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SEAT has confirmed that its much-touted SUV is in production and will hit the market in 2016. The new model has long been speculated on and could draw inspiration from the IBX concept that was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011.
In a statement SEAT says it has been working on the design and development of the new model at its Martorell facility for almost two years.
"This is an excellent piece of news, since it takes SEAT into a new territory, in one of the largest and fastest growing segments in the world," declared SEAT Chairman Jürgen Stackmann today in the Annual Results Press Presentation. "The SUV is an important pillar in the future corporate strategy and is a major step forward on the road to reaching sustainable profitability for the company," he added.
While not confirmed, it is expected the new model will be based on Volkswagen's MQB platform that currently underpins the Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon, Audi A3 and Skoda Octavia and is likely to be used for the forthcoming Audi Q1 crossover and next generation Skoda Yeti.
Anything else?
While the new SUV is being designed and developed in Spain it is possible that production will actually take place at Skoda's plant in the Czech Republic due to lower labour costs compared to Martorell. This would mean the SEAT could be built alongside the next generation Skoda Yeti.
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