SMALL and medium fleet operators are set to play a crucial role in deciding the success of SEAT's next Toledo model in Britain. Due to be unveiled in the autumn and reach the showrooms next spring, the crucial mid-size replacement car is to spearhead the Spanish company's UK market ambitions, SEAT UK director Kevin Rose told Fleet NewsNet.

'Next year's first quarter will see us at a tremendous rate of activity. The launch of Toledo and a heavily-revised Ibiza gives us the chance to change our core range in one hit, and our new Audi A3-sized hatchback could also be arriving soon afterwards. Our products cover 43% of the market, but that will rise to more than 80% by the time the changes are in place.

'We're on course to sell more than 23,000 units this year and I think the new cars will drive us to the 35,000 mark by the year 2000 - but the fleet market is critical to our development,' he said. Under a business sales programme launched nine months ago, the company's 125 dealers are building an extensive business customer database in readiness for the new Toledo.