Major budget car brand is set to be RETIRED after 76 years as it’s outsold by sporty sibling

A MAJOR budget car brand could be retired after 76 years, in a huge shakeup. The affordable car brand was first founded in the 1950s, before being taken over by Volkswagen Group just a few decades later. n a statement sent to Autocar, Seat Cupra UK didn’t deny the reports but said: “The entire industry, including the Volkswagen Group and, of course, Seat S.A., is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by our commitment to electrificatio Credit: SEAT Seat, the Spanish brand owned by Volkswagen Group could disappear from the German carmaker’s portfolio, according to Autocar. The publication said the manufacturer is reportedly looking at phasing out the Seat brand by 2029. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It comes as the budget car, which charges upwards of £21,000 for a new model, has been trumped by its sporty sibling, Cupra. Seat would be phased out by the end of the decade as the firm looks to turn its financial resources to other models, reports suggest. This comes as the latest sales figures appear to show Cupra as a clear favourite between buyers. It delivered a record 170,100 cars during the first half of the year, compared with 129,600 for Seat. Seat Cupra UK didn’t deny the reports but told Autocar: “The entire industry, including the Volkswagen Group and, of course, Seat S.A., is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by our commitment to electrification. “The global context has changed significantly, with a strong impact on the automotive sector, particularly over the past year. Therefore the Volkswagen Group is working on a transformation plan for the entire Group business to strengthen its competitiveness and efficiency. Most read in Motors “The goal is to make the entire Volkswagen Group and respective entities more efficient and leaner and to capture technological synergy potential consistently. This strategy has been discussed in several supervisory board meetings. “No decisions have been taken at this stage. We will inform about any strategic decisions affecting Seat SA in due time.” Cupra only officially launched as an independent brand in 2018. It originally began as SEAT’s performance-focused division. The model is primarily manufactured in Spain, with most production taking place at Seat’s Martorell plant near Barcelona. The Sun has approached Seat Cupra UK for comment. 1 comment1