SEAT in hot soup?
Volkswagen is in crisis lately, hit by a strong Euro and weak sales. Some of it’s measures to counter this are plans to cut down it’s workforce by almost 10,000 German jobs, which could make a huge difference in high-wage Germany. It is also planning to assemble it’s next SUV in Portugal instead of Germany.
SEAT Ibiza
Which brings us to money-losing SEAT. Volkswagen owns the Spanish brand SEAT which makes sporty cars. Kind of reminds me of Alfa Romeo or Mazda.
According to Der Spiegel, Volkswagen AG has given an deadline of mid-year 2006 to substantially increase sales and earnings or it may be given the boot! If SEAT fails, Volkswagen might pursue action to cut losses, which could mean killing the brand and using it’s factories to assemble other models, or selling off SEAT lock, stock and barrel to Chinese companies who want to target the European car market.
However,Volkswagen denies this as reported by Spanish news site 20 Minutos.
Source: Auto Industry, Der Spiegel, 20 Minutos
September 26, 2005 @ 3:43 am
wonder if the same ting hapens to proton if VW ever buy a stake in p1 n p1 doesnt show good numbers…
September 26, 2005 @ 3:50 am
wah! you need to sleep meh!
September 26, 2005 @ 6:09 am
please god..dont let the VW buy majority stake in Proton…otherwise we have nothing…
September 26, 2005 @ 8:00 am
wat in the world are you guys doing so early in the morning?!
lets hope that doesnt happen to proton, aite?
September 26, 2005 @ 8:36 am
Funnily, the side profile of the Seat Cupra looks scarily similar to the SRM.
September 26, 2005 @ 8:51 am
How sharp i am….hehehe, look at the front portion, Subaru Impreza WRC/X copycatted itmeh…….
September 26, 2005 @ 8:51 am
What a cool black rims too…haa
September 26, 2005 @ 9:21 am
oh oh volks really in hot soup recently, with porsche suddenly wanna get 20% stake of volks. N since SEAT reminds me of proton direction nowdays, will proton direction is similiar with SEAT = DOOM????!!!
Man, never concerntrate ur cars manufacturing with too sports oriented. C what happended to mazda n nissan in the 90ist, n now Proton.
September 26, 2005 @ 11:22 am
agree with travis I am…proton should widen their product to include SUV n MPV…and how about lorry n busses….even mitsu has its on lorry…Proton please came up with hi tech product….Hybrid 7seater…or SUV….I’m sure Proton will survive untill end off time….but dont design any new product based on japan design such as Juara (stupid deciesion)….do market survey….what design local prefer, out side market prefer what type of cars n price range….do market research lah POTONG oiiii….I dont want proton to end up like SEAT who r going to be SEATed by VW….hehehe bad jokes…
September 26, 2005 @ 1:36 pm
If Proton goes to VW , It’s bound to make Proton better anyway. So why not?
Proton , as of today , Inhales Vigorously (ie : Sucks). They are wrong right from the beginning to go R3. Why race when you can’t go from A to B without problems?
I’m starting to think maybe Renault will be interested in Proton like they did with Nissan. Maybe not.
September 26, 2005 @ 1:48 pm
eRis-Aeir4s said,
September 26, 2005 @ 1:36 pm
I’m starting to think maybe Renault will be interested in Proton like they did with Nissan. Maybe not.
—-> I doubt so either…who can stand if you were not given the full authorities in certain decision, and always intervene your decision, or assign some ‘nuts’ in the CEO position “to learn from the sub-ordinates”…I doubt anyone would have interest eventhough the potential is there.
September 26, 2005 @ 1:52 pm
ah if proton + volks
and proton ends up like seat
good anyway rite,then no more proton
and that means cheaper japanese import models
woo hoo……
September 26, 2005 @ 2:43 pm
wala neyy…. superb car. i love seat!
September 26, 2005 @ 4:29 pm
eRis-Aeir4s: wahh………. good suggestion ler…….. imagine Le ‘Goshn’ Cost-Cutter in proton………………….. fuiyuh !!! all hell break lose !!!
September 26, 2005 @ 6:50 pm
Forget Proton!!!!
Porsche is buying a 20 per cent stake in Volkswagen in a move designed to safeguard Europe’s largest car manufacturer against a hostile takeover.
Wonder what the repercussions are towards VW plans in Malaysia
Proton, VW and Porsche …………..What a mess?
September 26, 2005 @ 9:41 pm
I feel that Proton getting involved with Volks is a good thing which can only be benificial to Proton. I would be thankful that its Volks that are willing putting this offer on the table instead of some Mickey Mouse manufacturer from China.
Digressing. Volks owns Audi (which owns Lamborghini), Bentley Motors and Bugatti, among others. So just imagine the sort of techology and R&D that is to be had!
The reason why Volks is selling Seat is because the latter has become “unprofitable”. In the event if Proton does become ‘unprofitable’ who else does Proton have to blame but themselves?
Its like you growing a fruit tree. You cut off the branches that aren’t producing any fruit and divert all your resources to the ones that are instead of wasting them on the dead branch.
At the end of the day, to me Proton has no choice but to merge because i’m sure as hell that Proton can’t make it on their own.
September 26, 2005 @ 11:24 pm
Huh.. What If Proton Cut All The Cars About 50%…Fuiyoo… No Need To Care About European Or Japanese Bad Ass Car Maker Anymore… Huh.. What Ever… Proton Not Gonna Make It Into Reality, Even A Millions Words Has Been Throw… Shut The Hell Up Proton!!! If You Don’t Change It By Now!!!
September 27, 2005 @ 12:00 am
i like the term ‘mickey mouse manufacturer’
September 27, 2005 @ 4:32 am
haha…funny how every topic in this site will have plotong compared and bashed… har har…funnnnyy…..
September 27, 2005 @ 4:35 pm
SEAT!!……WHAT the hell??
F***king ulgy and worst car ever seen………TAR PAU lah!!
YAU MO KAU …..CHOU!!
September 27, 2005 @ 9:37 pm
rafreez: do you know that mitsubishi give townbox (juara) for free to POTONG? no royalties paid, mah!
September 28, 2005 @ 12:06 am
No royalties paid to mitsu, then why on earth its priced more than kenari. Perhaps if proton sell it with idea like what kangoo did, for business, with cheaper price, then it can attract people. But cannot help if the look itself is such a turn off. I heard its better than kenari.
September 28, 2005 @ 12:22 pm
aksMS said,
September 27, 2005 @ 9:37 pm
rafreez: do you know that mitsubishi give townbox (juara) for free to POTONG? no royalties paid, mah!
…hahaha…if given to me for free, I’ll loose the tyre n put it at the play ground for kids to play…just want to correct you not townbox more likely a toybox…If I drove that, I’ll be the joke among my friend.