The new Seat Leon comes in no less than 19 different versions (get ready!): nine different engines, (five petrol and four diesel) four different gearboxes (five and six-speed manual, six and seven-speed DSG), and three trim levels – Reference, Style and Sport.
As if this wasn't enough, Seat brings a new entry version, the FR model and plans a Cupra version in the near future. Why? Well, sales are down and maybe Seat thinks that the more they have to offer, the more they have to gain. Strength in numbers and all that...
Once they got started, there was no Volkswagen boss around to stop them, so they went on. The huge number of Leon versions is dwarfed by the 35 (thirty-five) versions of the Altea. Nine engine choices - five petrol and four diesel - four gearboxes (5 and 6-speed manual, 6 and 7-speed DSG), and three trim levels – Reference, Style and Sport. The offer gets really crowded with a new entry-level version and the Altea free track model, which is available with either two or four-wheel drive and the Sport trim level.
We were under the impression that in order to make sales go up, you, as a manufacturer, should scale down expenses and give the customer a less of a headache as possible when trying to decide whether he/she will buy from you or across the street. Think about it: you, a limited budget customer (due to the crisis), go to a Seat dealership to buy a car. There, instead of the salesman/woman telling you "Look, I think this is a good choice for you..." he/she tells you "I think this is a good choice for you...Or this...or this, No wait, maybe this..."
You will at least have a lot to choose from. And since choice is still governed by free will, we chose to move on and leave Seat sort out this mess.
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