In its latest and probably most promising effort to turnaround its money-losing Spanish division, the Volkswagen Group has launched Seat on the Chinese market with the official opening of eight dealerships and the handover of its first customer vehicles.
The Spanish brand will further expand its dealer network in the country with seven more showrooms in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanning, Xi’an and Xiamen, and more importantly, in Beijing and Shanghai, before the end of the year.
“China is very important for SEAT. Our offensive on this growth market is a further stepping stone in the development of the brand and just as important as our investment in the highly attractive, new products that we will introduce in the near future,” said James Muir, Chairman of Seat.
Seat began its product offensive in China with the Leon compact hatchback and will soon enhance its range with the Ibiza facelift as an import vehicle produced in Spain as well as the Alhambra minivan.
“The car market in China is continuing to develop at a very rapid pace and there is a growing demand, particularly among young buyers, for premium, sporty vehicles that are differentiated by a clear and individual design language. This is where SEAT delivers a unique product offering and this is where we will be successful,” said Muir.
At this week’s Auto China 2012, Seat performed the world premiere of the Ibiza Cupra show car, the production version of which will arrive towards the end of the year.
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