SEAT facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
SEAT S.A.

Headquarters in Martorell, Spain
Native name	Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo (S.E.A.T.)
Type	Sociedad Anónima / Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	9 May 1950; 75 years ago (1950-05-09)
Founder	Instituto Nacional de Industria
Headquarters	Martorell, Catalonia, Spain
Area served	Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America (except Brazil and Argentina) and Singapore
Key people	Wayne Griffiths (President)
Products	Automobiles, electric vehicles, automotive parts
Production output	533,608 vehicles (2023)
Services	Design, manufacture and distribution of SEAT cars and components
Revenue	€14.3 billion (2023)
Net income	€625 million (2023)
Number of employees	14,751 (2020)
Parent	Volkswagen Group
Divisions	SEAT SEAT Cupra Cupra Racing

SEAT

Owner	Volkswagen Group
Country	Spain
Introduced	1950
Related brands	Cupra Fiat
Previous owners	Instituto Nacional de Industria (1950-1990)

SEAT S.A. is a Spanish car company that makes vehicles under the SEAT and Cupra brands. It was started on May 9, 1950, by the Spanish government, some private banks, and the Italian car maker Fiat. For 36 years, SEAT was an independent company. Then, in 1986, the Spanish government sold it to the Volkswagen Group. SEAT is now fully owned by the Volkswagen Group.

The main office of SEAT S.A. is in Martorell, near Barcelona, Spain. In 2020, the company made over 468,000 cars. More than 427,000 of these cars were sent to over 75 countries around the world.

Where SEAT Cars Are Made

SEAT has several important places where it designs and builds cars. These places help the company make sure its cars are well-made and ready for the world.

Martorell: The Main Hub

The main office and biggest factories are in Martorell. This town is about 30 km northwest of Barcelona. The factory can make about 500,000 cars each year. King Juan Carlos of Spain opened this plant on February 22, 1993. It became SEAT's most important factory.

There is a special train line that connects the Martorell factory to another SEAT facility in Barcelona. This helps move cars and parts easily between the two places.

The Martorell area has many important centers:

• SEAT Technical Centre: This is where new cars are designed and tested. Over 1,294 people work here on research and development (R&D). They even use virtual reality to design cars!
• SEAT Design Center: Opened in 2007, this is where all the car design work happens. About 100 people work here to create the look of SEAT cars.
• Prototype Development Centre (PDC): This center, opened in 2007, brings together all the early steps of designing a new car. It helps make new models faster.
• Spare Parts Centre: This huge area (75,000 square meters) sends parts to SEAT, Volkswagen, Audi, and Škoda dealers. It helps keep cars running all over the world.
• SEAT Service: This includes after-sales support and customer service. It also has a training center and a dealership.
• Cupra Racing: This is where SEAT makes sporty versions of its cars. They also prepare cars for races, like the Cupra León Competition.

Some of the car models made at Martorell include the Arona, Formentor, Ibiza, Leon, Leon Sportstourer, and Audi A1.

Zona Franca: Where it All Began

SEAT's factory in Barcelona's Zona Franca started in 1953. This is where the very first SEAT cars, like the SEAT 1400 and 600, were made. In 1993, car production moved to the new Martorell plant. Since then, the Zona Franca factory has focused on making parts like doors, roofs, and chassis.

This factory is very modern. It uses advanced technology like 3D printing and robots to make parts. It also makes parts for other Volkswagen Group brands like Volkswagen and Audi.

The Zona Franca site also has the SEAT Training Centre. Plus, the Barcelona Gearbox del Prat plant makes gearboxes for SEAT and other Volkswagen Group brands. This plant even won an award in 2009 for its high-quality work.

Other Places Where SEAT Cars Are Made

SEAT used to own a plant in Pamplona, but it was transferred to the Volkswagen Group in 1993. Now, this plant makes Volkswagen cars. However, SEAT's Martorell factory still helps the Pamplona plant when needed.

Other factories in the Volkswagen Group also make SEAT models. These include plants in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Zwickau, Germany. The AutoEuropa factory in Palmela, Portugal, and Wolfsburg in Germany also produce SEAT cars.

Since 2016, SEAT has a museum in Zona Franca. It shows all the cars SEAT has ever made, including special and historical models.

Other Important SEAT Locations

• Casa SEAT: Opened in June 2020 in Barcelona, this is a special place focused on new ways to get around the city. It's also the main office for SEAT MÓ, which deals with electric scooters and motorcycles.
• SEAT:CODE: This is SEAT's software development center. It started in 2019 and works on digital solutions for SEAT, Cupra, and SEAT MÓ. Its main office is in Barcelona.
• SEAT Componentes: This factory in El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona) makes gearboxes for SEAT, Volkswagen, Audi, and Škoda. It can make up to 3,500 gearboxes every day.

SEAT Around the World

For the first 12 years (1953 to 1965), SEAT only sold cars in Spain. In 1965, SEAT sent about 150 of its SEAT 600 cars to Colombia. This was the first time SEAT cars were exported. Two years later, in 1967, SEAT made a deal with Fiat. This allowed SEAT to start selling its cars in more than 12 other countries.

However, until the early 1980s, most SEAT cars sold outside Spain had Fiat badges. After a legal fight with Fiat, SEAT started exporting its own cars more widely. By the end of 1983, a quarter of SEAT's cars went to Egypt and Latin America. They also sold cars in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, and Greece.

Today, SEAT sells its cars in over 70 countries. Most of its sales are in Europe. Outside Europe, Mexico is SEAT's biggest market. SEAT also sells cars in Asia (mostly the Middle East), North and South America, and North Africa.

Sometimes, SEAT cars are sold under the Volkswagen brand in other countries. For example, the SEAT Ibiza was known as the Volkswagen Polo Playa in South Africa.

In the past, SEAT also sold cars in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa for a short time. They stopped selling there because Volkswagen decided it wasn't profitable enough. However, SEAT returned to New Zealand in 2017. In 2022, SEAT re-entered the Australian market, selling cars under its Cupra brand. SEAT plans to launch the Cupra brand in the United States and Canada in mid-2024.

SEAT's Story

How SEAT Started

Spain is one of the biggest car makers in the world today. But it wasn't always like that. In the early 1900s, Spain's economy was not as strong as other European countries. There were only a few small car makers, mostly making luxury cars. Most cars for everyday people were imported or assembled from parts made in other countries. This meant Spain didn't learn how to build cars from scratch. The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) made things even worse.

After the war, foreign companies weren't interested in the Spanish market. So, Spanish groups decided to create their own car company. On June 22, 1940, a Spanish bank and other companies started 'Sociedad Ibérica de Automóviles de Turismo' (S.I.A.T.). Their goal was to build cars entirely in Spain.

Because Spain didn't have much experience in mass-producing cars, they looked for a foreign partner. This partner would help with technology and car designs. Even though World War II was happening, the project was very important for Spain.

SEAT, with its current name 'Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo, S.A.' (S.E.A.T.), was officially started on May 9, 1950. The Spanish government and six Spanish banks teamed up with the Italian car maker Fiat. Fiat was chosen because it already had a presence in Spain and experience with similar markets. The government wanted to make sure SEAT would help Spain's economy grow.

The first idea was to build the factory in smaller cities. But the company decided on Barcelona's Port area (Zona Franca). This location offered better access to shipping and train lines to Europe. Barcelona also had a history of industry and skilled workers. SEAT got help from the government and Fiat. The first president of SEAT was José Ortiz-Echagüe Puertas, an engineer and pilot.

Working with Fiat

Construction for SEAT's Zona Franca factory began in 1950. The factory officially opened on June 5, 1953. The very first car, a SEAT 1400, rolled off the production line on November 13, 1953. SEAT quickly started using more Spanish-made parts. By 1954, 93% of the parts were made in Spain. This helped develop Spain's own car parts industry.

The SEAT 1400 was a luxury car, so it was expensive. SEAT needed a cheaper car for average families. In 1957, SEAT launched the famous SEAT 600. This small car became a symbol of Spain's economic growth. It was the first car for many Spanish families.

SEAT kept growing, making more and more cars each year. This helped lower costs and prices, which made even more people buy SEAT cars. In 1964, SEAT opened its new main office in Madrid.

By 1967, SEAT was the biggest car maker in Spain. It made more cars than its competitors. In the same year, Fiat increased its ownership in SEAT from 7% to 36%. This deal also allowed SEAT to export its cars more freely.

To develop its own technologies, SEAT started building a technical center in Martorell in 1970. This center was finished in 1975. During this time, SEAT continued to be the top car maker in Spain.

In 1975, SEAT took over Authi, another car company in Spain. This helped save jobs and gave SEAT another factory in Pamplona. In 1979, SEAT also opened a special factory in El Prat del Llobregat to make gearboxes.

The Fight with Fiat

In the early 1980s, SEAT needed a lot of money to grow. Fiat, its partner, wasn't willing to invest more. This was partly because of the oil crisis and other reasons. So, in 1982, after almost 30 years, SEAT and Fiat ended their partnership. This was a big change for SEAT.

To show its independence, SEAT changed its logo in 1982. The first car made without Fiat's help was the SEAT Ronda, released in the same year. Fiat claimed the Ronda was too similar to their Fiat Ritmo car. But SEAT's president showed that many parts were different. A court in Paris agreed with SEAT in 1983, saying the Ronda was different enough.

Becoming Part of Volkswagen Group

In 1982, Dr. Carl Horst Hahn, the head of the Volkswagen Group, saw an opportunity with SEAT. He wanted to expand Volkswagen's business outside Germany. So, Volkswagen and SEAT signed an agreement on September 30, 1982. This allowed SEAT to produce Volkswagen cars like the Passat and Polo in its factories. SEAT also got the right to sell Volkswagens in Spain.

In 1984, SEAT launched its new Ibiza car. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and used engines from Porsche. The Ibiza was a big success. SEAT also started selling cars in new markets, like the United Kingdom in 1985.

On June 18, 1986, the Volkswagen Group bought most of SEAT's shares. By December 18, 1990, Volkswagen owned 100% of SEAT. This made SEAT the first non-German company fully owned by Volkswagen. SEAT became profitable and helped Volkswagen enter the Spanish market.

In 1989, SEAT decided to build a new main factory in Martorell, next to its technical center. This new factory would replace the old one in Zona Franca. The goal was to bring all design, research, and production together to make new cars faster.

On February 22, 1993, King Juan Carlos of Spain and Dr. Ferdinand Piëch (head of Volkswagen Group) opened the new Martorell plant. It was one of the most modern car factories in Europe. The first cars made there were the SEAT Ibiza Mk2 and SEAT Córdoba Mk1. The new Ibiza was very popular and helped SEAT grow its sales, especially in other countries.

The old Zona Franca factory continued to operate, but it focused on making parts instead of whole cars. In 1994, SEAT's design center and supplier park were also opened.

In 1996, the SEAT Alhambra Mk1 became the first SEAT model made outside Spain, in Portugal. In 1997, the SEAT Arosa, a small city car, was launched. It replaced the Marbella, which was SEAT's version of the Fiat Panda.

In March 1999, SEAT introduced a new, modern logo. It was silver on a red background. In September 2000, SEAT launched its "auto emoción" slogan. This showed the brand's new sporty and youthful image.

From 2002 to 2007, SEAT was part of the Audi Brand Group within Volkswagen. This group focused on sporty cars. In 2006, SEAT opened its new main office in Martorell. The Martorell Design Centre also took over from the previous design facility.

In September 2023, it was announced that the SEAT brand might not make passenger cars after 2030. Instead, the company would focus on the more popular Cupra brand. However, Volkswagen might still use the SEAT brand for other car-related purposes.

Cupra Brand

In 2018, Cupra, which used to be a sporty trim level for SEAT cars, became its own brand. At the same time, SEAT Sport became Cupra Racing. Cupra aims to be a unique and exciting brand with stylish and powerful cars. Cupra has its main office in Martorell, Spain, and special dealerships around the world.

SEAT in Racing

SEAT started getting involved in motorsports in the 1970s. They participated in national races and rallies. In 1971, a special department was created to help SEAT compete in rally championships. They won 11 titles between 1979 and 1983.

In 1985, SEAT Sport was founded as a separate racing division. After Volkswagen took over in 1986, SEAT increased its presence in motorsports. Volkswagen wanted SEAT to be known as a sporty brand for younger drivers. This led to SEAT winning major titles in FIA championships. They won the FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup three times (1996, 1997, 1998) with the SEAT Ibiza Kit-Car. They also won the World Touring Car Championship twice (2008, 2009) with the SEAT León.

Rally Racing

SEAT first seriously competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1977. Their SEAT 1430/124D Especial 1800 car finished third and fourth in the Montecarlo Rally. Later, SEAT focused on the small SEAT Ibiza. A special 2-liter version of the Ibiza, called a kit car, won the 2-Litre World Rally Cup three times.

SEAT then decided to compete in the top WRC category. They announced a WRC-spec car project in 1997. In 1998, the SEAT Córdoba WRC car was introduced. It was based on the Córdoba family car but had a powerful turbocharged engine and four-wheel drive. However, the Córdoba WRC didn't perform as well as hoped. SEAT stopped competing in international rallying at the end of 2000.

Touring Car Racing

In 2002, SEAT started a special racing series called the SEAT León Supercopa. In 2004, SEAT entered the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). They used SEAT Toledo Cupra cars.

Since 2005, SEAT has also competed in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). In 2007, SEAT became the first car maker to win a WTCC race with a diesel car, the León Mk2 TDI. This diesel car was very successful. SEAT won the WTCC driver's and manufacturer's titles in both 2008 and 2009.

In September 2008, SEAT UK announced it would stop all motorsport activities in the UK. But SEAT continued to show strong results in the WTCC.

Grand Tourer Cars

In 2003, SEAT Sport showed the SEAT Cupra GT race car. This car was made in small numbers for racing teams. The Cupra GT competed in various Grand Tourer races in Spain and other countries.

Formula Racing

In 1970, SEAT created the 'Fórmula Nacional' series in Spain, later known as Formula 1430. Young Spanish drivers raced single-seater cars with SEAT engines. The first race took place at the Jarama circuit in Madrid.

SEAT Car Models

SEAT makes different types of cars for various needs.

Ibiza	León	Arona	Ateca	Tarraco
Supermini	Small family car	B-segment Crossover	C-segment Crossover	D-segment Crossover
Hatchback	Hatchback Sportstourer (station wagon)	Crossover	Crossover	Crossover

Cupra Car Models

Cupra models are the high-performance versions.

León	Ateca	Formentor	Born	Tavascan
Small family car	C-segment Crossover	CUV Coupé	Small family car	C-segment Crossover
Hatchback Sportstourer (station wagon)	Crossover	CUV	Hatchback Electric Car	Crossover Electric Car

Car Names

SEAT often names its cars after places in Spain. For example, the Ibiza is named after an island, and the León is named after a city.

However, there are some exceptions. The SEAT Exeo's name comes from a Latin word meaning "to go beyond."

SEAT's concept cars (cars made to show new ideas) are sometimes named after Spanish dances, like the Tango or Bolero.

Special versions of cars also have unique names:

• SC means SportCoupé (for three-door cars).
• ST means SportTourer (for station wagons).
• Cupra means Cup Racing (for high-performance models).
• FR means Fórmula Racing (also for sporty models).

The famous Bocanegra name, meaning "black mouth," is used for some Ibiza models. It comes from the SEAT 1200 Sport, which had a black front part.

Special Car Ranges

Ecomotive Range

Most SEAT models have an 'Ecomotive' version. These cars are designed to be more eco-friendly. They use less fuel and produce fewer harmful gases.

Ecomotive cars have special features:

• They are lighter.
• They use special tires that have less resistance.
• Their shape is more aerodynamic.
• The engine's computer system is adjusted for better fuel use.
• Diesel models have a filter to reduce particles.
• They have a gearshift indicator to tell you the best time to change gears.
• They include a 'Start/Stop system' that turns off the engine when you stop.
• An 'Energy Recuperation system' saves energy when you slow down.

All these changes help Ecomotive cars be very fuel-efficient and clean. For example, the SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive uses very little fuel and produces low CO₂ emissions.

The Ecomotive range has won many awards. In 2008, the Ibiza Ecomotive was named the "most economic car of its class in the world" by a German newspaper. It also set world records for fuel saving on a single tank of gas.

MultiFuel Range

The MultiFuel range includes cars that can run on different types of fuel, like bio-ethanol. Models like the SEAT León MultiFuel can use a special E85 fuel. These cars produce the same power as regular petrol versions.

How Many Cars SEAT Sells

Since 1953, SEAT has made over 16 million cars. The most popular model is the SEAT Ibiza, with over 4 million units sold.

In 2009, SEAT sold 336,683 cars. The company produced 307,502 vehicles that year.

Here is a table showing the total number of SEAT and Cupra cars made each year:

Model	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
SEAT Marbella	36,879	56,893	71,519	82,935	90,903	80,005	74,637	33,216	27,102	29,621	21,930	18,139	2,337	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Arosa	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	42,741	38,338	46,410	28,403	22,980	19,627	13,814	9,368	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Mii	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	990	26,409	25,489	25,845	24,516	18,720	13,825	14,369	11,479	7,593	8,648	—	—
SEAT Ibiza	121,526	160,907	192,024	208,210	202,157	173,236	112,334	142,987	140,974	158,284	153,000	168,492	180,775	194,245	199,279	188,427	197,311	220,497	183,754	168,645	183,848	172,206	192,470	173,715	189,083	191,183	160,887	145,041	153,633	160,451	149,988	160,377	120,287	130,243	74,564	83,710	60,385	74,355
SEAT Arona	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	17,527	110,926	134,611	78,823	98,656	85,717	76,594
SEAT Terra	18,444	18,238	24,925	22,007	35,430	22,198	25,034	10,626	6,517	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Inca	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	3,921	16,836	14,414	17,226	19,221	16,328	15,207	11,802	7,982	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Inca Kombi	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	104	9,328	11,070	7,708	8,573	5,534	5,316	3,879	2,150	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Córdoba	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	19,289	84,128	79,793	77,436	96,946	108,749	111,894	97,685	78,770	58,646	59,348	46,821	37,568	31,058	29,747	20,439	4,861	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT León	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6,080	93,123	91,939	93,606	96,536	90,850	98,130	126,511	120,630	96,761	66,368	79,462	80,736	71,295	114,568	157,087	169,455	163,228	163,306	159,486	153,837	124,323	83,813	56,317	102,965
Cupra Born	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4,801	36,153	45,748
SEAT Altea	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	67,125	65,174	58,288	71,377	54,770	32,791	43,351	42,329	27,478	21,284	19,142	13,001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Málaga	41,292	37,653	39,269	36,882	33,098	8,735	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Toledo	—	—	—	—	41	76,336	144,205	90,533	47,965	55,493	53,404	42,596	42,325	105,818	59,480	47,645	39,503	36,026	38,962	20,600	8,613	4,744	5,484	571	—	—	5,000	21,771	16,541	19,728	18,029	13,146	10,151	1,506	—	—	—	—
SEAT Exeo	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	369	22,981	23,108	19,559	10,854	4,681	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SEAT Alhambra	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10,513	16,503	21,300	27,440	23,924	26,524	26,308	23,693	21,580	14,902	14,352	14,242	10,282	6,215	10,023	18,139	19,393	19,990	22,612	27,925	31,214	33,638	19,588	23,015	14,672	4,169	5,341	—
SEAT Ateca	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	35,833	77,483	90,824	98,397	76,710	58,500	58,157	83,714
SEAT Tarraco	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2,398	38,721	18,726	22,437	12,453	25,562
Cupra Formentor	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	11,041	58,863	105,568	124,670
Total	218,141	273,691	327,737	350,034	361,629	360,510	356,210	296,651	306,686	327,216	342,447	410,901	418,758	519,681	523,756	476,808	450,682	460,046	458,460	405,019	422,670	412,946	380,575	307,502	345,027	352,936	321,316	352,824	394,860	415,076	417,012	479,302	528,029	591,809	406,452	423,597	420,091	533,608

Rebadged Cars

Sometimes, SEAT models are sold under other car brands. This is called "rebadging."

For example, some SEAT cars that were rebadged by Volkswagen include:

• The SEAT Ibiza Mk2 was sold as the VW Polo Playa.
• The SEAT Córdoba Mk1 was sold as the VW Polo Classic.
• The SEAT Arosa was sold as the VW Lupo.
• The SEAT Inca was sold as the VW Caddy.

Other companies outside the Volkswagen Group have also rebadged SEAT cars. For instance, the SEAT Ibiza Mk1 was rebadged by Nanjing Yuejin in China. The SEAT Toledo Mk1 was rebadged by Chery in China and TagAZ in Russia.

Also, some SEAT models are rebadged versions of cars from other Volkswagen Group brands:

• The SEAT Alhambra Mk1 and Mk2 came from the VW Sharan Mk1 and Mk2.
• The SEAT Exeo came from the Audi A4 B7.

Car Tuning Companies

Many companies make special, high-performance versions of SEAT cars. Some of these well-known tuning companies include Abt Sportsline, Je Design, and MTM.

Company Information

SEAT Logo History

Logos

From	To	Logo
1953	1968
1968	1970
1970	1982
1982	1990
1990	1999
1998	2012
2012	2017
2017	present
2018	present
2020	present

Company Leaders

The leaders of SEAT are chosen with approval from the Volkswagen Group's board.

Leaders

From	To	Person(s)
1950	May 1967	José Ortiz-Echagüe Puertas
May 1967	February 1977	Juan Sánchez Cortés
February 1977	December 1983	Juan Miguel Antoñanzas Pérez-Egea
January 1984	September 1993	Juan Antonio Díaz Álvarez
October 1993	October 1993	Peter Walzer
November 1993	December 1996	Juan Llorens Carrió
January 1997	June 1999	Pierre-Alain de Smedt
June 18, 1999	June 30, 2000	Bruno Adelt
July 1, 2000	March 6, 2002	Bernd Pischetsrieder
March 7, 2002	September 30, 2006	Andreas Schleef
October 1, 2006	August 31, 2009	Erich Schmitt
September 1, 2009	April 30, 2013	James Muir
May 1, 2013	September 30, 2015	Juergen Stackmann
November 1, 2015	January 6, 2020	Luca de Meo
January 7, 2020	September 30, 2020	Carsten Isensee
October 1, 2020	present	Wayne Griffiths

Financial Results

Here are SEAT's financial results after taxes:

Financial results

Year	After-tax result (in millions of euros)
1996	+ 32,088
1997	+ 66,418
1998	+ 147,020
1999	+ 85,403
2000	+ 87,348
2001	+ 233,121
2002	+ 202,965
2003	+ 134,494
2004	+ 144,957
2005	- 62, 513
2006	- 49,088
2007	+ 169,703
2008	+ 44,400
2009	- 186,500
2010	- 103,900
2011	- 61,500
2012	- 29,600
2013	- 148,700
2014	- 65,700
2015	+ 6,000
2016	+ 903,200
2017	+ 281,200
2018	+ 294,200
2019	+ 345,600
2020	+ 194,200

Slogans

SEAT doesn't use a slogan right now. Here are some slogans SEAT used in the past:

• SEAT, Grupo Volkswagen (19??–????)
• SEAT, auto emoción (2000–2011)
• SEAT, Enjoyneering (2011–2014)
• SEAT, Technology to Enjoy (2014–2017)

Protecting the Environment

SEAT is working on making cars more environmentally friendly.

Electric and Hybrid Cars

Since the early 1990s, SEAT has created many electric and hybrid car prototypes. These include:

• The SEAT Toledo Mk1 electric model (1992).
• The SEAT Ibiza Mk2 electric car (1993).
• The SEAT Inca electric van (1995).
• The SEAT León Mk2 Twin drive (2009) hybrid.
• The SEAT IBE concept (2010) and SEAT IBX concept SUV (2011) hybrid cars.

'SEAT al Sol' Project

The 'SEAT al Sol' project uses solar panels to create electricity at SEAT's factory in Martorell. This project started in 2010. It covers a large area (320,000 square meters) with many solar panels. This system is expected to produce over 13 million kWh of electricity each year. This helps reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by over 6,200 tonnes per year.

'Cenit Verde' Project

The Cenit VERDE project is a research program that SEAT is a big part of. It aims to develop new technologies for hybrid and electric cars in Spain. This program brings together many technology companies, universities, and research centers. SEAT contributes with its own 'Verde' project, which includes technology for plug-in hybrid cars like the SEAT León Twin drive and electric vehicles like the SEAT IBE concept.

SEAT Autometro Project

The 'SEAT Autometro' project is a train service that connects SEAT's Martorell factory to the Port of Barcelona. This train moves cars and parts. It started on January 18, 2008. Using trains instead of trucks helps save money, makes roads safer, and reduces traffic and greenhouse gas emissions. This project has won awards for being a great idea in logistics.

Sponsorships

SEAT has sponsored many big sports, music, and cultural events. Some examples include:

• The 1982 FIFA World Cup.
• The 1992 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
• The "Guapa Tour SEAT" from the Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh (2006).
• The European part of Shakira's "Oral Fixation Tour" (2007).
• The UEFA Europa League (2009–2012).
• The Copa del Rey (a Spanish football cup) from 2010.
• Rock in Rio Madrid (2010).
• The Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
• Sponsoring several Spanish football teams like Sevilla FC and Valencia CF.
• Primavera Sound (2017) and Lolapalooza Paris & Berlin (2018).
• The SM Copa de la Reina Football Cup (2019).
• Official Sponsor of the Women's Spanish Football Team.

SEAT also supports artists like Shakira, Armin van Buuren, and David Guetta.

Awards SEAT Has Won

SEAT has received many awards over the years:

• The Landaben plant (owned by SEAT at the time) won the World quality award (Q-86) in 1986.
• The Martorell plant won the Best factory of the VW Group in the first quarter award in 1998.
• The Barcelona 'Gearbox del Prat' plant won the Volkswagen Excellence award in 2009 for its high-quality work.
• The SEAT brand was named Most Improved Used Car Brand of the decade in 2009.
• SEAT received the AvD Innovationspreis 2006 award for new technologies developed at its Technical Centre.
• In 2007, SEAT won two awards for the best technological innovations in the automotive sector at the Barcelona International motor show.
• SEAT's electronic invoicing system won the Best project in the use of an electronic signature in the private sector in 2008.
• The SEAT-Autometro project won the Best logistics initiative 2007 award.
• SEAT received the Port of Barcelona's Distinguished Loader prize in 2008.

See Also

In Spanish: SEAT para niños

• Sehol
• Formula 1430