Products and customers will be put above everything else when German vehicle giant Volkswagen introduces its new MQB A0 small car platform to the vehicle world.
Volkswagen’s development boss Dr Frank Welsch underlined this statement by acknowledging: “We are still Volkswagen, but we want people to be more excited about our cars [and] we want to appeal to younger people. But with the qualities that our customers love, too.”
Here, we offer insight into why you should be excited about the MQB A0 platform:
A look back at the MQB platform
With the introduction of the MQB platform — the acronym standing for Modular Transverse Matrix — Volkswagen began to analyse how it could standardise vehicle components and production processes.
The result of this analysis is that the German vehicle manufacturer can now produce a wide variety of vehicles from several of its different brands using the same assembly lines. Of course, quality has remained at the highest possible level and costs have continued to be extremely competitive.
The Volkswagen Golf is accredited with being the first model to be produced using the MQB platform, though the platform has also formed the basis of 58 vehicles which have totalled eight million sales between them. This list includes vehicles from Audi, SEAT and Skoda; not just those etched with the Volkswagen badge.
The MQB platform’s four key features
All vehicles that will be built on the MQB platform will boast the following four features:
- Enhanced designs — The forward relocation of the front wheels on every vehicle built on the MQB platform means that incredibly balanced proportions have been achieved. There’s also optimised use of space for occupants to these vehicles to enjoy too.
- Reduced emissions — Entirely redeveloped engine families have been introduced to all vehicles built on the MQB platform. These are regularly trimmed so that lower CO2 figures can be achieved through start-stop recuperation systems, active cylinder management in four-cylinder engines, EU-6 certification and a CNG option.
- Reversal of the weight spiral — Thanks to a blend of materials and ultra-modern construction principles, drivers of any vehicle built on the MQB platform can experience an enhanced driving pleasure while at the same time being assured lower fuel consumption.
- Safer and more comfortable vehicle designs — Since being introduced, the MQB platform has helped around 20 innovations being introduced to the small car market. These include everything from aspects of vehicle safety to driver assistance tools and state-of-the-art infotainment technology.
How will the MQB A0 platform stand out?
The MQB A0 platform will see Volkswagen focusing its efforts on the small car market, whereby motorists will be introduced to…
- Cars which deliver both weight and cost benefits.
- Advanced driver assistance technologies which are not only new to the small car market but previously unseen across the entire vehicle scene.
- Length differences of more than one meter being considered for the platform. Therefore, it can be used to build vehicles that are as diverse as the Volkswagen Polo and the five-metre-long Volkswagen Atlas SUV.
The launch of the next-generation model of the Volkswagen Polo towards the end of 2017 will serve as the introduction of the MQB A0 platform to the market — the platform will underpin the car’s design. It is also being planned to be used when manufacturing new versions of the SEAT Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, while the Volkswagen Group is hopeful that it will help them to design a series of small SUVs.
