Volkswagen’s Spanish affiliate SEAT has launched the new Leon in Mexico, a move designed to strengthen the brand’s strategy for international growth and profitability.
The launch will consolidate SEAT among the 10 best-selling brands in Mexico after growing 60% over the past two years while it has already grown 8.5% there in the first four months of 2013, having registered 7,360 vehicles.
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In 2010, SEAT’s share in Mexico was 1.7% at 13,380 units. That number grew to 18,115 in 2011, and rose further to 21,114 last year, showing a pattern of consistent growth for the brand. It has 50 dealerships in the country which will increase over the next few months.
Mexico is the world’s 15th most important automotive market, and the third most important in the Americas, behind the US and Brazil. In 2012, Mexican car sales were close to 1m.
The five-door Leon will go on sale in Mexico in June, with the SC following towards the end of 2013. Both models will be built at the Barcelona Martorell plant in Spain.
Edgar Estrada, head of SEAT in Mexico, said: “We are delighted at the way the brand has been moving. We are confident that the strength of the new Leon will help us continue to grow in Mexico.
SEAT exports 83% of its total car production and is present in 77 countries, growing 11.5% between January and April 2013, compared with the same period last year. In April the brand sold 30,058 vehicles globally, 20.5% more than in the same month in 2012.
In Germany, the company’s main market, SEAT sales have grown 30.6% so far this year to vehicles. In Spain the brand has delivered 22,356 vehicles (+10.7%), with another 14,784 in the UK (+9.0%).
The company has also seen strong growth outside Europe during the same period, with 7,822 vehicles sold in Algeria (+137.6%), 2,126 in Turkey (+111.1%), and 1,217 in Russia (+310.5%).
