Seat Exeo Unveiled in Paris

Seat Exeo

Based on previous generation Audi A4

By Clinton Deacon
October 1, 2008 10:37 PM
Filed Under: European, Paris Motor Show, Seat

Volkswagen is giving the media an advanced preview of their show highlights this evening before the main Paris Motor Show commences tomorrow, and one of the models presented is the brand new Seat Exeo. We say brand new, but of course hiding beneath the body is the platform of the previous generation Audi A4, making this new Exeo four door sedan about seven years old.

Strong hints of the styling from the current generation Audi A4 can be seen on the new model, but with an added Seat signature touch. The four-door sedan measures 4600mm in length and contains an overall cargo capacity of 460 liters.

At launch there will be a choice of six engines, all of which meet the strict Euro-5 emissions standards. Three pretol engines bless the Exeo with power output ranging from 102HP (75kW) to 200HP(147 kW), the remaining diesel options generate between 120hp (88kW) and 170HP (123kW).

When the model is released next spring, a choice of three trim levels will be available: Reference, Stylance and Sport. Pricing will start in the region of €22,000.

Source: Seat SA

Comments

pole_mccoy
October 1, 2008 10:54 PM
This is one of the most boring car I've seen these three last years. They could have done something MUCH more stylish. The Chrysler 300C and the old E Class also shared their platform and suspension elements but they definitely had their own look! And finally...just to say it: LOOKS LIKE AN A4!!!!!!

Francois
October 1, 2008 11:00 PM
Definitely previous A4. Lack of imagination. Looks like a mixed models of VW Group in a washing machine PassatoAudiSkoda something. Financial crisis is close so VW thinks no one will be buying new cars, that's why they didn't create anything at least nice-)))

sweetbaboo
October 1, 2008 11:08 PM
What awful photos! Terribly lit with some poor photoshopping. The car looks like a Chinese Audi clone but the interior looks good! The crap photos and colour let this car down

LMS
October 1, 2008 11:46 PM
A Seat at the price of a VW Passat... What's the point?

Tuner_Mad
October 1, 2008 11:50 PM
Ex-A4 copied and pasted. Only uglier.

afterace2
October 2, 2008 12:11 AM
i think it worked out quite nice, i mean it's obvious it's an Audi, but this is not a bad base for car. If it is properly priced, it should be a good car. The exterior looks quite elegant, and they've managed to stick the Ibiza front preety well, I'm only a bit dissapointed of the interior, I hoped for some change here. Anyways, it's really not that bad, besides VW already did something like this with prev-gen Passat & Superb.

evo82
October 2, 2008 12:12 AM
who is resposible for this? i want a full list of names!!! btw.: looking at this car makes me sad :( lets see what the leon "facelift" will look like. or wait.. i don't wanna see it!

djcocum
October 2, 2008 12:24 AM
As a Spaniard, I don't want a german sedan to represent a Spanish brand. Seat has completely lost its personality with this bland A4 remake

-Matt-
October 2, 2008 1:27 AM
the only good thing is, that you can put the RS4 engine in it... still looks ugly

Schizo0223
October 2, 2008 5:56 AM
VW/Audi have been doing this for a long time in the Chinese market, so it's nothing new. I totally agree with Pole McCoy...atleast MB gave the Chrysler 300 it's own personality. This is ridiculous. It is an insult to the SEAT brand and the Spanish market, and also an insult to Audi owners for taking their car down-market. I wil never buy an Audi for reasons like these...and Audi will never equal MB or BMW for the same reasons.

SHAME on you!

BabyMilo
October 2, 2008 6:26 AM
it looks like an a4 with a seat front end on it... dodgey

kevoluetion
October 2, 2008 8:45 AM
This is something I would expect from China manufacturers...Seat shame on you.

BabyMilo
October 2, 2008 12:27 PM
i know that seat isnt chinese, now im not 100% sure but i think that seat it spanish

Tuner_Mad
October 2, 2008 6:21 PM
'Course it is. Just owned by the German Vdub's.

CH
October 2, 2008 9:44 AM
I will admit I'm not really disappointed from this car. I mean, it is obviously a A4 but... so what? Seeing it from the point of a company, they ditched a previous sedan for the ugly Toledo with that weird rear end and sales dropped to next to nil, so now they are not sure if this will really work out. In the end, the developement cost was held low and they can introduce a sedan and wagon to the market. If things go well, we will surely see a continuation of the model in the next 3 to 5 years with next to no resemblance to the original A4.

Bristol411S3
October 2, 2008 10:51 AM
It wasn't so long ago that Seat was getting next generation VAG underpinnings for each of its models. Wasn't the Leon out before the Golf is was based upon.

And now Seat is using a platform that is using a platform designed 10 years ago with an unwelcomed heavy front bias and steering criticised for being numb. That doesn't seem to fit with sporting tradition. If you believe that Seat is a Spanish Alfa Romeo, this is poor competition for the 159.

madmax
October 2, 2008 2:21 PM
seat is like skoda :(

madmax
October 2, 2008 2:21 PM
seat is for audi like skoda for vw

ShinyG
October 2, 2008 5:19 PM
Well, that looks... recycled! Booo!!!

Paulds
October 2, 2008 6:51 PM
Seat: Autoemocion??? No exciting in that at all!

eas722
October 3, 2008 5:07 PM
it looks like a r8

Jaakkoe
October 4, 2008 9:52 AM
"...and Audi will never equal MB or BMW for the same reasons."

-I think that's pretty silly... according to your math MB and BMW can do no wrong and no matter how much more technologically advanced Audi'd be, it can't touch them. That's like outright admitting that you've fell victim to car manufacturers' PR departments and let yourself be fooled into think that they're not really selling you a car, but a way of life and a chance to define who you are. Thumbs up to you ;-)

It's okay, though, as it seems to be pretty common attitude on this forum as well as on other car-related forums. Don't hear it much in face-to-face conversations, but I guess this is politically correct way for men to be vain.

Btw: http://robson.m3rlin.org/cars/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ssang-yong_chairman_cm600l_2006.thumbnail.jpg

http://robson.m3rlin.org/cars/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ssang-yong_chairman_cm600l_2006.thumbnail.jpg

Jaakkoe
October 4, 2008 9:54 AM
The aforementioned comment was targeted at schizo0223 and the link at the end of the post contained a picture of a SsangYong Chairman.

machida
October 4, 2008 9:42 PM
"...hiding beneath the body is the platform of the previous generation Audi A4." Hiding? It's in plain sight, on the surface. A new nose, mildly revised taillamps (which seem to mimic the new A4's headlamps) and replacing the rings on the wheel center caps with S's... voila! Instant "new" car...and at least it will be built better than a Chinese knockoff woulda been.

Funny thing is that the old A4 was old but hardly out of date, so the recycled Exeo is still a viable car, if not the most exciting or cutting-edge thing on the road. Maybe they should have called it ExeOOOO.

So which is worse, VW Group handing down an old model to a lower brand, or MB handing it down to itself (the pitiful CLC)? Just wait until the next Skoda Superb is based on the current Bentley Flying Spur for €30,000!

zzz
October 6, 2008 6:22 PM
There's nothing fundamentally wrong with tweeking the old A4, I just hope they have spent the development money in tweeking the suspension, giving it proper SEAT handling charateristics. On the one hand my thoughts are that this car was good enough for Audi buyers just a few months ago. Seat have updated it and lowered the prices. It's only badge snobbery which will prevent it from being a success. But on the other hand, would the Audi have sold so well without it's badge, and will it do so now?

dolomite
October 8, 2008 11:35 AM
It´s just the very same thing Skoda made in 2001 using the whole body of 1999 chinesse Passat lwb from vw shangai automotive (now passat lingyu). Two examples of riskless first attempts.

ssss
November 9, 2008 5:14 AM
Very nice! I'd take this over the Skoda Octavia anyday. I really wish VW would bring SEAT back to Australia.

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