VW plans to catch up with Toyota by developing 4 new platforms

To reach its targeted production rate of ten million vehicles per year by 2018 Volkswagen will be implementing several major revisions to its current platform designs to help reduce development costs. VW is developing four new architectures that will eventually spawn vehicles for most of the VW Group brands, including new designs for Lamborghini, Audi and Bentley.

The first new platform will be a transverse-engine architecture dubbed the ‘MQB’, which will be used for small-lower-medium and upper-medium models. This architecture could eventually be used for over six million vehicles, making it the automotive industry’s biggest platform.
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EL34 - 11/26/2007 10:33:52 AM

0 Boost

VW, build reliable cars and you will crush Toyota on stying alone ;)

ZZZZ - 11/26/2007 6:11:11 PM

0 Boost

it's very amusing that VW now seems to be snatching some TOYOTA STYLING cues. LOL!

of course, they will NEVER catch toyota on RELIABILITY. they're DREAMING if they think they could EVER catch up to toyota.

Bill - 11/26/2007 6:18:21 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota at the end of the day is another car company, Mr. ZZZZ. They can rise or they can fall. For all you know Hyundai will outsell Toyota in the year 2084. Things change.

ZZZZ - 11/27/2007 2:08:59 AM

+1 Boost

at the end of the day, end of the quarter, end of the year, year after year, toyota makes the MOST PROFITS of ANY car mfgr in the industry.

because they've found BEST, how to design, build, and sell cars the majority of the public wants MOST. namely, cost effective and RELIABLE transportation.

while this may not be a high priority for the enthusiast community, you have to recognize that enthusiasts are only a MINORITY of car buyers.

robertazimmerman - 11/27/2007 2:17:55 PM

+2 Boost

Couldn't agree more with the 1st poster. I've had 2 VW Jettas. One was a complete lemon and the 2nd was quite "sour". Their styling is great, but their customer service and reliability suck.

ZZZZ - 11/29/2007 6:26:48 AM

+1 Boost

huu, i would say enthusiasts prob'ly know MORE than the average person, in things automotive.

but i would NOT say that the millions of toyota buyers DON'T have a clue. they just have different PRIORITIES about where to spend/waste their money, and/or care about projecting an image to strangers.

if anything, they tend to be SMARTER than average. go to ANY campus town; check out U and professional bldg parking lots; bookstore lots; you'll likely see a higher percentage of toyota/lexus products than on your average street or walmart parking lot.

heck a mechanic friend even pointed out to me there were more toyotas in the employee section of a PARTS STORE! who'd know BETTER, which cars have the fewest failed/worn out parts over time!?

and, it is NOT INCOMPATIBLE for a person to be an enthusiast AND a toyota fan! check out this link:
http://forums.motortrend.com/70/6457867/the-general-forum/celica-coming-back-in-2009/page4.html#6476192

robertazimmerman - 12/3/2007 10:59:32 AM

+1 Boost

Let VW learn how to make 'good' cars instead of 'more' cars. Then they can start thinking about competing with the likes of Toyota et al.

R