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Volkswagen Group A platform#PQ34

{{Infobox automobile platform

|name=Volkswagen Group A platform

|manufacturer=Volkswagen Group

|production=1974–present

|layout={{unbulleted list

| Transversely mounted front-engine, front-wheel-drive

| Transversely mounted front-engine, all-wheel-drive

}}

|predecessor=Volkswagen Beetle

|successor=Volkswagen Group MQB platform (for PQ35/46 Platform)

|related=Volkswagen Group A0 platform

}}

The Volkswagen Group A platform is an automobile platform shared among compact and mid-size cars of the Volkswagen Group.

The first version 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 colloquially referred to by generation number, e.g. the first Golf version (A1) is referred to as a Mark 1 Golf." Often each generation is designated by substituting "Mark" for "A," but this can be misleading. For example, the Mk1 and Mk2 Scirocco are both based on the A1 platform. Furthermore, confusion was possible with the Volkswagen Passat, which has been produced on both the B platform alongside the Audi A4, as well as the A platform depending on the generation. Volkswagen has never used the Mark or Mk designations.

Volkswagen Group introduced a new alphanumeric nomenclature for vehicle platforms for the fourth generation. Under Volkswagen's revised platform naming system, the "A4" platform became the PQ34 platform, and what would have been called the A5 platform was called the PQ35 platform.

The platform code is composed as follows:

  • A letter, P, indicating a passenger car platform
  • A letter indicating the configuration of the engine:
  • Q indicates a transverse engine (Quer in German)
  • A digit indicating the platform size or class:
  • 3 corresponds to compact cars
  • 4 corresponds to mid-size cars
  • A digit indicating the generation or evolution

The A platform has been superseded by the MQB platform for new models, with the exception of a few models only sold in certain markets.

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, Cabriolet, and Caddy - were discontinued.

A1 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):

File:VW Golf I Facelift front 20081209.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Mk1

File:1992 Volkswagen Cabriolet in white, front left.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

File:JettaDiesel1 (crop).jpg|Volkswagen Jetta (A1)

File:1988 Volkswagen Caddy (Type 148) utility (27473741605).jpg|Volkswagen Caddy MK1

File:VW Scirocco 1973.jpg|Volkswagen Scirocco Mk1

File:VW Scirocco II (29099871788).jpg|Volkswagen Scirocco Mk2

File:2006 Volkswagen Citi Golf 1.4 Front.jpg|Volkswagen Citi Golf

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, 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):

File:1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC in Black, front left.jpg|Volkswagen Corrado

File:VW Golf II front 20080206.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Mk2

File:JettaMkII.JPG|Volkswagen Jetta (A2)

File:Toledo1L.jpg|SEAT Toledo Mk1

File:Chery SQR7160 Windcloud.jpg|Chery A11

File:Chery Cowin 2 facelift 01 China 2012-04-22.jpg|Chery A15

File:White Volkswagen Jetta, Qingdao.jpg|Volkswagen Jetta King

File:Volkswagen Jetta CN facelift III 01 China 2012-06-23.jpg|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):

File:1996-1998 Volkswagen Golf (1H) CL 5-door hatchback 03.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Mk3

File:VW Vento front 20080320.jpg|Volkswagen Vento (A3)

The smaller A03 platform, used in the Polo (6N) is based on the A3 platform as well, and shares many components.

SEAT Ibiza (6K) and derived models, uses components of both A3 and A03 platforms.

PQ34 (A4){{anchor|A4|PQ34}}

The A4 platform (PQ34 under the revised scheme) debuted on the Audi A3 in 1996 and went on to be used for many different models over the next two decades.

PQ34 platform cars (Typ numbers in brackets):

File:Audi_A3_front_20080326.jpg|Audi A3 Mk1

File:2005 Audi TT Quattro 3.2 Front.jpg|Audi TT Mk1

File:2003 Volkswagen Bora S TDi 1.9 Front.jpg|Volkswagen Bora

File:Volkswagen Lavida China 2012-07-15.JPG|Volkswagen Lavida

File:2006 Volkswagen New Beetle Luna 1.6 Front.jpg|Volkswagen New Beetle

File:Seat Leon front 20080809.jpg|SEAT León Mk1

File:Seat Toledo II front 20081230.jpg|SEAT Toledo Mk2

File:Skoda Octavia I front 20080213.jpg|Škoda Octavia Mk1

File:2018 SAIC-Škoda Kamiq.jpg|Škoda Kamiq (China)

PQ35 (A5)/PQ46 (A6){{anchor|A5|A6|PQ35|PQ36|PQ46}}

The PQ35 platform was designed to be more modular than previous A platforms. For the first time, a fully independent suspension was used in the rear of all A platform vehicles. The PQ46 platform is a variant derived from this platform primarily intended for larger vehicles, such as mid-size cars and crossovers. A common misconception is that the PQ46 based sixth and seventh generations of the Passat, are based on the PL46 (B6) and B7 platforms. However, this transverse engine Passat has little in common with the longitudinal engine "B6" and "B7" Audi A4.

=PQ35 platform cars=

(Type numbers in brackets):

File:Audi A3 Sportback TDI Ambition (8PA, 3. Facelift) – Frontansicht, 3. März 2012, Ratingen.jpg|Audi A3 Mk2

File:2014 Audi TTS (8J MY14) quattro coupe (2015-12-07) 01.jpg|Audi TT Mk2

File:Audi Q3 quattro Sport (Facelift) – Frontansicht, 3. Januar 2016, Düsseldorf.jpg|Audi Q3 Mk1

File:2010_Seat_Leon_facelift_front.JPG|SEAT León Mk2

File:Seat Toledo front 20080227.jpg|SEAT Toledo Mk3

File:Seat Altea TSI Facelift.JPG|SEAT Altea

File:2011 Skoda Octavia S TSi S-A 1.2 Front.jpg|Škoda Octavia Mk2

File:Škoda Yeti diesel Greenline registered July 2014 (ie post 2013 facelift) 1598cc.JPG|Škoda Yeti

File:VW Touran Facelift II 1.4 TSI Comfortline Silverleaf.JPG|Volkswagen Touran

File:Volkswagen Caddy Maxi postfacelift in Deidesheim.jpg|Volkswagen Caddy Mk3

File:2005 Volkswagen Golf (1K) Comfortline 2.0 FSI 5-door hatchback (2015-07-09) 01.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Mk5

File:VW Golf 1.6 TDI Style (VI) – Frontansicht, 25. Februar 2012, Ratingen.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Mk6

File:2009 Volkswagen Golf Plus SE TDi 1.6 Front.jpg|Volkswagen Golf Plus

File:2007 Volkswagen Jetta SE TDi 140 2.0.jpg|Volkswagen Jetta (A5)

File:VW Scirocco 1.4 TSI BlueMotion Technology Sport (III, Facelift) – Frontansicht, 21. April 2017, Düsseldorf.jpg|Volkswagen Scirocco Mk3

File:2016 Volkswagen Jetta (1B MY17) 118TSI Comfortline sedan (2018-11-02) 01.jpg|Volkswagen Jetta (A6)

File:VW Beetle 1.4 TSI Sport – Frontansicht, 3. März 2013, Düsseldorf.jpg|Volkswagen Beetle (A5)

File:2012 Volkswagen Eos -- 04-01-2011 1.jpg|Volkswagen Eos

=PQ46 platform cars=

(Type numbers in brackets):

File:Škoda Superb II 2013 (front).JPG|Škoda Superb

File:2013 Volkswagen CC (3CC MY13.5) 130TDI sedan (2015-11-11) 01.jpg|Volkswagen CC

File:2010 Volkswagen Passat Highline TDi 140 2.0 Front.jpg|Volkswagen Passat (B6)

File:VW Passat B7 2.0 TDI DSG Highline Kaschmirbraun.JPG|Volkswagen Passat (B7)

File:Volkswagen Passat NMS I IMG 0423 (colour corrected).jpg|Volkswagen Passat NMS

File:VW Sharan II 2.0 TDI Reflexsilber.JPG|Volkswagen Sharan Mk2

File:Seat Alhambra Style (II, Facelift) – f 20052021.jpg|SEAT Alhambra Mk2

File:2014 Volkswagen Tiguan Match TDi BMT 4motion 2.0 Front.jpg|Volkswagen Tiguan Mk1

References

;Notes

{{reflist}}

;Bibliography

  • {{cite web|title=Im Fokus: Volkswagen|url=http://www.automobil-produktion.de/imperia/md/content/ap/heftausgaben/ap2006/ap03-2006/14_15_ap.pdf|language=de|format=PDF|work=Automobil-Produktion|date=March 2006|access-date=1 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718200927/http://www.automobil-produktion.de/imperia/md/content/ap/heftausgaben/ap2006/ap03-2006/14_15_ap.pdf|archive-date=18 July 2011}}
  • {{cite news|title=Europe's slight rise & anticipated decline - Auto by the Numbers - car sales, production in Western Europe - Illustration - Statistical Data Included|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KJI/is_4_114/ai_85009249/pg_2/|publisher=CBS Interactive Business UK|date=April 2002|access-date=1 October 2009 | first=Mark | last=Fulthorpe}}

External links

  • [http://www.VolkswagenAG.com Volkswagen Group corporate website]

{{Volkswagen Group Platforms |state=expanded}}

{{Volkswagen Group brands}}

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