This Time SEAT Starts Making Its Own Model... At VW's Main Plant

About a week ago, SEAT announced it is adding another model on the assembly lines of its Martorell factory in Spain. It wasn't a model from the local automaker, but Audi's new A1, which joined the Ibiza hatchback and Arona crossover. Now, SEAT is actually starting to build its own Tarraco, but, again, it's not just a regular production. The seven-seat SUV won't be manufactured at SEAT's home plant, but instead will be assembled at Volkswagen's main site in Wolfsburg.

This is the first time in the last nearly two decades that such a transfer is happening. SEAT says that "synergy effects" are the main driving force behind the decision to move the Tarraco's production to Germany, where it will be built alongside with the Tiguan and Touran, both also based on the modular MQB platform that underpins the Tarraco.

"The Tarraco was completely designed and developed in Spain by SEAT," Matthias Rabe, Vice-President for R&D at SEAT, commented. "Together with a really enthusiastic team at the Wolfsburg factory the vehicle was then prepared for series production, and this in a very short time. That strengthens the already close ties between SEAT and Volkswagen even more."

The last time Volkswagen assembled a model for another brand from the VAG portfolio was in 1998, when the Arosa supermini was rolling off the production lines. From 1974 to 1978, Volkswagen also produced the Audi 50, followed by the Audi 80 and Audi 100 from 1994 to 1998 and 1993 to 1997 respectively.

"A competent, globally leading production network across the Group is one of the biggest levers for efficiency enhancement. The SEAT Tarraco is an example of the way more plants within the Group-wide production network will produce vehicles for several Group brands at the same time in the future," added Andreas Tostmann, Volkswagen Board Member for Production.