Yahoo article on the new platform, VW

algaediesel

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Interesting indeed. Also noteworthy for me are the colossally uniformed comments from people to the article on the site about platform building. Could these consumers represent a danger to this sort of manufacturing if they refuse to buy a high end car because they believe it is a low end car underneath?
 

bfalke1

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Could these consumers represent a danger to this sort of manufacturing if they refuse to buy a high end car because they believe it is a low end car underneath?
I doubt it... Most comments I saw a equated this to simple "re-badging" as in what Ford had done with Lincoln. While this will run off people initially, People will quickly realize this is not "re-badging".

I think the average person who the article targeted wouldn't understand if this was written more technically to really explain what this would offer. What surprised me is that people did catch that the quotes from other people (with names left out) hinted to me that the other major car companies are scared, and realize that they will have to do this, and will have to do it soon, and they will be playing catch-up, and will likely rush into it, and because of that rush, they will not make as good of a platform. Plus the quotes mentioned that the other companies recognized they were "10 years behind", and that comment was about VW before the new platforms, which should have told the blissful morons that this was not simple re-badging, but something far more.
 

powerfool

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Yeah... this isn't that revolutionary... this is taking something that has already been done in a market and making it global. GM does it, Ford does it, Toyota does it, Honda does it, VW does it... it is more of an evolution in the platform concept. Not saying that there is anything wrong about it, I think it is great, especially if at least one reliable platform comes out within the next generation or so... then I may have a newer option from something that is reliable, and since it is global, parts should be easy to come by.
 

kjclow

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GM was king of the rebadging until they got hit with the lawsuit for putting camero engines in the firebirds.

If you look at the VW/Audi line up today, you see the platform potential. Golf/A3/JSW/A4/European Passat.... It would make production much easier with the ability to shift from lower demand vehicles to higher demand on the same line. I also liked the comment about not having to produce as many units of one style to make it profitable. Imagine how VW could use the MQB platform to build things like the Bluesport for the North American market. They would now only have to sell x units instead of 10,000x units.
 

mrvermin

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The Shared Platform has been around for a very long time, just because the B5.5 Passat 4Motion shares the same platform as the Audi A4 does not mean that the Audi A4 is a Passat.

Look at the current market GM Cruze and what other GM products share the same "Underpinnings"

Production vehicles based on Delta II platform:

The problem with articles like this is that it puts a scare into the Laymen Buyer who do not understand the concept of Shared Platform Production.

MrVermin
 

DickSilver

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Yes, so lets SEE all those interesting other VW Group cars for sale in North America!! Polo, for one. A real van by VW, not a rebadged Chrysler, for another.
 

kjclow

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A step in the right direction was VW killing the Routan. Let's hope for those that VW will offer one of their own for those that need a van. I'm happy with the JSW but would consider the refreshed Tigaun if they offer a diesel.
 

RNDDUDE

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Yes, platform building is not new, but VW is doing it to a depth that is unheard of......basically only two platforms for the entire VW corporate umbrella of brands, with common engine mounts on each. If done correctly, this will put them at a HUGE competitive advantage. As all of their eggs will be in basically two baskets, they better be damn sure those baskets are extremely well engineered.
 

VWJayhawk

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The new platform/MQB concept is different than a shared platform. A shared platform is just that, a platform or base that then gets the rest of the pieces put together. It sounds like the new set up is much more customized. For example, the B5 Passat and A4 were on the same chassis (as mentioned above), and were a shared platform. The Golf and Audi A3 are currently on a shared platform. I understand the new system to be more of a lego set than a standard base or traditional shared platform. Will be neat to see how it works out since VW is the first to do this (although everyone has used shared platform going back to Ford and the Model T).
 
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