The Volkswagen Group MQB platform is the company's strategy for shared modular design construction of its transverse , front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout (optional front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout ) automobiles. It was first introduced in the Volkswagen Golf Mk7 in late 2012. Volkswagen spent roughly $ 8bn developing this new platform and the cars employing it. The platform underpins a wide range of cars from the supermini class to the mid size SUV class. MQB allows Volkswagen to assemble any of its cars based on this platform across all of its MQB ready factories. This allows the Volkswagen group flexibility to shift production as needed between its different factories. Beginning in 2012, Volkswagen Group marketed the strategy under the code name MQB , which stands for Modularer Querbaukasten , translating from German to "Modular Transversal Toolkit" or "Modular Transverse Matrix". MQB is one strategy within VW's overall MB (Modularer Baukasten or modular matrix) program which also includes the similar MLB strategy for vehicles with longitudinal engine orientation.
10-559: MQB is not a platform as such, but, rather, a system for introducing rationality to different platforms that have transverse engines, regardless of the ten body configurations the company manufactures for any of its eleven vehicle brands. Thus MQB coordinates a core "matrix" of components across a wide variety of platforms — for example, sharing a common engine-mounting core for all drivetrains (e.g., gasoline, diesel, natural gas, hybrid and purely electric), as well as reducing weight. The concept allows different models to be manufactured at
20-456: A variety of cars, (the company) plans to cut the time taken to build a car by 30%." The car blog Jalopnik said "The biggest feature is the uniform position of all motors and transmissions" and that "by fitting all motors into the same place (the company) hope(s) to cut down on engineering costs and weight/complexity when porting the car over to other models." Around 60% of the development costs occur between gas pedal and front wheels, including
30-529: The Middle East, Romania , Russia, South Africa (under the title topcar ), Spain, Thailand and Turkey. Car features a regular group test under the 'Giant Test' name, which was originally developed by the magazine in the 1960s. It also features 'newcomer' first drives of new cars, interviews with significant figures in the motor industry and other features. The magazine was launched in 1962 as Small Car and Mini Owner incorporating Sporting Driver . It
40-503: The development and history of the motor car to its social, technological and historical contexts. Car was also renowned for its 'scoop' photos and drawings and took delight in the irritation it caused to car manufacturers by revealing new models ahead of release so that readers knew what was coming and could avoid buying a model that would soon be replaced. Car regularly featured the spy shots of German photographer Hans G. Lehmann , featuring his work with its own image-stamp emblazoned with
50-520: The engine. MQB models range from superminis to large family cars . The MQB architecture replaces the PQ25 , PQ35 and PQ46 platforms. All MQB cars will share the same front axle, pedal box and engine positioning, despite varying wheelbase , track and external dimensions. The "first-generation" MQB platform underpins various vehicles from C-segment upwards. The "second-generation" MQB debuted in 2016, which also introduces three different types of
60-924: The platform grouped by size/segment. The introduction of the MQB A0 category enables the platform to be used on smaller and cheaper vehicles in the B-segment . A low-cost variation of the A0 platform for the Indian market was introduced in 2019 and utilized for vehicles released from 2021. Car Magazine Car is a British automotive enthusiast magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media . International editions are published or licensed by Bauer Automotive in South Korea (since March 2016), Brazil, China, Greece, India, Italy (through 2019), Malaysia (from December 2012 to March 2017, through Astro ), Mexico ,
70-438: The same plant, further saving cost. Ulrich Hackenberg, chief of Volkswagen’s Research and Development (Head of Audi Development until 2015), called MQB a "strategic weapon." British magazine Car said "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
80-513: The words Hans G. Lehmann - Fotograf . In the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), the artist Hilton Holloway was responsible for a number of projected images of cars in development, first through graphic art, followed later by Photoshop compositing artwork. In 2001 one of his concepts for a Lotus Formula 1 was so accurate that 'Project Hilton' became the code-name for the F1 project within Lotus. In 1992 Car
90-664: Was renamed as Car in 1965. In the 1960s Car pioneered the 'Car of The Year' (COTY) competition that was subsequently decided by motoring journalists on a Europe wide basis. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s Car was far ahead of other motoring magazines for the quality and depth of its writing, artwork and photography. Significant contributors during the magazine's heyday included Henry N. Manney III , Douglas Blain, George Bishop , LJK Setright , Ronald Barker, Mel Nichols, Steve Cropley, Russell Bulgin , Philip Llewellin , James May , Stephen Bayley , Alexei Sayle and Rowan Atkinson . LJK Setright in many insightful series of articles linked
100-509: Was sold by News International to Emap . Emap published the magazine until 2007. In March 2009, the magazine's listings section (which gives details of new cars on sale in the UK) reverted to the name 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' – which it had used when it was created in the early 1970s – after an absence of nearly three years. In the UK Car ' s sales have been in decline since peaking in
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