Why is Seat left to its own devices? Topman remains vague

Is Seat doing poorly? No not at all! The Spanish brand’s sales figures are excellent. But why is Volkswagen keeping quiet about it?

In September last year, all but one of the Volkswagen Group brands were represented at the IAA Mobility in Munich. The seat was nowhere to be seen. And while Skoda, who had nothing to say, was there.

Seat only without electric vehicles

Within the Volkswagen Group, Seat is the only brand without fully electric cars (let’s leave Lamborghini out) and there are no plans to bring one onto the market.

No new models

In fact, there are no new seats coming at all. CEO Wayne Griffiths has just announced that the Ibiza and Arona will receive a second facelift, which only makes us more anxious about the future.

Brand in good health

Griffiths’ latest speech doesn’t change that. “My message is clear,” he said: “Seat is in good health and will continue to play a role in achieving our growth objectives.”

“On the path to electrification, we will be economical at Seat [benzine]Cars and improved plug-in hybrids by the end of the ICE era. We will update the Ibiza, Arona, Leon and Ateca.”

Seat as a mobility brand

Well… and that doesn’t actually mean anything to Griffiths. Months ago, Seat had indicated in a press release that it would no longer be a car brand from 2030, but rather a mobility brand.

Still an electric car?

“We are also looking at entering the electrical market,” Griffiths said. “However, we need to time this decision well to ensure there are affordable EV platforms in this segment.”

Seat has said something like this before: “It is too expensive for us to build electric cars.” Very strange, because Skoda and Volkswagen also do that and there are lots of platforms within the group.

Cupra, Skoda and Volkswagen all come with a cheap electric vehicle starting at 25,000 euros. Don’t sit. And that makes Griffith’s statement strange. Then join the others!

Griffiths is undoubtedly not allowed to say this, but it seems that the top brass of the Volkswagen Group have decided that Seat will eventually play a different role or disappear as a car brand.