Source: Autoblog

The question has to be asked, why? On the face of it, this isn't a bad idea, especially if this was being offered in the US market. Take the old A4, rebadge it, sell it for a lot less. Seems like a decent enough idea. Thing is in the European market, the midsize segment is much more competent. There's the all-conquering Mondeo, the FWD 3-series in the form of the Mazda6, the Germanic Citroen C5, and the upcoming Opel Insignia...all of which are cars that, badge appeal aside, can trade blows with Audi/Merc/BMW/Lexus's finest.

The fact of the matter is that the amount of money that was invested in it (by seat) and the amount of profit it gains to make by selling a car with almost zero R&D could possibly match that of what a new "competent" vehicle would cost to create and sell.

At least they didnt go for a bullshit car to work with. The picked a pretty tried and true platform to work with. I kind of like it more than the Audi version.

I like it too, and for a solid five minutes, I though of something Mitlov had said earlier. The Genesis is an E-class at a fraction the cost, so why isn't anyone selling an A4 for considerably less? This seemed like the answer to that question, but the current crop of Euro midsizers are so good, that I'm struggling to justify this. You're completely right that they'll make mad money off of this car if it sells in anything close to the numbers they want it to.

What VW chooses to do with SEAT and Skoda (honestly, Skoda in particular) boggles my mind regularly.

What's wrong with Skoda?

Well I dunno their lineup super-well but aren't the Fabia and Octavia just Golf and Passat clones that look a little uglier and cost a little less?

The Fabia is a Polo clone. It always launches before the Polo, and is always well-received. Generally they're pretty stylish, and pack enough equipement, and cost enough less that the Polo is pretty redundant. The Octavia, while based on the Golf, is closer in size to the Passat, yet undercuts the Golf price-wise...you see where this is going? Skoda's pretty sorted IMO, it's Seat. One day they're trying to make it their Alfa Romeo with radical design language, churning out gorgeous concepts (remember the Tango?), another there selling recycled VAG products. I really don't know what VW is trying to do with them. If I'm correct Walter de Silva was originally poached from Alfa to head up Seat's design team...

Well Walter de Silva is doing design all over VW Group. He's responsible for the R8 and A5, as well as several SEATs and I think maybe even the Passat CC.

How could you possibly say this looks better than the A4? Not a chance.
It is by no means a bad looking car (being based on an ultra sexy Audi), and mechanically it will be sound, and that interior is straight Audi. Not too bad, and it does make sense to sell a rebadged old car as a new one at a reduced price.
These guys are so stupid. Seat pulled in to SA about two years ago, and have now pulled out again, leaving all the now Seat owners in the shit. What a stupid plan, did they really think they would build a new brand in two years?

I think Seat's been poorly marketed. There's little brand awareness, and while there's a uniform brand design, the brand identity isn't strong enough. There's quite a few Leons around Dubai, particularly the FR, and I test drove one myself. Really nice cars, but again, no one knows what the hell it is.

Also the Exeo is a lot more visually interesting than the B7 A4 ever was. While the A4 was a crisp, clean design, it was hardly "super sexy." More of a bland, anonymous design.

Seat's seem to sell okay in the UK, but they sell alot in Spain, there's a lot of patriotism there. Last year more people in Spain bought Seat's than any other manufacturer. I'd agree their brand isn't very strong though and this is probably a step up for them.

The big question remains: why did they p'shop that woman in the photos?

I didn't mean super sexy as in Aston sexy. I just meant that in its class, it was by far the best looking car(overall, interior/exterior), followed closely by the E46 3-Series. It's far from bland IMO, especially with S-Line kit.

Ive driven a few Seats through the magazine, and must say I've been really impressed. The Seat Leon Cupra is an amazing car. It almost matched our track time of the Audi S3, at verly little more than GTI money. Really awesome car.

First, they don't make the E46 anymore, so it doesn't count. Second, umm...new Mondeo, Mazda6, Opel Insignia, Citroen C5, Renault Laguna...those are all its new-from-the-ground-up competitors, and they're all damned good looking.

EDIT: Oh my bad, you were talking about the A4, not this "new" Seat. I still think it was pretty bland. Pretty much everything in the segment looked better (and more interesting).

My personal feeling is if it drives like an Audi, has an Audi interior and is classically pretty like the Audi, but costs a lot less, then sign me up. I would jump on the chance to own one of these.

i could see this for the South America or Asian market.

I hope there will come a more sportive version.Just like this Exeo below.
Currently it looks respectable but there's no emotion.

^ I like this guy.

(Regarding the original post). I think the exterior styling is painfully anonymous. Looks like maybe a Kia to me?

@moe

You can see the car in original size on pixelart.brosedesign.de.
It's a ms-paint-only artwork.

@Mitlov

You're right. Only the quality is "made in germany". For me there's too much red light.