Audi A1 Production Will Move to Seat Plant in Spain from Belgium, Reports Say

VW Group's factory in Brussels, where it currently builds the A1, would get another model, according to the reports, which cited union officials. The replacement model could be an electric car, some reports said.

Shifting A1 output to Seat's factory in Martorell, near Barcelona, would cut costs by allowing VW Group to build cars based on shared platforms in a single factory.

The A1 will be replaced in in 2018 or 2019. It will be based on the VW Group MQB-A modular architecture that will also underpin the next Seat Ibiza. The Ibiza is built in Martorell.

Jurgen Thysmans, a spokesman for the Brussels factory, said Audi is investing 500 million euros in the plant between now and 2019 and its 2,500-person workforce "has every reason to believe the plant has a future."

Last year, 115,000 A1s were built in the plant and production for 2015 is forecast at 116,000.

Unions expect a decision on the production changes toward the end of the third quarter.

Seat builds the Audi Q3 in Barcelona, along with the Seat Ibiza, Leon and Altea cars.