An interesting article I thought:
Tomorrow's world: Volkswagen's new MQB platform tech explained | Car Blogs | Car Magazine Online
Tomorrow's world: Volkswagen's new MQB platform tech explained | Car Blogs | Car Magazine Online
Is VW’s recently announced MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix) a new idea or old hat? Starting with the new VW Golf Mk7 arriving in the UK in spring 2012, the idea heralds a return to basic principles of mass production in an industry where over the last 100 years, complexity has spiralled out of control. By creating a standardised, interchangeable set of parts from which to build a variety of cars, VW plans to cut the time taken to build a car by 30%.
Body and chassis are a hybrid of steel and aluminium panels, joined by a new riveting process with a special coating to prevent electrolytic corrosion. On average, cars will weigh 40kg lighter than today’s equivalents, the next Golf tipping the scales at much the same weight as a 1997 Golf Mk4
Verdict
The new MQB architecture may be part of a grand plan to make sure VW doesn’t go the same way as some others in these troubled times, but customers should get better value for money too.