Volkswagen Develops Way to Produce Different Classes of Car on Same Assembly Line

Volkswagen has developed a way for multiple vehicles from its multiple brands to be built on the same assembly line. In theory this would cut costs because VW could make A- and B-segment cars simultaneously. The breakthrough that allows the technology is called Modular Transverse Matrix by Volkswagen, or for short its German acronym MQD.

VW says that in theory the Polo, Beetle, Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, Tiguan, Touran, Sharan, Passat, Volkswagen CC and their platform mates from other VW brands could all me made on the same assembly line. The first vehicles on which VW will actually use this production technique will be the next generation Audi A3 and next generation VW Golf. 

What allows this to work is the transverse engine layout of these VW models. The engines will be located in the same position on all models, hence modular. To work with MQD the vehicle has to use either VW EA211 petrol engine family, which for right now is its newest 1.2 liter and 1.4 liter engines, or the the EA288 diesel engine family, which are its newest 1.6 liter and 2.0 liter diesels. It will also work with VW's next generation electric and hybrid models. The first of these models will be the Golf Blue-e-motion that it will launch in 2013. 

According to VW, using these new engine families with the MQD process will reduce its engine/transmission variants by 90%. It also believes that this new technology will reduce vehicle weight as well. 

The MQD system the next step in a long line of modular systems by VW Group. It uses a similar system on its small cars like the VW Up, Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo. There is also a modular system for longitudinal engines used by Audi.