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SEAT Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive hybrid

January 23, 2009 at 11:06 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, SEAT

SEAT Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive

VW-owned Spanish automaker SEAT unveiled a prototype SEAT Leon that runs on a hybrid powertrain with a fully electric mode. The SEAT Leon Twin Drive Ecomotive has plug-in charging support, and is intended to go on full electric mode in cities and switch to the combustion engine on highways. The combustion engine can either be petrol or diesel powered. SEAT did not reveal any specifications on this car in the press release, but stated the first Twin Drive cars will appear in showrooms by 2014.

Look after the jump for 3 more photos.
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Volkswagen Concept BlueSport needs to be built by 3 brands for economies of scale

January 22, 2009 at 1:59 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, International News, SEAT, Volkswagen

SEAT Salsa
Click for enlarged image

Volkswagen says the Concept BlueSport will make it into production if other marques in the group such as Audi and SEAT want it to, according to a senior Volkswagen executive. He says for economies of scale, the investment for the car needs to be shared between at least three different brands.

There is word that an Audi version is already ready (an Audi R4?), and such a roadster would fit into the SEAT brand image. Our graphics artist Theophilus Chin has already whipped up a SEAT version for us, depicted in this story. Porsche is also a suggested brand, as something like this could be positioned as an entry level model that could also reduce the company’s overall CO2 emissions levels, but when queries Porsche executives denied to comment.

Porsche also has this philosophy where an entry level Porsche or someone’s “first Porsche” is not a low-end model, but rather a hand-me-down or a used Porsche, in order not to compromise brand qualities. But I say that has long gone with models like the Cayenne. Look after the jump for more angles of the SEAT BlueSport.
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B7 A4-based SEAT Exeo gets priced in the UK

January 1, 2009 at 9:38 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Exeo

Volkswagen Group automaker SEAT has put a price on its new SEAT Exeo sedan in the UK, which will come in 7 variants with 3 engines, two diesels and one petrol. The entire range is turbocharged, with the 2.0 litre TDI diesel coming in 2 power outputs – 143 PS and 170 PS. The sole petrol engine is the nice 2.0 litre TSI engine with 200 PS.

The Exeo starts at £17,740.00 OTR including VAT and other misc charges for the SEAT Exeo S 2.0 TDI model, all the way up to £21,340.00 OTR for the SE Lux 2.0 TDI model with 170 PS of power. The only variant with the 2.0 TSI engine is the SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI priced at £19,410.00. All models are equipped with a 6-speed manual.

  • SEAT Exeo S 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £17,740.00
  • SEAT Exeo SE 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £18,345.00
  • SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £19,230.00
  • SEAT Exeo SE Lux 2.0 TDI 143 PS – £20,410.00
  • SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TDI 170 PS – £20,160.00
  • SEAT Exeo SE Lux 2.0 TDI 170 PS – £21,340.00
  • SEAT Exeo Sport 2.0 TSI 200 PS – £19,410.00

SEAT is the only brand of the entire Volkswagen Group that is not here in Malaysia – Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini and even Porsche are all here, but if you’re still interested in the B7 Audi A4 I heard there’s still a few Quattro units from Euromobil. The rest of the world (well, Europe at least) can buy a brand new one with a SEAT badge.
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SEAT Exeo: Official Photos and Details

October 6, 2008 at 11:41 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Exeo

SEAT calls it a “Spanish surprise” in its Paris 2008 press release but I’ll leave it up to you to judge whether a rehashed B7 Audi A4 is surprising in any way.

I first drove the B7 A4 back in 2006 and found it to be a very nice place to be in, especially in the 2.0 TFSI guise that I had my hands on.

The Exeo updates the A4′s interior with circular air conditioning vents instead of square ones as well as a more modern instrument panel featuring classy dark LCD panels with white fonts. The B7′s interior is still very much “in” and carries a more classy and contemporary look as compared to the B8′s more sporty jetfighter-cockpit feel.

Under the hood of the Paris show car was the 2.0 litre TFSI engine putting out 200 PS and 280Nm of torque, mounted longitudinally in the engine bay but driving the front wheels.

Look after the jump for more shots of the SEAT Exeo.
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SEAT Ibiza Cupra features 180PS twincharged 1.4L

September 3, 2008 at 2:04 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Ibiza Cupra
Click to enlarge

SEAT will be displaying its latest hot hatch at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the SEAT Ibiza Cupra. Based on the 3-door hatchback bodystyle, the SEAT Ibiza Cupra features a 180 PS version of the 1.4 litre TSI engine featuring both a supercharger and a turbocharger to maximize boost pressure across all engine RPM ranges.

Power is put through the front wheels via a 7-speed DSG gearbox which you can manually shift via steering wheel paddle shifts.

Styling touches for the Cupra edition of the car include a new front bumper, little air intakes surrounding the front grille, 17 inch alloy wheels, and a new rear diffuser integrating a trapezoidal-shaped centrally-mounted exhaust tail pipe. On the interior you get Cupra sports seats and aluminium foot pedals.

Look for two more photos after the jump.
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SEAT Exeo images exposed at trademark office

August 26, 2008 at 2:15 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT, Spyshots

SEAT ExeoIt looks like our regular contributor Theophilus Chin got it almost right with his previously published rendering of the SEAT Exeo, thanks to these recently registered designs with the European trademark office.

SEAT has admitted that the new Exeo will be largely based on the previous generation B7 Audi A4 with only changes to the front and rear.

The only differences between the real design and Theo’s rendering are the shape of the headlamps and the bumper grilles which are slightly different in shape. Theo’s is sleeker and curvier while the filed designs show a more upright and angled design.

Look after the jump for more designs or click the image on the left for a larger version.
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SEAT Exeo: name of new Audi A4-based sedan

June 20, 2008 at 10:52 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Bolero
Click to enlarge

SEAT has announced that its new family car based on the previous generation Audi A4 will be called the SEAT Exeo. The name Exeo comes from exire, a Latin word that means “to go beyond”, which kind of makes sense since this is not a segment that the SEAT brand is commonly known in.

The new SEAT Exeo will come in both sedan and stationwagon form. It will go head to head against other European cars like the Ford Mondeo, the Renault Laguna and the Peugeot 407. It will be built in SEAT’s factory near Barcelona and will carry over much from the Audi A4 it is based on including its proportions, greenhouse, chassis, suspension, doors and glass.

Shown above is a previously published artist’s impression by Theophilus Chin on what the new SEAT sedan might look like.

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Artist’s Impression: SEAT Tango, Spanish Scirocco?

May 28, 2008 at 1:10 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, SEAT

SEAT Tango Concept
Click to enlarge

The SEAT Tango Concept was a 2001 Frankfurt concept car that featured an open top, two seats, and a 1.8 litre turbocharged engine. The seats in the SEAT were fixed, adjustment for different driver sizes was done via a steering column and an adjustable foot pedal box, which can move to suit the length of the driver’s legs.

Theophilus Chin borrows the Tango name for his latest creation depicting a SEAT badge-engineered version of the Volkswagen Scirocco coupe. It looks like a larger, 3-door version of the 4th generation SEAT Ibiza actually, which was in turn based on the 3-door SEAT Bocanegra Concept.

One more rear three quarter angle shot after the jump.
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Upcoming SEAT Bolero Artist’s Impression

May 21, 2008 at 12:56 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Bolero
Click to enlarge

SEAT’s new family car will be launched at the 2008, and it will be based on the outgoing B7 Audi A4, which has just recently been replaced by the new MLP platform based B8 Audi A4. This will mean a longitudinally-mounted engine hanging over the front axle, driving the front wheels or all four wheels. After its unveiling in October, production will start in December, and sales will begin in March 2009.

The new SEAT sedan will only receive minor badge engineering modifications on the front and rear, with the majority of its looks like its proportions, greenhouse, chassis, suspension, doors and glass will be recognisable from the Audi it is based on.

Knowing that many will criticize the new car’s lack of originality, SEAT’s design chief Luc Donckerwolke defends this decision by saying that this is a segment that SEAT is not very established in, and offering by a model that is familiar to consumers, it will leave no room for doubt in terms of quality and reliability.

Based on the sketches released by SEAT (available after the jump), Theophilus Chin wrote in with these artist impressions of how the new SEAT Bolero could look like. A rear shot is also available after the jump.
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SEAT Ibiza to get 3-door body variant

May 9, 2008 at 5:24 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, SEAT

SEAT Ibiza

The new SEAT Ibiza was first introduced as the SEAT Bocanegra Concept car, which was a nice evil-looking 3-door car. The production Ibiza that was launched later was a 5-door. It didn’t look too bad, but it was obvious the 3-door looked alot better.

The good news is SEAT has just announced it will be producing a 3-door variant of the Ibiza as well, and a twin-charged 1.4 TFSI Cupra hot hatch version will feature more design cues from the Bocanegra Concept like the bumper, grille and headlamps.

Related Posts:
SEAT Bocanegra Concept
SEAT unveiled 4th generation SEAT Ibiza

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