Latest Seat teaser image shows the rear of its mooted SUV
Spanish manufacturer's crossover will be “like a big brother to the Leon”, say company chiefs, as two preview pictures are revealed
Seat looks set to unveil its new Nissan Qashqai rival at the Geneva motor show.
These official preview images, released via the Spanish firm's Twitter account, reveal the front and rear-end design of the new crossover will stay true to 2011's IBX concept. The crossover is due to launch in 2016, and will kick-start a family of crossovers made by the firm.
A testing mule has recently been spotted on the streets in southern Europe. This version shows a five-door Seat Leon which sits higher than the standard car. The suggestion is that Seat is testing the chassis for the upcoming car underneath a series of mules, before it sends out production prototypes that are closer in looks to the finished car.
A previous mule was spotted in the Alps and was wearing a large amount of cladding. The development mule appeared to wear modified bodywork from the Leon hatchback, but with a noticeably larger and higher front-end design.
The new crossover will be based on VW Group's MQB platform and built by sister brand Skoda in the Czech Republic. Skoda is also planning its own seven-seat SUV, which will launch at the end of 2016.
Seat chief Jürgen Stackmann recently revealed the firm's SUV was unlikely to have any connection with the Leon name, despite the new model having a similar footprint to the Spanish manufacturer's family hatchback.
A Cupra version is also being mulled, according to Stackmann, with research underway on how far Seat's sporty brand can be extended. Even in standard form, the SUV will still be one of the sportiest cars in its class while retaining everyday usability and practicality.
Design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos revealed that design work was now complete and that it was "a big step for Seat – the car is like a big brother to the Leon".
The new SUV model, which is based on the Golf family MQB family platform, currently exists as a full-size styling model at Seat’s Martorell design studio. Autocar has had a sneak preview of the new – and as yet unnamed - SUV. While the styling is in tune with the new Leon it has taken another step away from the dramatic body side blisters seen on the 2011 IBX concept.
Seat boss Jurgen Stackman told Autocar that the new styling direction was part of Seat’s move towards emphasising “craftsmanship and very tight body construction”.
When it goes on sale, the new model should add significant volumes for the brand, with the segment expected to count for around 10 per cent of all cars sold in Europe.
The launch of the SUV forms part of a broader growth strategy that aims to significantly bolster Seat’s sales, which totalled 355,000 in 2013, in future years. Developed and engineered at Seat’s technical headquarters in Martorell, Spain, the new Seat SUV is planned to go on sale in key markets, including the UK, in 2016 as a rival to the likes of the Nissan Qashqai.
“This is great news. It takes Seat into new territory in one of the largest and fastest-growing segments in the world,” said Stackmann, confirming the car would be built. “The SUV is an important pillar in the future corporate strategy and is a major step forward on the road to reaching sustainable profitability for the company.”
Seat is no stranger to the production of a compact SUV, having produced the Audi Q3 at its Martorell plant since 2011. However, initial reports suggest the Seat crossover will be built at a Skoda factory in the Czech Republic. Skoda’s Kvasiny factory currently makes the Skoda Superb and the Roomster mini MPV. Autocar understands that this plant will be converted to a facility that produces MQB-based models and will also make the new Skoda Yeti.
Banking analysts say that the Kvasiny factory benefits from low costs, particularly low hourly labour rates, which are said to be half of those in Spain and less than a third of the cost in Germany. However, sources say that Kvasiny also had spare capacity because a planned seven-seat Skoda MPV model was cancelled.
Sources say that, by 2016, Seat should be producing around 200,000 Leon models, 200,000 Ibizas, 100,000 SUVs and 100,000 units of the Alhambra and Mii model, finally pushing the brand in to profit.
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Spanish manufacturer's crossover will be “like a big brother to the Leon”, say company chiefs, as two preview pictures are revealed
Seat looks set to unveil its new Nissan Qashqai rival at the Geneva motor show.
These official preview images, released via the Spanish firm's Twitter account, reveal the front and rear-end design of the new crossover will stay true to 2011's IBX concept. The crossover is due to launch in 2016, and will kick-start a family of crossovers made by the firm.
A testing mule has recently been spotted on the streets in southern Europe. This version shows a five-door Seat Leon which sits higher than the standard car. The suggestion is that Seat is testing the chassis for the upcoming car underneath a series of mules, before it sends out production prototypes that are closer in looks to the finished car.
A previous mule was spotted in the Alps and was wearing a large amount of cladding. The development mule appeared to wear modified bodywork from the Leon hatchback, but with a noticeably larger and higher front-end design.
The new crossover will be based on VW Group's MQB platform and built by sister brand Skoda in the Czech Republic. Skoda is also planning its own seven-seat SUV, which will launch at the end of 2016.
Seat chief Jürgen Stackmann recently revealed the firm's SUV was unlikely to have any connection with the Leon name, despite the new model having a similar footprint to the Spanish manufacturer's family hatchback.
A Cupra version is also being mulled, according to Stackmann, with research underway on how far Seat's sporty brand can be extended. Even in standard form, the SUV will still be one of the sportiest cars in its class while retaining everyday usability and practicality.
Design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos revealed that design work was now complete and that it was "a big step for Seat – the car is like a big brother to the Leon".
The new SUV model, which is based on the Golf family MQB family platform, currently exists as a full-size styling model at Seat’s Martorell design studio. Autocar has had a sneak preview of the new – and as yet unnamed - SUV. While the styling is in tune with the new Leon it has taken another step away from the dramatic body side blisters seen on the 2011 IBX concept.
Seat boss Jurgen Stackman told Autocar that the new styling direction was part of Seat’s move towards emphasising “craftsmanship and very tight body construction”.
When it goes on sale, the new model should add significant volumes for the brand, with the segment expected to count for around 10 per cent of all cars sold in Europe.
The launch of the SUV forms part of a broader growth strategy that aims to significantly bolster Seat’s sales, which totalled 355,000 in 2013, in future years. Developed and engineered at Seat’s technical headquarters in Martorell, Spain, the new Seat SUV is planned to go on sale in key markets, including the UK, in 2016 as a rival to the likes of the Nissan Qashqai.
“This is great news. It takes Seat into new territory in one of the largest and fastest-growing segments in the world,” said Stackmann, confirming the car would be built. “The SUV is an important pillar in the future corporate strategy and is a major step forward on the road to reaching sustainable profitability for the company.”
Seat is no stranger to the production of a compact SUV, having produced the Audi Q3 at its Martorell plant since 2011. However, initial reports suggest the Seat crossover will be built at a Skoda factory in the Czech Republic. Skoda’s Kvasiny factory currently makes the Skoda Superb and the Roomster mini MPV. Autocar understands that this plant will be converted to a facility that produces MQB-based models and will also make the new Skoda Yeti.
Banking analysts say that the Kvasiny factory benefits from low costs, particularly low hourly labour rates, which are said to be half of those in Spain and less than a third of the cost in Germany. However, sources say that Kvasiny also had spare capacity because a planned seven-seat Skoda MPV model was cancelled.
Sources say that, by 2016, Seat should be producing around 200,000 Leon models, 200,000 Ibizas, 100,000 SUVs and 100,000 units of the Alhambra and Mii model, finally pushing the brand in to profit.
*Read more Geneva motor show news*
*Get the latest car news, reviews and galleries from Autocar direct to your inbox every week. Enter your email address below:* Reported by Autocar 17 hours ago.