The MQB platform has become a part of automobile-world jargon which is oft-used but rarely really understood.
The MQB platform has become a part of automobile-world jargon which is oft-used but rarely really understood. Read a piece about any upcoming Volkswagen/Volkswagen-owned company’s car, and you’re probably going to come across the term. But what we see so far is nothing. If the German supergroup is to have its way, a lot more of its cars are going to be underpinned by the extremely versatile platform. There are, however, a few challenges they’re going to have a overcome along the way. Here’s a brief look at the past, present and future of the MQB platform.
The actual components didn’t need to be the same, just the points at which they were placed on the frame of the car
First let’s get the abbreviation out of the way. MQB stands for “Modularer Querbaukasten,” which is German for “Modular Transverse Toolkit.” The key word there is “modular.” The modular aspect of is why we see the platform find a spot in cars that are so different from each other. It was back in 2012 that we first came to know that Volkswagen was working on powertrains with its family of companies that would share mounting points. The actual components didn’t need to be the same, just the points at which they were placed on the frame of the car. To achieve this, the distance between the pedal box and centre-line along the front wheel needed to be maintained.
The modular aspect of is why we see the platform find a spot in cars that are so different from each otherThen the Volkswagen Golf 7 was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and we got to see the MQB platform in action. There’s a couple of other cars that use it currently- the Audi A3, Skoda Octavia, and SEAT Leon.
The Audi A3 seems like the most option-oriented car out there and hence is the best proponent of the versatility of the MQB platform. Available in everything from 3-door to 5-door options and sedans and convertibles, the A3 is also extremely diverse under the hood, and is powered by lots of different kinds of powertrains. With the arrival of the MQB platform, the Skoda Octavia got the opportunity to be on equal standing with some of its counterparts from Volkswagen. In India the Octavia is a luxury option which offers oodles of space and performance to boot.
Available in everything from 3-door to 5-door options and sedans and convertibles, the A3 is also extremely diverse under the hood
Following the success of the original models, it was expected that cars like the Fabia and Polo would be undergirded with the MQB platform. But the market considerations in Europe meant that the technology on these cars was upgraded instead and they were released as facelifts. The new Fabia is coming later this year and will be underpinned by the same PQ25 platform. Once car that could be in for a platform makeover is the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan, which could be next to go the MQB way.
Skoda Octavia shifting to the MQB platform has been a game changer
The biggest challenge Volkswagen faces with the platform is diversity. Yes, the manufacturers that will be using the MQB architecture for their cars are vastly different. They have a number of unique facets to the way they build cars. However, while standardizing the platform in the future, Volkswagen is going ot have to watch out for becoming repetitive. If they’re able to do that, the MQB platform will be able to prove its worth as a money-saving normalization mechanism.
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