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Seat background and Seat deals news

SEAT sold 202,065 cars last year, making it the 20th most popular manufacturer in the UK. Their best-selling model is the Ibiza, with over 14,158 registrations in this country. AutoeBid’s sales figures for SEAT will be updated after September 2016, when the 66 registration plate is launched.

Founded in 1950, SEAT is an acronym for 'Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo', or in English 'Spanish Passenger Car Company'. Typical of Fiat Group in the pre-General Motors period, it sought out car-making niche companies around the world to widen its activity sphere. SEAT and Fiat established a factory in Barcelona with a large slice of the business given to the Franco government. The union produced a range of cars that were all Fiat-related. In 1986, Volkswagen became the majority shareholder of SEAT, completely taking over SEAT in 1990. Ever since, SEAT has had its headquarters at Martorell on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Since Volkswagen’s takeover in 1990, SEAT has been increasing its presence in the motorsport world. SEAT's first serious attempt at a World Rally Championship (WRC) title was difficult with the small SEAT Ibiza. Nevertheless, the little hatchback allowed the company to start building its rallying experience. An upgraded 2-litre model succeeded three times in the 2L World Championship, proving its maker had accumulated enough experience, and budget, to take a shot at the World Rally Car class of rallying cars. But the results since have not been as good as expected. In 2003, SEAT announced a one-make championship for the new SEAT León Cupra R, the SEAT Cupra Challenge. Since 2005, the company has participated in the World Touring Car Championship. SEAT utilised Audi's diesel knowledge in touring cars when they became the first team to run a TDI in the WTCC. SEAT vehicles are known to be very popular and affordable, as well as much cheaper than German competitors. They also have a good level of equipment, specifically the usage of Volkswagen engines, like the frugal but powerful TDI engines.

Within Volkswagen Group new technology is first implemented in Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles before filtering down to the Group’s less prestigious brands such as Skoda and SEAT. The fun Spanish manufacturer, however, has its own efficient model variant – ‘Ecomotive’ – and has implemented ecological solutions at its plants in Martorell and the Zona Franca, investing €8.6 million establishing rail links between the two to reduce dependence on heavy trucks. SEAT was the first Spanish company to be awarded ISO 50001 certification for sustainability and energy efficiency in 2011. The Martorell plant also features over 20,000 photovoltaic panels on the roof, generating approximately 13 kWh of carbon neutral power a year. They also reduce SEAT’s carbon dioxide emissions by over 6,000 tonnes a year. Ecomotive models are equipped with stop/start, regenerative braking systems and low resistance tyres, much the same as Volkswagen’s BlueMotion vehicles.