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Volkswagen's plan for expansion includes four all-new architectures
Volkswagen's plan for the next ten years includes streamlining production, cutting development costs and creating four new platforms so it can boost sales to 10 million units a year and give Toyota a run for its money. Architecture development is key to that strategy.
The first – dubbed MQB – will underpin the majority of small cars and some of the "upper-medium" vehicles that the VW/Audi group produces, including everything from the V-Dub Fox to the Passat, the Audi TT and A3, and a handful of Seats and Skodas. The MQB platform will account for over six million vehicles a year when production hits full bore by 2018, and should reduce development times by a year and reduce costs anywhere between 25- and 40-percent.
Those same time and financial savings are also expected when VW begins production of its MHB platform that will underpin the rear-engine minicars based on the up! concepts we've seen at the last three auto shows. Another modular architecture is being developed for mid-engine sports cars for Audi, Lamborghini and possibly a lower-end Bugatti (oxymoron?), while the last platform – MLB – is already being used on the new A4 and A5.
The breakdown of each platform into its own "just right" size, from small to large, mini to luxury, will also allow the VW group to expand its lineup at a faster pace for niche vehicles and to accommodate the demand in emerging markets.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mal Fuller 9:54AM (11/26/2007)
Here it is several weeks later and Volkswagen is still prattling on about beating Toyota. They must be using some potent time-release medications in the VW boardroom. Talk is cheap they say.
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mark_welby 10:33AM (11/26/2007)
I would think that the focus should be on building quality cars, not becoming the "top dog" via simply pumping out millions of vehicles.
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Xenon 11:33AM (11/26/2007)
Until VW does an impressive overall redesign of the "NEW" Beetle, I cannot see any boost in global sales that would approach Toyota's numbers.
Jonathon 10:36AM (11/26/2007)
I love it how VW and the media talk about Toyota being overtaken by Volkswagen.... GM is 2/3 the way though its' turnaround project, and I believe they will continue to be competitive.
Rather than this epic 2 way struggle between Volkswagen and Toyota that the automotive media is focusing on, it will probably be a 3 way struggle between GM, Volkswagen, and Toyota. They would be followed by 2nd tier automakers-Nissan, Ford, Honda, Chrysler (Maybe?), & Hyundai/Kia. The winner in all of this competition-the consumer.
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geo.stewart 11:06AM (11/26/2007)
Chrysler is definitely not Tier 2 material right now. In 5 yrs when a Geely or Renault buy them, then it will be time to revisit that comment.
daddyphatsax 11:13AM (11/26/2007)
Very true. I really dont know if you could call Honda 2nd tier though since they do sell a lot of accords and civics. It would be pretty impressive to see VW do something other than talk for once.
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Luis 11:59AM (11/26/2007)
So how do they plan on doing this if they continue to affect their own brand by NOT bringing models such as the scirocco to the US market...sounds like saying one thing and doing another...
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Bob-o 12:07PM (11/26/2007)
Didn't VW declare the EXACT opposite plan a couple years ago? It went something like "we want to put VW and Audi on different platforms to create different brand identities".
Good one, guys.
At least the Porsche folks know what they're doing now...
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ProSourced 12:24PM (11/26/2007)
Hyundai outsells Honda worldwide.
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nagmashot 1:50PM (11/26/2007)
wrong
2006
Honda 5th place 3,670,000 vehicles sold
Hyundai 10th place 2,463,000 vehicles sold
jonathan 1:03PM (11/26/2007)
What does it matter, VW will produce more cars that they feel you are priveledged to drive. Great.
Hail to the people's car...
Bitter, why yes after VW roadside assistance left me at the side of the road because I was not "technically" stranded. They said I was within 5 km of home and therefore could walk home if need be. The car was dead, the electrical shut off and the car was not going anywhere but based on a 5 km walk I could have made I was not stranded.
So thank-you VW for making more cars it is just what we need!
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nagmashot 1:56PM (11/26/2007)
based on car production only minus light trucks VW is already 3th largest close behind GM
Toyota has produced ~7,0million cars in 2006
GM has produced "only" ~ 5,9 million cars in 2006
VW has produced 5,5million cars in 2006
Ford world wide number 3 has build only ~3.9million cars..the rest of its production are light trucks.
Getting second largest CAR producer should be no real problem for VW..passing Toyota is something different
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Richard Warren 2:01PM (11/26/2007)
In a word China
2006 sales
GM 8.92 Million
Toyota 8.3 million
Ford 6.2 million
VW group 5.7 million
Very possible depending on what they build and who they might aquire. Keep in mond nobody does platforms with their own personalities like VW.
As to bringing some product to the US? Minor market for VW even back in it's heyday the US was a minor market compared to the global market of VW.
The Scirocco (while nice) would not make that large of an impact in the US market.
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Fumiki 2:07PM (11/26/2007)
So that finally means less Wabbit variations? Finally!!! I lost track of how many different cute chick-hatches they made. Still, sad about the Iroc. That would've easily stood out in their lineup...
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Val 5:27PM (11/26/2007)
Standart, GTI, R32. Thats three. Hard to lose count.
Kevin C 10:03PM (11/26/2007)
in the us, yes.
over in europe they have...
golf variant (our jetta wagon)
golf plus
gti
r32
crossgolf
and regular golf.
Kotse 11:18PM (11/28/2007)
I've read from CAR that Porsche would share the next Boxster platform with the next New Beetle redesign, with plans to return to rear engine config....
With these push for economies of scale in new platform sharing, big thanks to Porsches' technology and it's quest for full control of VW...there is a big chance that the rear engined MHB cars would come into fruition.
(((thinking)))...Karmann Ghia....Karmann Ghia!
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