Products and customers will be put above all else when Volkswagen introduces its new MQB A0 small car platform to the motoring world. In fact, the German car giant’s development boss, Dr Frank Welsch, has pointed out: “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 set out why you should meet the unveiling of the MQB A0 platform with plenty of excitement:
Understanding the MQB platform
Before we delve into the MQB AO platform, it is wise to understand Volkswagen’s MQB platform. Short for Modular Transverse Matrix, this particular strategy has already seen the German car giant looking to standardise its vehicle components and production processes alike. As a result, the manufacturer was able to begin producing a variety of vehicles from a host of its different brands on the same assembly line, though with the assurance that quality remained at the highest level possible and extremely competitive costs remained.
The MQB platform stands out in particular for the following reasons:
1. It means safer and more comfortable vehicles
Estimates state that 20 innovations have been accomplished since the small car scene was introduced to the MQB platform, covering driver assistance, infotainment and vehicle safety technology alike. These developments were previously only developed onto higher vehicle segments.
2. It means the weight spiral has been reversed
Vehicles using the MQB platform have seen their weight spiral reversed, through a combination of ultra-modern construction principles and materials. When it comes to being behind the wheel of a vehicle built on this platform, this means increased driving pleasure while also enjoying lower fuel consumption.
3. It means reduced fuel consumption and pollution
Emissions of vehicles manufactured using the MQB platform have been substantially reduced. This is due to entirely redeveloped engine families, which are regularly trimmed to achieve lower CO2 figures through start-stop recuperation systems as standard, the innovation of active cylinder management in four-cylinder engines, EU-6 certification and a CNG option.
4. It means more eye-catching vehicle designs
Thanks to each vehicle created on the MQB platform being designed with the forward relocation of the front wheels, significantly balanced proportions have been realised. All vehicles also boast optimised use of space for the occupants.
The Volkswagen Golf was the MQB platform’s introduction onto the motoring scene. However, it should be acknowledged that the strategy has formed the basis of 58 vehicles over the years — representing around eight million sales. This is not just cars with the Volkswagen badge either, but also those from Audi, SEAT and Skoda.
Introducing the MQB A0 platform
Volkswagen’s MQB A0 platform is a fresh variant of the manufacturer’s MQB platform. It is set to boast all of the following credentials:
- Deliver both weight and cost benefits to the cars produced using the platform.
- Introduce advanced driver assistance technologies to small cars, which have never been seen on these types of vehicle.
- Vehicles as diverse as the Volkswagen Polo and the five-metre-long Volkswagen Atlas SUV can now be built using the MQB platform, with length differences of over one metre taken into account.
The MQB A0 platform will be introduced to the motoring world as a means to underpin the next-generation model of the Volkswagen Polo, which is set for release towards the end of 2017. Following this, the MQB A0 platform will be used on new editions of the SEAT Ibiza and Skoda Fabia. It will also play a key part in the introduction of a series of smaller SUVs from the Volkswagen Group.
Article from Inchcape Volkswagen, a new and used Volkswagen retailer with a number of UK locations, specialising in service and repair of VW cars.
