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The Volkswagen Group’s top brass may currently be concerned with the imminent takeover of Porsche, but its accountants will be occupied with the performance of its Spanish subsidiary Seat.
Loss-making in 2005 and 2006 and suffering stagnant sales this year, Seat has recently been prescribed fresh, German-dominated management, a revised product plan and a new design centre. The long-term goal is to double production to 800,000 units by 2012. Will it work? Read on to find out.

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As a long term owner and fan of the SEAT brand, now on my 4th SEAT and 3rd Leon. I am very pleased to read that the company is making a sustained attempt to change it's approach to the design of it's future models. Though the company as a whole has been making losses, the UK arm of SEAT have in recent years been very successful. The motorsport campaign has certainly raised their profile in the public psyche, but the business can't survive on the sporty models alone. I am glad to see SEAT moving back to a varied mix of vehicle sectors, with saloons, estates, 4x4, supermini's and coupes all in focus for future development. I have recently bought a New Leon Cupra, and as your article points out the Leon is likely the best of a bad bunch in terms of the current designs that have come out of the company recently. Though technically the new car is streets ahead of the car it's replaced it has been received by many with what I can only describe as a touch of the Marmites. The older Leon Cupra R in particular was a very striking hatchback. To be fair to SEAT I personally love the new car every bit as much as my previous Leon's. I would say it's shape is unique in terms of other manufacturers in the same segment. However the car's perception by the public may of been harmed by the launch of the Altea before it and the subsequent raft of MPV-alikes that followed it. The Toledo being the worst of all. If Luc Donckerwolke and his design team with the support of the new Audi sourced suits can turn the business around and make it half as successful as Audi itself has been in recent years. I'll be a happy customer, I look forward to seeing what the future brings.

My understanding of the SEAT brand within the VAG group is as the sporting brand of the mainstream models. While they have access to the best bits from the VAG parts bin and often get first refusal on them, I can't help looking at them and thinking they have gone down a design cul de sac.

Most of the models are styled as MPV's/mini MPV's, rather then sporting models. I much prefer the look of the previous Leon to the current one, for example.

The biggest success story of recent times within the VAG group has to be Skoda, which is supposed to be the budget brand within the group, but regularily receives rave reviews highlighting the better fit and finish compared to other group companies.

I hope the SEAT top brass can come up with package of changes to save the brand from obscurity before it's too late, as I am fond of the previous range of cars to the current ones.

One point to make is the dash architecture needs desperate attention.

Yep, that's right the thing that is putting us off buying SEATs is the design.  Between my wife and myself there are 2 car cars that I WANT to buy from the current range. But I won't.

I love the idea that they are stealth VWs, that you can get all of the best bits without the associated price tag.  What I didn't like was the 8 weeks my car sat in the dealership while they sorted the external temp gauge (replacing instrument pack, ecu, immobiliser in the process), the unresolved faults on my wife's car (resolved when I took it to an independent) and the generally shoddy way they went about their business (including bleating about margins on warranty work)

Until SEAT can sort out the dealerships, I will continue to take my cash elsewhere.

Ben
(Previously a Leon Cupra owner, wife currently owns an Ibiza)