SEAT celebrates 60th b-day

This month, SEAT is celebrating a big milestone in its history as it turns 60. The Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo, S.A. have been established on 9th of May 1950 and so far has been building an image of distinctive car maker with a dynamic model line-up, cutting-edge VW technology and exciting design. It's all taking shape in SEAT Technical Centre in Martorell near Barcelona.

SEAT's 1,300 employees there are shaping the electric future of the Spanish brand, but in the meantime, standing firmly on the ground with distinctively designed, sporty and technologically up-to-date line-up, offering all that with an outstanding value-for-money. The new Ibiza ST compact hatchback is an excellent example of the above.

The central production site is the Martorell plant, one of the most advanced in Europe, with its highly developed logistics systems and flexible production processes. Around 2,000 cars are built there every day.

Since the first SEAT 1400 rolled off the Zona Franca line in 1953 SEAT has produced more than 16 million vehicles, with 2009 contributing 337,000 of those. Two thirds of production is exported; the majority going to the European market. Globally, SEAT has more than 3,000 sales and service outlets in a total of 72 countries.

SEAT has become more prominent brand since its integration within the Volkswagen Group – a process which began in 1982 and was completed eight years later when the Group became its sole shareholder.