The SEAT Exeo () is a

large family car The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category used ...

and flagship model, that was built by the Spanish car manufacturer

SEAT A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair (furniture), ...

, subsidiary of the

Volkswagen Group Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...

. Previously codenamed ''Bolero'', (though not to be confused with SEAT's earlier

concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...

bearing the same name) and internally designated ''Typ'' 3R, the name ''Exeo'' derives from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

word ''exire'', meaning "to go beyond", breaking SEAT's recent tradition to name its cars after Spanish cities. This car was made available in four door saloon or five door

estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representat ...

styles only. Production of the Exeo ended in May 2013, with the final production number being 81,552. It was replaced by

SEAT Toledo The SEAT Toledo is a small family car produced by the Spanish manufacturer SEAT, part of Volkswagen Group. The Toledo name was first introduced to the SEAT line up in May 1991 being named after a Spanish city with the same name, with the fourt ...

for the saloon, and the SEAT León ST for the

Overview

The Exeo is a

D-segment The D-segment is the 4th category of the European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size car category us ...

model, which is built on the Volkswagen Group B7 (PL46) platform. It is essentially a

rebadged In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...

Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of compact executive cars produced since 1994 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platform. The fir ...

B7 generation, with styling changes to the front and rear by way of unique

bonnet A Bonnet is a variety of headgear, hat or cap Specific types of headgear referred to as "bonnets" may include Scottish *Blue bonnet, a distinctive woollen cap worn by men in Scotland from the 15th-18th centuries And its derivations: ** Feat ...

, front wings, boot lid,

door A door is a hinged or otherwise movable barrier that allows ingress (entry) into and egress (exit) from an enclosure. The created opening in the wall is a ''doorway'' or ''portal''. A door's essential and primary purpose is to provide security b ...

s and exterior door mirrors. It incorporates interior trim from the A4 Cabriolet, and extensively uses A4 B6 and B7 interior equipment and electrical components. To this purpose, the entire Audi A4 B7 production and

assembly line An assembly line is a manufacturing process (often called a ''progressive assembly'') in which parts (usually interchangeable parts) are added as the semi-finished assembly moves from workstation to workstation where the parts are added in sequ ...

s from

Ingolstadt Ingolstadt (, Austro-Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian: ) is an Independent city#Germany, independent city on the Danube in Upper Bavaria with 139,553 inhabitants (as of June 30, 2022). Around half a million people live in the metropolitan area ...

were dismantled and installed in Volkswagen Group's related SEAT

factory A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with t ...

Martorell Martorell () is a municipality that forms part of the Baix Llobregat comarca, in Catalonia, Spain, primarily known for its medieval Devil's bridge. It lies at the confluence of the Llobregat and Anoia rivers. It has three railway stations - o ...

, Spain. The Exeo was officially revealed at the

2008 Paris Motor Show The 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris expo Porte de Versailles. This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), that led a blogger with ''The New York Ti ...

, and at launch, it was confirmed to be available in just one

car body style There are many types of car body styles. They vary depending on intended use, market position, location, and the era they were made in. Current styles ; Buggy: Lightweight off-road vehicle with sparse bodywork. ;Convertible / cabriolet : ...

, as a four-door, five-seater saloon (''Typ'' 3R5). However, from August 2009, it also became available as a five-door, five-seater

, called Exeo ST (''Typ'' 3R9). ST is an abbreviation for Sport Tourer. It became available for purchase in

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

in March 2009, with a model lineup which initially included three

petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as '' ...

s and two

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...

s, with a third lower-powered diesel engine being added from September 2009. In May 2010, three new petrol engines entered production, these were the 1.8 TFSI , the 1.8 TFSI and the 2.0 TFSI . It was available with three different trim levels: ''Reference'', ''Stylance'' and ''Sport''. In 2011, the Exeo got a minor facelift with new bi-xenon LED headlights, revised engines and a new honeycomb grille. File:2011 SEAT Exeo Sport Tech CR TDi 168 2.0 Rear.jpg, Sedan (pre-facelift) File:Seat Exeo ST 2.0 TDI Sport Magicoschwarz Heck.JPG, ST (pre-facelift) File:Seat Exeo ST 2.0 TDI Sport Magicoschwarz Interieur.JPG, Interior (pre-facelift) File:Seat Exeo Restyling.jpg, Front (facelift)

Awards

*''Golden Steering Wheel Award'' 2009 in Switzerland, in the upper medium sedan category *''Company Car 2009'' in Germany, for the SEAT Exeo ST *''Car of the Year 2010'' in Finland, by the Finnish magazine Tuulilasi *''Novelty of the Year 2009'' in Catalonia

Powertrain

The Exeo being derived from the Audi B7 A4, it shares the same fundamental

powertrain A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...

layout Layout may refer to: * Page layout, the arrangement of visual elements on a page ** Comprehensive layout (comp), a proposed page layout presented by a designer to their client * Layout (computing), the process of calculating the position of ob ...

. It has engines mounted at the front, and they are oriented longitudinally, i.e.: "north south", rather than the "east west"

transverse engine A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Many modern front-wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles ...

layout used in the remainder of the SEAT range. The

gearboxes Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...

are of a

transaxle A transaxle is a single mechanical device which combines the functions of an automobile's transmission, axle, and differential into one integrated assembly. It can be produced in both manual and automatic versions. Engine and drive at the s ...

type (containing the gearbox, along with the front final drive and differential), and are also mounted longitudinally at the rear of the engine. For the 1.8-litre 20 valve

Turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pr ...

, one side-mounted

intercooler An intercooler is a heat exchanger used to cool a gas after compression. Often found in turbocharged engines, intercoolers are also used in air compressors, air conditioners, refrigeration and gas turbines. Internal combustion engines ...

(SMIC) is fitted to the lower front left of the car, below the left headlamp. For the 2.0 TSI petrol, along with the

s, these use two SMICs, one below the left and right headlamps. All diesel engine variants are common rail (CR) Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) engines and includes an exhaust

catalytic converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are usuall ...

along with a

diesel particulate filter A diesel particulate filter (DPF) is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.Tom Nash (May 2003) "Diesels: The Smoke is clearing", ''Motor '' Vol.199 No. 5, p. 54, Hearst Business Publ ...

(DPF). Transmission options initially included only a six-speed

manual gearbox A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear change ...

. Shortly after launch, the LuK originated

multitronic Multitronic is a stepless transmission launched by AUDI AG in late 1999, jointly developed and manufactured by LuK. The capitalization used is multitronic (spelled by Audi with a lower-case leading 'm') and is a registered trademark of AUDI A ...

continuously variable transmission A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an automatic transmission that can change seamlessly through a continuous range of gear ratios. This contrasts with other transmissions that provide a limited number of gear ratios in fixed steps. ...

(CVT), with selectable six or seven speeds, became available on models equipped with the 2.0 TSI petrol and 2.0 TDI diesel engines. Distribution of the engine

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of t ...

to the driven roadwheels is only via the front wheels, and there is not a

four-wheel-drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

offering, which the Audi A4 used as an option in its 'trademark'

quattro Quattro is Italian for the number four. Quattro may also refer to: People * "Quattro", a nickname of A. J. Foyt IV Fictional characters * Quattro Vageena or Quattro Bageena, an alias of Char Aznable in the ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' anime series ...

Engine specifications

All available

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal co ...

s are inline four cylinder

four stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

designs and are based on existing units capable to be fitted longitudinally in the Exeo's PL46 platform and have also been used in other

marque A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create a ...

s of the

. They all comply with the European Euro 5 emissions standard, and offer the following performance statistics (for the saloon version in standard configuration):

Other features

The Exeo also features the same multi link fully

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

front and rear

suspension Suspension or suspended may refer to: Science and engineering * Suspension (topology), in mathematics * Suspension (dynamical systems), in mathematics * Suspension of a ring, in mathematics * Suspension (chemistry), small solid particles suspen ...

as used on the Audi A4, again with light weight

cast Cast may refer to: Music * Cast (band), an English alternative rock band * Cast (Mexican band), a progressive Mexican rock band * The Cast, a Scottish musical duo: Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis * ''Cast'', a 2012 album by Trespassers William ...

aluminium alloy An aluminium alloy (or aluminum alloy; see spelling differences) is an alloy in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin, nickel and zinc. There are two princip ...

front suspension arms and virtual steering axis uprights. All models are equipped with ZF-supplied

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

, with some models having speed sensitive ' servotronic' variable assistance. Disc brakes are fitted front and rear, with the radially ventilated fronts ranging in diameter from by thick, to by . At the rear are solid (un ventilated) discs ranging from by to by . All discs, front and rear, use a single piston sliding brake caliper. Chassis electronics feature as standard the

Bosch Bosch may refer to: People * Bosch (surname) * Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450 – 1516), painter * Van den Bosch, a Dutch toponymic surname * Carl Bosch, a German chemical engineer and nephew of Robert Bosch * Robert Bosch, founder of Robert Bosch Gm ...

ESP 8.0 Electronic Stability Programme, which also includes Anti lock Braking System (ABS),

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD or EBFD) or electronic brakeforce limitation (EBL) is an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's wheels, based on road conditions, speed, load ...

(EBD), and emergency

Brake Assist Brake assist (BA or BAS) or emergency brake assist (EBA) is a term for an automobile braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency. The first application was developed jointly by Daimler-Benz and TRW/LucasVarity. Research c ...

(BA). This ESP system also includes Anti Slip Regulation (ASR, or traction control), and Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) traction aids. Roadwheel options vary from a basic 7Jx16 steel wheel with plastic wheel covers, to a number of variants of

alloy wheel In the automotive industry, alloy wheels are wheels that are made from an alloy of aluminium or magnesium. Alloys are mixtures of a metal and other elements. They generally provide greater strength over pure metals, which are usually much softe ...

s, from 16" to 18" in diameter. Conventional halogen dual bulb (H7 dip and H1 main)

headlamp A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term f ...

s are standard, with self leveling single source Bi

Xenon Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...

high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights available as an option. Luggage capacity in the saloon variant, measured according to the VDA 'block' method, is . On the other hand, in the estate Exeo ST variant, the boot size starts from (or when loaded up to roof) and after folding rear seats it rises to (or when loaded up to roof with rear seats down).

Sales

In the year of 2009, the total annual retail sales number of SEAT Exeo cars was 21,013 vehicles (12,837 units for the Exeo and 8,176 for the Exeo ST version), while the annual production came up to 22,981 cars made in SEAT's plant in Martorell. The total production per year of SEAT Exeo and Exeo ST cars is shown below:

References

External links

SEAT Exeo LAST EDITION
– SEAT ES website {{DEFAULTSORT:Seat Exeo Cars introduced in 2008 2010s cars Mid-size cars Sedans Station wagons Front-wheel-drive vehicles Vehicles with CVT transmission Flagship vehicles Euro NCAP large family cars Exeo Cars of Spain