75 years of history creating the future
Martorell, 07/05/2025. On May 9th 1950, SEAT S.A. fired up its engine to set off on a thrilling journey, a quest to put Spain on wheels. Now, the company is celebrating its 75th anniversary while also marking the biggest transformation in its history: putting the country on electric wheels. More than 7 decades during which SEAT S.A. has implemented a consistent framework - to design and make mobility accessible. In doing so, not only has it contributed to the industrial transformation of the whole country, but it has become part of its DNA. Keep reading to find out how the company that is shaping the future of sustainable mobility has made history.
To mark its 75th anniversary, SEAT S.A. will inaugurate a historic exhibition on May 9 in Barcelona’s Univers Square, showcasing the company’s legacy through 75 iconic cars. Visitors will be able to explore a selection of models that have defined each chapter of the company’s journey: from the first car produced in 1953, the SEAT 1400, to the fully electric CUPRA Raval, set to start production in Martorell in 2026, and legendary models such as the SEAT 600, the SEAT Ibiza and the SEAT León, among many other models from the 77 that the company has manufactured since its founding in 1950.
The exhibition will be open to the public from May 10 to 18, coinciding with the Automobile Barcelona. On Saturday, May 10, SEAT S.A. will also host a special gathering with the company’s employees to kick off the historic celebration.
CASA SEAT will also join the celebration of SEAT S.A.'s 75th anniversary on May 10 with a program open to the whole city. Among the proposed activities are an exhibition of some of the company’s most emblematic historic cars, an interactive space featuring miniature replicas of the SEAT 600, León and 850 Spider, a special Running Tribe session with the participants wearing outfits inspired by the different decades being celebrated, and gastronomic surprises including special sweets from Rocambolesc and an exclusive anniversary cake created by chef Jordi Roca.
History on wheels
The very first wheels were mounted on the SEAT 1400. In 1953, five cars per day of this model were manufactured at the Zona Franca factory in Barcelona. After forty years of producing iconic models such as the SEAT 600 and SEAT 127 there, the company decided to build a larger, more modern plant in Martorell, which opened in 1993 with the launch of the second generation of the SEAT Ibiza and SEAT Cordoba. They were produced at a rate of 1,500 units a day. Nowadays, from this 2,800,000 m² facility, the equivalent of 400 football pitches, a car leaves the factory every 40 seconds, or 2,300 a day. In its 75-year history to date, SEAT S.A. has produced 20,590,594 vehicles.
Designing and developing mobility
SEAT S.A. has been and continues to be the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain at its three production centres in Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell. It’s also the country’s leading industrial investor in R&D, and its contribution to Spain’s GDP is approximately 1%. Constantly at the forefront of technology, it opened its own Research and Development centre in 1975. The Technical Centre, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, has enabled the company to independently create more advanced vehicles. The 1200 Sport, known as the ‘Bocanegra’, was the first model to be fully developed there.
Within the Technical Centre, the Design Centre was inaugurated in 2007. It’s the only vehicle design centre in Spain where every design stage is carried out and it’s also one of the most modern in the world.
Another facility that represents a milestone towards our electric future is the battery assembly plant, where construction began in 2023. With an investment of 300 million euros and an impact of more than 500 jobs, this plant, where battery cells from PowerCo’s gigafactory in Sagunto will be assembled, is part of Future: Fast Forward, the ambitious project led by the Volkswagen Group and SEAT S.A. with the goal of turning Spain into a hub for electric mobility in Europe. With a total investment of 10 billion euros, it’s the largest industrial investment made in the history of the country.
Icons in motion
With its commitment to design and the latest technology, SEAT S.A. has launched 77 models, including different versions and generations, throughout its 75 years. Truly remarkable icons on wheels include the SEAT 600, a symbol of the democratisation of mobility, and the SEAT Ibiza which, after 41 years and five generations, has accumulated more than six million units delivered, making it the best-selling model in the history of the brand. The SEAT Leon, four generations and 26 years at the forefront of the compact segment, and the SEAT Arona, Spain’s best-selling urban SUV, have also made history.
And then, of course, there’s the CUPRA range. In 2018, SEAT S.A. became a company with two brands. The new brand was created to defy the status quo and has taken the automotive industry by storm, launching seven models in seven years and selling more than 800,000 cars worldwide.
From Barcelona to the world
Today, models from both brands are on the roads in more than 70 countries, all the way from Mexico to Australia and New Zealand. The company exports more than 80% of its vehicles. The day is long past when the company made its first foreign sale, which was to Colombia back in 1965. In 1986, the company became part of the Volkswagen Group, the world’s leading automotive group.
People drive the company
Today, there are 14,281 employees who are building our future on wheels. Over these 75 years, 78.662 people have left their mark on the company through their effort and passion, making history by creating the future. This is reflected in the Apprentice School, a project that was launched in 1957 with the aim of investing in the best talent. More than 3,000 students have received training in its 68-year history.
SEAT S.A. has always maintained that its team is its main driving force. For this reason, since 2023 the company has been carrying out the most ambitious training programme in its history, with more than 170,000 hours of training given in 2024 alone.
Evolving with and for society
From thousands of family trips to first-time journeys right after getting a driving licence, SEAT S.A. has accompanied generations in their daily lives, leaving its mark on memories, photographs, and even songs and films.
But its commitment to society has gone even further. In the midst of the 2020 COVID-19 health crisis, the company wasted no time adapting the SEAT Leon production line to manufacture emergency ventilators and collaborated with the authorities to vaccinate the population. Now, the company has created the SEAT CUPRA Foundation, with the aim of boosting the potential of young people and fostering a more dynamic, equitable society.
Miles and miles of this exciting journey lie ahead, of continuing to evolve and move forward with and for the people. The company continues to make history by creating the future, so here’s to many more years of SEAT S.A.!
Facts and figures that make history:
- 77 models launched
- SEAT 20,590,594 cars produced
- CUPRA 938,451 cars produced
- 78,662 people employed
- From 5 cars a day in 1953 to 3,200 cars per day currently