Volkswagen has announced that it will roll out four new architectures for use in all VW brands. The move is intended to cut costs — by as much as 40% — and double VW’s global sales, helping the German automaker reach its goal of catching Toyota. The new architectures could also reduce development times by a year, helping VW to get new models to market faster.
The largest volume architecture will be VW’s transverse-engine architecture — dubbed MQB — and will be used for small-, lower-medium and upper-medium models. According to Automotive News, the MQB could underpin as many as 6 million vehicles, making it the industry’s biggest platform.
“MQB is planned for a broad application, from small cars up to and including upper-medium,” Ulrich Hackenberg, VW brand board member for development, told Automotive News Europe. “The first model to emerge can be expected in 2010.”
Hackenberg failed to mention how many vehicles will be underpinned by the MQB architecture, but other company officials indicated that it could be used in as many as 20 different models.
The MHB platform will be another volume architecture and will underpin VW’s New Small Family rear-engine minicar range — including production versions of the Up concepts.
VW is currently developing a new architecture for its mid-engine sports cars, such as the Audi R8 and Lamborghinis. It also remains a possibility that the new platform could spawn a more affordable Bugatti model.
VW’s fourth architecture — called MLB — features a longitudinally mounted engine for front-drive and all-wheel-drive applications. This architecture is already being manufactured and underpins the new Audi A4 and A5. Hackenberg also indicated that the MLB architecture could serve as the platform for future A6 and A8 models, and possibly underpin future Bentleys. “MLB could be used for models up to the largest in our group,” he said.
VW hopes to increase its sales to 10 million by 2018, up from 5.7 million in 2006.
11/26, 11:18 AM
posted by:
A4
yeaah vw toyota sucks
11/26, 11:34 AM
posted by:
Get Real
VW……..”Catch Toyota” ??????
Hahahahahahahahahahahahah !!!!!!
These people are on a heavy dose of feel-good medication.
11/26, 12:11 PM
posted by:
SwerveEarly
The furor said we will be number 1. You tell him no.
11/26, 12:30 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
Soooo, Volkswagen just figured out a global development strategy that everyone else already knows about? Yay for VW!
Seriously, VW shouldn’t set its sights very high if basic things like this are revelations to them.
Try getting a decent reliablity rate, then come talk to companies like Toyota, Honda, and the “new” GM.
11/26, 12:32 PM
posted by:
jonnycat
Possibly the loftiest goal in automotive history.
11/26, 1:46 PM
posted by:
Scarface03
I doubt this announcement has Toyota shakin in its boots, but any manufacturer would kill at the chance of cutting costs by 40%.
I think a downmarket Bugatti would make sense, but Bugatti’s been flat-out denying such since forever. LLN wildly speculating again?
11/26, 2:13 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
a downmarket Bugatti?
what would be the point?
11/26, 3:15 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I haven’t been in a new VW since my mother bought an ‘82 Jetta. But ain’t it funny how I still see so many of those ’82’s on the road- and the paint on most of them still looks like new! I wonder what we did wrong that mom’s turned into such a rusted claptrap when so many other people’s have lasted this long?
11/26, 4:43 PM
posted by:
A4
i have an 87 jetta GLI and she runs like a champ and is faster than any non-SI civic.
11/26, 4:46 PM
posted by:
A4
and with toyotas suddenly turning into crap they better watch their tail, i know id buy a VW over a toyota any day of the week. Much more involving driving experience, better features, more upscale image, and a much more solid-feeling build quality. Not to mention diesel over hybrid and cars that are not only safe, but also fun to drive. if ive said it once ill say it a million times, toyotas are appliances.
11/26, 7:27 PM
posted by:
autonut
I always wanted to sample drinks and smoke what VW folks drink and smoke. They probably still goos step to old Fuhrer shpills. Expansion? Anschluss? Japs are delivering them A-bomb after A-bomb. What is their market share in US? There are more salesman on VW lots any day then paying customers (and even more unsold inventories). They should start thinking 1943/1944 not 1939.
11/27, 5:35 PM
posted by:
911
It´s funny to see how much you guys really now about, carmakers and cars. Almost nothing.
The article is about the whole company not the brand volkswagen. The brands included in the company are Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini,Seat(Spain), Škoda(Czech Rep), Volkswagen and Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (Trucks, Transporters etc.)
The reason why Volkswagen wasn´t as profitable as other carmakers has to do with a special law wich didn´t allow the owner of stock share to have more voting rights then 20% even if they have more stock share. So Volkswagen, wich is also owned by the land lower saxony in Germany wasn´t able to cut jobs as easily or make the people work longer etc. and make it more effective. This law was changed by the EU now and Porsche(Wiedeking) was able to take over VW.
When the Chief of Porsche(Wiedeking) came to Porsche about 16 Years ago, Porsche was almost bankruptcy. Now it´s one of the most profitable carmakers in the world.
If most of the rumors are right, he is going to be the Chief of VW. The business volume of Toyota is 159,6 (06/07), of VW 104,8 (06/07) The Employes Toyota 299.394 and VW 344.000.
Of course is Toyota absolutly top in earnings, but if they don´t establish new brand by buying or creating them it´ll be hard for them to grow much more.
So the differencies aren´t that big as you might think, and VW is very common in the new markets like eastern europe and Asia(China).
So let´s see what happends in the next years, they didn´t promise to do it next week.
By the way, I´m not a fan of VW, just of Porsche.