Cupra sales continue to grow in 2022, SEAT sales decline

Cupra sold a record 152,900 vehicles globally in 2022, with 1111 of those sold in Australia – but it came at the expense of its parent brand SEAT.

SEAT SA prioritizes the more profitable Cupra models over SEAT badged vehicles, so while Cupra deliveries increased by 92.7%, the SEAT brand was down 40.5%.

Cupra accounted for just under 40% of total SEAT SA sales, totaling 385,600 – down 18.1%. Notably, the Cupra brand alone is target 500,000 annual sales by 2025.

The Formentor accounting for the majority – 63.8% – of Cupra’s 2022 sales of 97,600 units.

In its first year on the market, electric vehicles Born hatchback reached 31,400 units.

Thus, Cupra’s most popular model is more popular than the SEAT brand’s model, with Arona – related to Volkswagen T-Cross – transferred only 71,000 units.

The sports brand’s key European markets are Germany (sales 58,400, up 89.9%), the UK (14,400, up 87.4%) and Spain (13,600, up 23.9%). . These three markets are also the ones with the highest sales of the more mainstream SEAT brand in 2022.

But the Volkswagen Group has been serious about pushing the Cupra to the global market, and it has recorded sales of 4300 units in Mexico and 2700 in Israel – plus 1111 in Australia.

As globally, Formentor is the brand’s best-selling product locally and to some extent. With sales of 690 units, it accounts for 62% of Cupra Down Under sales.

Cupra also sold 234 Ateca SUV and 186 Leon hatchback, plus a single Born. it’s aiming to reach 7000 annual sales in Australia by 2025.

SEAT and Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths said: “The year 2022 has been an unpredictable year but we certainly did our best.

“Cupra continues to exceed expectations and solidify its position as Europe’s fastest growing automotive brand.

“Our remarkable delivery numbers demonstrate that demand for the brand and electric vehicles shows no signs of slowing down.”

He added that prioritizing Cupra vehicles is “essential to providing long-term stability to the broader company”.

Mr. Griffiths continued: “Faced with persistent shortages of components and semiconductors, we made the strategic decision to prioritize the more profitable Cupra models over SEAT vehicles.

“This has certainly affected the number of SEAT vehicles we have delivered but is essential to providing long-term stability to the broader company.”

For 2023, it could look like that.

“The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain,” Mr. Griffiths said.

“But by prioritizing the development of Cupra and the electrification of SEAT SA, we are determined to face any future challenges and turn them into opportunities.”

Despite the limited supply, the SEAT brand hit a major milestone: it sold its millionth SUV. In addition to Arona and Ateca, it also sells Tarraco, related to Skoda Kodiaq.

SEAT SA also produces Audi A1and the Volkswagen Group subsidiary’s total global production volume was fairly flat with sales of 478,954 units – down just 1.1%.

Output at the Martorell plant fell 4.8% to 366,764 units. SEAT SA also produces vehicles in Barcelona and El Prat de Llobregat in Spain, while Cupra Born and SEAT Tarraco are produced in Germany and Cupra and SEAT Ateca in the Czech Republic.

Cupra’s Martorell plant will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year as SEAT SA begins retooling to build electric vehicles for the broader Volkswagen Group, including a production version of the UrbanRebel concept in 2025. .

Cupra will unveil the production version of its second electric car this year, the Tavascan, although it will be Originated from China.

Both it and the production UrbanRebel are set to launch in Australia in 2025, and they will be joined by the Terramar mid-size SUV that will offer a choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

THAN: Cupra Terramar, UrbanRebel, Tavascan prepare to come to Australia in 2025