VAG musical chairs - repurposed SEAT, Cupra lives on

[rodericb]

Confirmation again that the SEAT brand is to be repurposed as "mobility solutions" while all cars will be Cupra: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-ro...

Now SEAT is on the outer as it apparently makes a loss but Cupra doesn't. More margins in premium product it seems, when people want it at least....

[Dannbodge]

Made much more sense when Cupra was a trim level.

After all it's short for "Cup Racing" isn't it?

[Sheepshanks]

Wonder if all current SEAT dealers will get Cupra - the one we use is SEAT only.

Was interesting that a colleague in Germany was telling about his new Cupra and he was amazed I’d heard of the brand. Apparently they don’t have SEAT there and Cupra is sold alongside other VW Group brands in the same dealerships.

[Dr G]

Seat has been a problem child for years, so can't really blame them.

If Cupra has a profitable niche with "sporty" SUVs only then crack on.

[vikingaero]

Seat could be a brand below Skoda selling Dacia rivalling cars and SUVs.

[Silvanus]

vikingaero said:

Seat could be a brand below Skoda selling Dacia rivalling cars and SUVs.

They could, but probably not enough profit margin for VAG to bother. There are fewer and fewer options available for people on tighter budgets, but I guess car companies are all about profit than being charitable.

Also Dacia prices have crept up a fair bit, they are now the new Skoda, now Skoda is the new Volvo.

It will be a shame to see SEAT disappear, but I expect it won't be the only brand to go in the near future.

[Lester H]

Good old badge engineering! ‘Mature’ PH members will recall the hierarchy of Austin, Morris, Wolseley, MG ,Riley and Vanden Plas. (Rover added later.)

[Glosphil]

I wondered if Seat was likely to eventually disappear when Cupra introduced a version of the Leon Cupra with the 1.5TSi (150) engine. Essentially a Seat Leon FR with a few options thrown in & an inflated price tag.

[Sebring440]

Lester H said:

(Rover added later.)

Rover started producing motor cars in 1904.

[Lester H]

Sebring440 said:

Lester H said:

(Rover added later.)

Rover started producing motor cars in 1904.

Quite so, but it did not join what was then British Leyland until 1967. They had already acquired Triumph, hence my earlier comment about badge engineering.

[Normodog]

Seat worked as the sporty brand of vw in the mid 2000s, the Cupra rebrand wasn't necessary, should have kept it as a top model trim.

All the rebrand has done is put the nail in the coffin of the Seat brand.

Should have been kept as:

Audi- Premium
Vw- Quality
Seat- Sporty
Skoda- Budget

Now I'd argue that Skoda has taken over the VW spot and Seat is where Skoda were.

Edited by Normodog on Wednesday 6th September 17:20

Edited by Normodog on Wednesday 6th September 17:20

[ajprice]

Normodog said:

Seat worked as the sporty brand of vw in the mid 2000s, the Cupra rebrand wasn't necessary, should have kept it as a top model trim.

All the rebrand has done is put the nail in the coffin of the Seat brand.

Should have been kept as:

Audi- Premium
Vw- Quality
Seat- Sporty
Skoda- Budget

Now I'd argue that Skoda has taken over the VW spot and Seat is where Skoda were.

Yes. Seat could and should have been VAG's Alfa Romeo equivalent as the sporty option cars, Cupra should have stayed as the top/fast model as they used to be. The Cupra logo is crap too, somewhere between the Deception badge from Transformers and a space invader.