The impact of COVID-19 temporarily slowed down SEAT S.A.'s sales performance.After having grown steadily since 2013, total sales fell by 25.61 TP1T in 2020 with 427,000* cars (2019: 574,078), following the highest sales volume in the company's history in 2018 and 2019.
By country, Germany consolidated its position as the top market for SEAT S.A., with 109,500 sales, 17.4% less than in 2019 (132,500), with a market share of 4% and 25.6% of total sales. Spain followed with 73,300 sales, 32.1% less than the previous year (108,000), where SEAT was the market leader for the third consecutive year, and the UK, with 45,600, 33.8% less than 2019 (68,800). Spain and the UK were the two main European markets where the automotive sector was most affected by the coronavirus crisis.
Despite the pandemic, SEAT S.A. sales increased in countries such as Turkey and Israel. In Turkey, SEAT almost doubled its sales with a total of 11,600 cars, recording an increase of 95.3% (5,900), while in Israel the company broke sales records for the seventh consecutive year, reaching a total of 10,400 cars sold, an increase of 13% from 2019 (9,200).
SEAT and CUPRA Chairman Wayne Griffiths explained that "SEAT S.A.'s results are in line with the overall results of the automotive sector in Europe. 2020 was a very difficult year due to the market paralysis caused by the COVID-19 virus last spring and the impact of the second wave of the pandemic in the latter part of the year. Prior to COVID-19, SEAT S.A.'s sales increased by 6% and also rose to record levels in September, when the number of people affected by the virus had fallen."
As for 2021, Griffiths said that "in the first quarter we expect to be
complicated by the restrictions on the supply of spare parts as a result of the pandemic. However, we are optimistic as there is a healthy demand for our models and we expect to achieve steady growth in 2021. Sales will recover once the health crisis improves and mobility restrictions are lifted. The new electric models and the boost that Formentor will give to CUPRA sales will be key to our growth."
CUPRA grows in 2020 and breaks its monthly record
The new CUPRA brand broke its sales record in 2020, reaching a total of 27,400 vehicles sold, 11% more than in 2019 (24,700), boosted by countries such as Germany, Italy and Mexico and by the positive reception of the CUPRA Leon e-HYBRID. In December, CUPRA also achieved its best-ever sales volume in a single month, with 3,600 vehicles sold, 93.1% more than in December 2019 (1,900). Since CUPRA's creation in 2018, more than 65,000 cars have been sold.
CUPRA's best-selling model in 2020 was the Leon, with 13,300 units. The performance of the CUPRA Ateca was also significant, with 10,500 sales, as well as the new Formentor, whose 3,600 vehicles have been on the road since the end of the year.
SEAT sales fell by 27.3% in 2020 to a total of 399,600 vehicles sold (2019: 549,400), after being the fastest growing mass-market brand in Europe over the past three years. A decline in sales in markets such as Spain and the UK, which were severely affected by pandemic restrictions, explains this decline. The SEAT Leon was once again the brand's best-selling model (111,900), ahead of the Arona (91,600), Ibiza (81,600) and Ateca (68,700).
Wayne Griffiths stressed that "CUPRA's success in such a complex environment
fills us with confidence and optimism for the growth of the brand. 2021 will be a year of transformation. We now have a wider range thanks to the new CUPRA Formentor and the new Leon family, both with plug-in hybrid versions, and this year we will introduce the CUPRA el-Born, the brand's first electric model.
In addition, the sales network is constantly growing." Griffiths also pointed out that
2021 will see a recovery in SEAT sales: 'The improvement in the environment
health and economy, together with the renewal of the Arona and Ibiza, which we will present in a few months, the new Leon family and the updated Ateca, will allow SEAT to return to a growth path."
2021, a year full of electric innovations
SEAT S.A. plans to launch three new electric models in 2021, which will join the electric range, following the SEAT Mii Electric, the company's first 100% electric vehicle and the e-HYBRID versions of the SEAT Leon and CUPRA Leon.
In the first quarter of 2021, CUPRA will launch two plug-in hybrid versions of the Formentor, which will be pivotal to the development of the new model, and plans to launch the CUPRA el-Born, the brand's first 100% electric model, in the second half of the year.
The new SEAT Tarraco e-HYBRID will also be launched early this year.
