SEAT announces worldwide increases to better 2012 by 10.6%

• Following stunning result for SEAT UK, SEAT S.A. announces 10.6% global sales increase for 2013
• 355,000 vehicles delivered is SEAT’s highest for five years
• SEAT is one of the fastest growing brands in Europe
• Double digit increases for Leon (44%) and Mii (43%)

SEAT sales jumped up by 10.6% in 2013, as the Spanish brand delivered 355,000 vehicles worldwide – its highest number for five years, and 34,000 more than 2012’s figure.

In its main area of Western Europe, SEAT’s 9.4% increase puts it among the fastest growing brands in Europe, despite operating in a sector that’s contracted overall. SEAT sold 273,200 vehicles in Western Europe in 2013, 23,500 more than in 2012.

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

European success

In its biggest market, Germany, SEAT delivered 76,600 vehicles, a 20.3% increase over the previous year. SEAT was the fastest-growing brand in Germany, and has placed itself amongst the top ten selling brands. In Spain, SEAT returned to positive performance figures and increased sales by 6.0% (58,900 cars), above the market average. In the United Kingdom, its third-largest market, the Spanish brand enjoyed its fifth successive year of growth (16.8%), with more than 45,300 sales the highest that SEAT UK has ever achieved in a year.

SEAT also closed 2013 with record sales in other markets like Switzerland (8,300 units; up 5.2%) and Denmark (6,300; up 37.6%), alongside other European markets.

The key to SEAT’s positive performance in Europe is the Leon, of which more than 102,000 units have been sold worldwide, a 44.4% increase. The new five-door Leon is the best-selling SEAT model in many countries (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Turkey, among others). SEAT Sales and Marketing Vice President Dr. Andreas Offermann asserts that “full availability of the Leon family should sustain growth in 2014.”

Growth in North Africa, Middle East and Mexico

SEAT also seized opportunities outside Europe; thanks to 13.0% growth, almost one of every five vehicles SEAT built in 2013 was sold outside of Europe (64,600 units). So, for the first time, SEAT has three non-European countries amongst its top ten: Mexico (5th), Algeria (6th) and Turkey (8th).

In Algeria, where SEAT already quadrupled its sales in 2012, it continued to grow last year, by 26.9%, and concluded 2013 with 20,500 units sold. The big novelty for 2013 was Turkey, where sales almost doubled (90.4%) with the brand marketing 11,100 units. SEAT ended 2013 with the highest sales figures in its history for both these countries. In Mexico SEAT grew for the fourth successive year (0.4%), sales totalling 21,200 units.

“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,”declares Chairman Jürgen Stackmann.

Deliveries to customers in 2013 (by models, in units and percentage annual growth)

SEAT Mii (28,900; +43.2%)
SEAT Ibiza (154,100; -7.7%)
SEAT Toledo (19,000; launched in November 2012)
SEAT Leon (102,800; +44.4%)
SEAT Altea (23,700; -19.7%)
SEAT Alhambra (20,000; +4.0%)
SEAT Exeo (6,500; production discontinued in July 2013)

Aston martin celebrates a successful role in the Lord mayors Show, if a little damp.

Luxury British sports car maker Aston Martin is celebrating a successful role in one of the world’s most famous parades as six of the company’s models took to the streets of London on Saturday (9 November) for the historic pageant that is the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Adding more than a dash of glamour to proceedings, the stunning selection of sought-after sports cars joined the three-and-a-half-mile-long cavalcade at the invitation of The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers of London which selected the marque to participate in this, the firm’s centenary year.

The Aston Martins, which included a Vanquish Coupe dressed in the unmistakable Union Jack-inspired livery of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign, made their way through the capital’s packed streets at a decidedly stately three miles per hour as an estimated half million spectators looked on.

Aston Martin is proudly partnering with the GREAT Britain campaign, the biggest ever initiative to showcase the very best of what Britain has to offer, driving investment, students and tourism to the UK.

Joining the uniquely eye-catching Vanquish Coupe in London was the new Vanquish Volante convertible – launched to eager buyers worldwide just a few weeks ago.

Sharing the limelight in the capital were examples of Aston Martin’s four-door sports car, the luxurious Rapide S, and elegantly timeless GT, the DB9.

Aston Martin Global Brand Communications Director, Janette Green, said: “To see our sports cars taking part in such an historic and famous event as The Lord Mayor’s Show is a special occasion for everyone associated with Aston Martin.

“I would like to thank the Worshipful Company for their kind invitation, and hope all those who saw the cars felt a little of the pride that I know we at Gaydon share in being part of this remarkable event.”

For almost 800 years, since, the time of medieval King John, every newly-elected Lord Mayor of London has to leave the safety of the City of London and travel up the Thames to Westminster to swear loyalty to the Crown.

Over the centuries the Mayor's journey has become one of London's favourite rituals, and around it grew the splendid festival that we know today as the Lord Mayor's Show.

The modern procession fills the space between Bank and Aldwych over a three- to four-hour period, cheered by a crowd of around half a million people and watched live on the BBC by millions more.

The focus on Aston Martin in this year’s event continues the brand’s year-long centenary party that began in London back in January with the unveiling of a plaque in Chelsea’s Henniker Mews – original home of the company that went on to become Aston Martin Lagonda.