With Spanish media focused on the political crisis over Catalonia, Volkswagen Group's Spanish division Seat reportedly has decided to delay announcing the name of its forthcoming SUV.
According to Reuters, Seat, based in Martorell (near Barcelona) in Catalonia, had planned to announce the name of its 2018 model this month, about a year ahead of the seven-seater's launch.
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But the carmaker, which earlier this month halted production at the Martorell plant after parts supplies were disrupted by protests in Catalonia, said it would disclose the name of the car later.
"With the entire Spanish media focused on politics at the moment, we have decided to find a better time," a Seat spokesman told Reuters.
Seat has also delayed the announcement of an agreement it has signed with a Spanish industry association on innovation and digitisation, the spokesman added, without elaborating.
However, preparations for selling and building the vehicle, which is due to be made at the VW plant in Wolfsburg, would not be affected by the delay, the spokesman told Reuters.
The international media presentation of the new Arona SUV in Barcelona (just-auto not invited, as usual) is proceeding as planned and will run for another week, he said.
Seat, acquired by VW in 1986, returned to profit last year for the first time in about a decade, helped by strong sales of the Ateca, its first crossover model.
The 2018 SUV, its third such model in as many years, will play a key role in the brand's strategy to build on its recovery, chief executive Luca de Meo has said.
