Automotive News Europe - Talk From The Top Supplement - December 2019 - 35

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

TALK FROM THE TOP

sults of the Tarraco. To address this we are
fine-tuning its powertrain mix. This is happening because we have demand from the
markets for front-wheel-drive versions with
an automatic transmission, but we only
had that transmission in pricier four-wheeldrive versions. Another factor for slow
sales is that emissions levels are becoming
an issue for midsize SUVs in markets such
as France, the UK and the Netherlands. We
will address this with a plug-in hybrid variant that arrives next year. Also, we have
not yet launched the more expensive FR
variant, which we expect could cover up to
30 percent of sales. Therefore, we have to
be patient with the Tarraco.

pinnings with the VW ID3. When will
the el-Born go on sale?
The plan is to be on the market by late
2020 and everything is proceeding well.

brand once it adds its first Cupra-specific model, the Formentor crossover?
With Cupra we started three years ago
with 7,000 units. Last year we increased
Cupra sales by 40 percent to 14,300
What is the future for the Tavascan
units - mainly due to demand for Cuelectric compact crossover concept
pra versions of the Leon. We were up by
unveiled by Cupra at this year's Frank80
percent to 20,600 through October
furt auto show?
thanks to the addition of the Cupra verIt is more than a design exercise to show sion of the Ateca. The plan is to reach
what Cupra could do using the underpin- 25,000 units this year. We will launch
nings of the forthcoming VW ID4. We re- the Formentor by the end of 2020. It
ally want to build the Tavascan and to will be the true test bench for the Cupra
make the production vehicle as close to brand's potential.
the concept as possible.
What do you mean by test bench?
If the Tavascan gets approved, when
When we conceived the Formentor, the
Last year, VW Group gave Seat re- could be on the market?
plan was to debut it as a Cupra and later
sponsibility to develop a sub-MEB Late 2022 to early 2023.
add a cheaper Seat variant to reach the
architecture for full-electric vehicles.
volume planned for the project. We have
Could you update us on the progress? PSA says that to be compliant with now decided to scrutinize the potential
the EU's 2020-21 emissions targets it
We are working on this at our technical will need 7 percent of its overall sales of the Formentor as a Cupra-only model
center in Martorell (Spain) as well as in to be either full-electric vehicles or to see what we can reach in terms of volChina with our joint-venture partner, An- plug-in hybrids. What is the percent- umes and margins.
hui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC). age at Seat? Will this percentage rise
Do you expect the higher margins to
The current challenge is to see if - and to as diesel sales decline?
offset the lower volume?
what degree - these two projects could
A 7 percent penetration of electrified This is exactly what we want to deconverge. Right now, we are still at the
model sales also applies to Seat. Our termine. Cupra variants now sell for
technical-concept phase at both locadiesel share is a bit below the market, 10,000 to 15,000 euros more than their
tions. We expect more clarity on how to
at 25 percent so far this year, but comequivalent Seat models. This has a
proceed in about six months.
pressed natural gas models account for
massive effect on our margins. I am not
Will this sub-MEB platform be used about 4 percent of our sales. That helps going to disclose how much that effect
for EVs that are at or below 4 meters? to lower our CO2 average.
is, but it makes me really happy and
That is the plan.
Cupra is growing with its Seat-derived shows the great potential Cupra has as
ANE
Your first EV will be a variant of the Mii portfolio. What is the future for the a stand-alone brand.
minicar. What are your expectations?
Product wise, I have high expectations
because for more than three years I have
been driving an Mii modified by Seat to
be full electric. It is the perfect car for
urban mobility. Sales wise, it could account for between 5,000 and 10,000
units in 2020. The actual number that
Seat will get will depend on production
allocations decided by the group [the
electric Mii will be produced alongside
the VW e-up and Citigo EV].
Is the by-brand EV mix neutral at VW
Group because emissions are pooled?
Correct. A volume of 5,000 to 10,000
EVs does not change a brand's average
dramatically. This happens when you
move from 10,000 to 70,000 EVs.
Your second EV will be the el-Born
compact, which will share its under-

2019

In Partnership with

De Meo would like to see Seat subbrand Cupra add the Tavascan
to its lineup and to make the final version as close to the concept
(shown) as possible.

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Automotive News Europe - Talk From The Top Supplement - December 2019

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