Seat Exeo

[DrTre]

What gives? Anyone know what the business decision was to give the old A4 platform further life?

[kambites]

I guess it was cheaper to have SEAT continue to produce the old A4 than to develop a new car of comparable quality. Seems quite a sensible thing to do to me - makes good use of the resources available to VAG.

[DrTre]

kambites said:

I guess it was cheaper to have SEAT continue to produce the old A4 than to develop a new car of comparable quality. Seems quite a sensible thing to do to me - makes good use of the resources available to VAG.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you.

It's a fine car, but isn't it a bit of possible risk to take. For instance, if the newer A4 wasn't quite a bit better than the old, now Seat, one (I'm assuming the Seat is a fair bit cheaper than the new A4) couldn't the Exeo take sales from the new A4?

[ArtVandelay]

DrTre said:

kambites said:

I guess it was cheaper to have SEAT continue to produce the old A4 than to develop a new car of comparable quality. Seems quite a sensible thing to do to me - makes good use of the resources available to VAG.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you.

It's a fine car, but isn't it a bit of possible risk to take. For instance, if the newer A4 wasn't quite a bit better than the old, now Seat, one (I'm assuming the Seat is a fair bit cheaper than the new A4) couldn't the Exeo take sales from the new A4?

I've read reviews that prefer the Exeo to the new A4, the problem is the badge.

[kambites]

DrTre said:

kambites said:

I guess it was cheaper to have SEAT continue to produce the old A4 than to develop a new car of comparable quality. Seems quite a sensible thing to do to me - makes good use of the resources available to VAG.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you.

It's a fine car, but isn't it a bit of possible risk to take. For instance, if the newer A4 wasn't quite a bit better than the old, now Seat, one (I'm assuming the Seat is a fair bit cheaper than the new A4) couldn't the Exeo take sales from the new A4?

I suspect the average A4 buyer wouldn't touch anything with a SEAT badge on it, even if it's the same car. The whole VW group is pretty much dependent on their customers being badge snobs.

[vit4]

Have to say if I were in a position to be buying a car of this premium this is definitely what I'd go for. Prefer its looks, and I'm guessing would surprise a few people who didn't know what it was

[PD9]

kambites said:

DrTre said:

kambites said:

I guess it was cheaper to have SEAT continue to produce the old A4 than to develop a new car of comparable quality. Seems quite a sensible thing to do to me - makes good use of the resources available to VAG.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you.

It's a fine car, but isn't it a bit of possible risk to take. For instance, if the newer A4 wasn't quite a bit better than the old, now Seat, one (I'm assuming the Seat is a fair bit cheaper than the new A4) couldn't the Exeo take sales from the new A4?

I suspect the average A4 buyer wouldn't touch anything with a SEAT badge on it, even if it's the same car. The whole VW group is pretty much dependent on their customers being badge snobs.

[Fox-]

DrTre said:

It's a fine car, but isn't it a bit of possible risk to take. For instance, if the newer A4 wasn't quite a bit better than the old, now Seat, one (I'm assuming the Seat is a fair bit cheaper than the new A4) couldn't the Exeo take sales from the new A4?

No, because it doesnt say S LINE on the Exeo which is all that matters to the core A4 market.

[DaveL86]

I think in the previous/current economic situation it was a very cleaver direction to take, similar things have been done in the volkswagen group before usually to satisfy Asian markets.

Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI 200PS
£21,580.00

OR

SE 2.0 TFSI 211PS
£26,175.00

Either a old shape Audi with a newer TSI engine or a new shape Audi with an old TFSI engine, I'd save my self £4595 and get the Exeo anyday.

[ManOpener]

DaveL86 said:

I think in the previous/current economic situation it was a very cleaver direction to take, similar things have been done in the volkswagen group before usually to satisfy Asian markets.

Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI 200PS
£21,580.00

OR

SE 2.0 TFSI 211PS
£26,175.00

Either a old shape Audi with a newer TSI engine or a new shape Audi with an old TFSI engine, I'd save my self £4595 and get the Exeo anyday.

Surely that's the wrong way around? The 210bhp engine was later than the 200 was it not?

[Kevin VRs]

Not forgetting the Skoda Octavia either, that would be my choice.

[MondeoMan1981]

If you are in the market for a VAG product of the larger variety dont discount the Skoda Superb either.

[DrTre]

The two skodas are models in their own right, simple platform sharing, this is something slightly different.

I guess it's no different to renault and their cheap campus models but I'm still mildly surprised it's been done with an exec car and a sister brand.

Perhaps I'm most surprised at audi doing something that, as said, is so blatantly going to unearth a little badge snobbery

[RicksAlfas]

MondeoMan1981 said:

If you are in the market for a VAG product of the larger variety dont discount the Skoda Superb either.

I know there is a lot of love on here for the Skoda Superb, but am I the only one who thinks it's very ugly, especially in saloon form? It reminds me of the kind of thing the Chinese show having seen a dodgy fax of a Passat.