Also on Thursday, the Seat announced record operating profit for the first quarter of 2023, at 144 million euros, compared with five million euros in the first quarter of 2022. Revenue was 3.6 billion euros, 48 percent higher than the first quarter of 2022. Cupra began as a trim line of Seat and became its own sub-brand under former CEO Luca de Meo, now CEO of Renault Group.
Cupra is now Seat’s main growth driver, Seat said. Seat said Cupra sold 46,600 units during the first quarter of 2023, 83 percent more than in the same period in 2022. Seat and Cupra together sold 125,218 vehicles, VW Group said, a 37 percent improvement over 2022, with the Seat brand selling 78,618, a 9 percent increase.
When the Raval appeared, it was likely to face competition from a number of performance or near-premium full-electric hatchbacks, including the Abarth version of the Fiat New 500, the coming Alpine A290 and the next full-electric Mini. Cupra has not announced prices.