Seat to sell vans in UK
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Seat Concessionaires (UK) has confirmed that it will be bringing Spanish-built Seat car derived-vans and pick-ups into the UK next spring.
The high-capacity van — known as the Marbella Trans — will have a 500kg payload, and may be powered by a new three-cylinder petrol engine currently being developed by Seat. Further details are expected around October.
A 1.7-litre diesel engine will also be offered in Seat vans and cars next year. Preproduction units are being developed in conjunction with Ricardo, the UK-based independent diesel research company. Volkswagen is to take a 51 per cent stake in Seat later this year with the option of a further 24 per cent holding. Last year Seat produced around 300,000 vehicles, including 100,000 under licence to VW.
Lonrho, which holds the concessions for both Audi/Volkswagen and Seat in the UK, says it will continue to operate the two franchises independently with separate importer management and dealers.
Seat currently has 95 UK dealers and, according to managing director Doug Clare, all will sell vans when they arrive in 1987.