013 (64,600 units) were sold in non-European countries. For the first time, international markets have made it into SEAT’s top ten Mexico (5th), Algeria (6th) and Turkey (8th).

Growth is exponential in Algeria, where sales quadrupled in 2012 and grew further by 26.9 per cent (20,500 units) in 2013. But Turkey’s market performance was even more astonishing, with 90.4 per cent growth in sales (11,100 units) – almost doubling that of the previous year. In 2013 both of these countries thus saw the best sales figures to date for their respective markets, whilst in Mexico SEAT built on three years of growth momentum by sustaining slight growth for the fourth year (0.4 per cent; 21,200 units).

Chairman Jürgen Stackmann announced SEAT’s plan for the coming year: “In 2014, in spite of the still-persisting difficulties in the economic environment, we intend to continue working hard to make constant progress. We have a fantastic product range which will continue to grow around the Leon family, the heart of the SEAT brand.”

Summary of SEAT’s deliveries in 2013 (by model, number of units and percentage annual growth):