Volkswagen Group A platform
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The Volkswagen Group A platform is an automobile platform shared among compact and mid-size cars of the Volkswagen Group.
It debuted in 1974 and was originally based on the engineering concept of the Volkswagen Golf Mk1, and is applicable to either front- or four-wheel drive vehicles, using only front-mounted transverse engines.
Volkswagens based on this platform have been referred to by generation number, i.e. the first Golf version would be referred to as an "A1 Golf". Often "" () is substituted for "A*", but this can be For example, the Sciroccos are both based on the A1 platform.
Under Volkswagen's revised platform naming system, the "A4" platform is now known as the PQ34 platform, and what would have been called the A5 platform is officially the PQ35 platform. The new nomenclature is derived as follows:
- P indicates a passenger car platform
- Q (quer) indicates a transverse engine
- 3 indicates the platform size or class
- 5 indicates the evolution or generation
The A platforms have been replaced by the MQB platform.
A1
The A1 platform debuted on the MK1 Golf on its launch in 1974, and continued into the early 1990s, when the last remaining models using the platform - the Scirocco and Caddy - were axed.
A1 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):
- Volkswagen Golf Mk1 (17)
- Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet (155)
- Volkswagen Jetta Mk1 (17)
- Volkswagen Caddy (pickup truck) (14)
- Volkswagen Scirocco (53)
- Volkswagen Scirocco (53B)
A2
The A2 platform debuted in 1983 on the MK2 Golf, and lasted until 1998, when the original SEAT Toledo (the first Volkswagen-developed SEAT following the Spanish company's takeover by Volkswagen) was replaced.
The Volkswagen Passat B3 was based on a stretched A2 platform. The Volkswagen Corrado VR6, while being an A2 platform car, uses some components from the A3 platform, notably the rear suspension assembly and some front suspension parts.
A2 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):
- Volkswagen Corrado (53I)
- Volkswagen Golf Mk2 (19E)
- Volkswagen Jetta II (19E)
- SEAT Toledo Mk1 (1L)
- Chery A11 and Chery A15
- Vortex Corda
- Volkswagen Jetta King
- Volkswagen Jetta Pioneer
A3
The A3 platform was only used for two models - the MK3 Golf, launched in 1991, and its saloon equivalent, the Vento, launched in early 1992.
A3 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):
- Volkswagen Golf Mk3 (1H/1E)
- Volkswagen Vento/Jetta III (1H)
The smaller A03 platform, used in the VW Polo (6N) and SEAT Ibiza (6K) is based on the A3 platform as well, and shares many components.
PQ34 (A4)
The A4 platform (though named PQ34 under the new VAG scheme) debuted on the Audi A3 in 1996 and went on to be used in a total of ten different cars over the next two decades.
PQ34 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):
- Audi A3 Mk1 (8L)
- Audi TT Mk1 (8N)
- Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (1J)
- Volkswagen Bora (1J)
- Volkswagen Lavida (18)
- Volkswagen New Beetle (1C/1Y/9C)
- SEAT León Mk1 (1M)
- SEAT Toledo Mk2 (1M)
- Škoda Octavia Mk1 (1U)
PQ35 (A5)
The PQ35 platform is designed to be more modular and flexible than previous A platforms. For the first time front and rear fully independent suspension was used in all A platform vehicles. There was also a derivative version of this platform for B-segment cars called PQ46. A common misconception is that the PQ46 generation of the Passat is based on the "B6" (PL46) platform. However, this transverse engined Passat has little in common with the longitudinal engined "B6" Audi A4.
PQ35 platform cars (Type numbers in brackets):
- Audi A3 Mk2 (8P)
- Audi TT Mk2 (8J)[1]
- Audi Q3 (8U)
- SEAT León Mk2 (1P)
- SEAT Toledo Mk3 (5P)
- SEAT Altea (5P)
- Škoda Octavia Mk2 (1Z)
- Škoda Yeti (5L)
- Škoda Superb (3T, 2008–2015)
- Volkswagen Touran (1T)
- Volkswagen Caddy (2K)
- Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (1K)
- Volkswagen Golf Mk6 (5K)
- Volkswagen Golf Plus (5M)
- Volkswagen Jetta Mk5 (1K)
- Volkswagen Scirocco (13)
- Volkswagen Jetta Mk6 (1K)
- Volkswagen Beetle (A5) (16)
- Volkswagen Eos (1F)
- Volkswagen Tiguan (5N)
References
- ^ "2014 Audi TT". topspeed.com. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
- "Im Fokus: Volkswagen" (PDF). Automobil-Produktion (in German). March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- Fulthorpe, Mark (April 2002). "Europe's slight rise & anticipated decline - Auto by the Numbers - car sales, production in Western Europe - Illustration - Statistical Data Included". CBS Interactive Business UK. Retrieved 1 October 2009.