Volkswagen Introduces the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB)

Volkswagen Introduces the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB)

This year, Volkswagen Group will be introducing the Modular Transverse Matrix – the German acronym is MQB – for the Volkswagen, Audi, ŠKODA and SEAT brands.

The MQB strategy represents a turning point in the design and production of future automobiles with transverse-mounted engines. The Modular Transverse Matrix standardises many vehicle component parameters – across brands and vehicle classes. At the same time, it offers access to new technologies.

The MQB extends from the A0 to the B segment. At the Volkswagen brand, for example, it covers the following models : Polo, Beetle, Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, Tiguan, Touran, Sharan, Passat and Volkswagen CC.

In the future, all of these models could theoretically be produced on the same assembly line – despite their different wheelbases and track widths.

It will be possible to produce MQB models of different brands together. The first new vehicles to be produced based on the MQB will be the successor to the Audi A3 and the next generation Golf.

One of the prominent characteristics of the Modular Transverse Matrix is the uniform mounting position of all engines. Two systems integrated in the MQB strategy which play a key role here are the modular petrol engine system (MOB) with the new EA211 engine series (40 kW to 110 kW) – this range includes the world’s first four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation (ACT) – and the modular diesel engine system (MDB) with the also new EA288 engine series (66 kW to 140 kW).

Volkswagen

In one fell swoop, the new engine series will reduce the Group’s engine and gearbox variants in the MQB system by approximately 90 per cent. Without any negative effects.

On the contrary, in addition to standardising conventional internal combustion engines, the MQB also enables an identical mounting position for all current alternative drive concepts without limitations – from natural gas and hybrid versions to the pure electric drive.

Volkswagen has already announced the launch of the latter within the MQB in 2013 in the new Golf Blue-e-Motion.

The MQB opens up new opportunities at Volkswagen Group, allowing it to produce high-volume and niche models at the highest quality and extremely competitive costs over the long term and worldwide – vehicles that are individually tailored to the requirements of very diverse markets such as Europe, China and America, as well as emerging markets such as India.

In parallel, Volkswagen Group will significantly reduce vehicle weights with the launch of the first MQB model series and will introduce 20 innovations in the areas of safety and infotainment, which until now were reserved for higher vehicle segments.

They include the new multicollision brake; after an initial collision, it helps to reduce the intensity of secondary collisions by automatically initiated braking. Very recently, ADAC awarded this system the ‘Yellow Angel’ award for innovations. The multicollision brake will be standard equipment in the next generations of the Audi A3 and the Golf.

Within the Group, the MQB developed under the auspices of the Volkswagen brand is supplemented by the Modular Longitudinal System (MLB) from Audi, the Modular Standard System (MSB) with Porsche as the competence centre and finally the ‘New Small Family’ – the most compact vehicle model series with the Volkswagen up!, SEAT Mii and ŠKODA Citigo.

One indicator of the pioneering significance of the modular systems strategy and the innovative potential realised by these new vehicle and production architectures is that Volkswagen was selected as one of five finalists for the ‘Innovation Award of the German Economy – The World’s First Innovation Award®’ for its Modular Transverse Matrix.

This prestigious award for outstanding technical, scientific and intellectual achievements has been awarded annually since 1980 by the Economics Club of Rhein-Main and since 2011 in conjunction with the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Fastest Cars In The World: Top 5

While most of us can only dream of owning the fastest car in the world, some will do whatever it takes to possess the most powerful speed. So, how fast are the fastest cars in the world?

Here are the 10 fastest cars available on the market (production models, as opposed to concept cars) measured by tested top speed (theoretical speeds do not count).

World's Fastest Cars:

5. Koenigsegg CCX: 245 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. 90 Degree V8 Engine 806 hp, base price is $545,568. Made in Sweden, it is the older brother of the Agera R, only losing to 4 other supercars
in the world.

4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 secs. Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price is $555,000. Smooth and bad-ass. It will make you want to show it off non-stop.

3. SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness World Records, The SSC Ultimate Aero was the fastest car in the world from March 2007 to July 2010. On March 2011, the Koenigsegg Agera R also surpassed it, forcing this American made car to the #3 spot. Shelby SuperCars will continue their quest to reclaim the fastest car title, and their new SSC Tuatura might do the job (we'll just have to wait).

#2 is a tie!

2. Koenigsegg Agera R: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 5.0-liter V8 Engine with twin turbo’s, housing 1099 hp. Base price is $1,600,000. If you're into snow sports, the Agera R can be fitted with a Ski Box as well as winter tires, not that I would take one on a ski trip or anything like that. While the Agera R has a massive theoretical top speed, the current tested top speed is 260 mph. Expect this snow car to be the Bugatti's arch enemy for the next 5 years.

2. Hennessey Venom GT: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, has a 6.2-liter LS9 Turbocharged V8 Twin Turbo V8 Engine producing 1200 hp, has a price tag of $950,000. The Venom GT has yet to be tested and proven, but could possibly hit a top speed of 275 mph. This might just be the Veyron Super Sport's closest competitor!

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 267 mph, 0-60 in 2.4 secs. Aluminum, Narrow Angle 8 Liter W16 Engine with 1200 hp, base price is $2,400,000. Although the Bugatti Veyron lost the title to SSC Ultimate Aero on March 2007, Bugatti challenge the record in Germany on July 10, 2010 with the new 2010 Super Sport Version and the Veyron once again claims the title of the fastest car in the world at 267 mph. The original Bugatti Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph, priced at $1,700,000 and equipped with 1001 hp.

BMW gets new North America boss

BMW gets new North America boss

By HARALD HAMPRECHT, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS on 7/26/2011

Veteran BMW executive Ludwig Willisch, who has led sales operations in Europe and Japan, will take over as CEO of BMW of North America on Oct. 1.

The 54-year-old German will replace Jim O'Donnell, 61, who is retiring.

O'Donnell, a native of Scotland, has held the job since July 2008. Willisch will arrive in the United States on Sept. 1 and work alongside O'Donnell during a one-month transition.

Since May 2009, Willisch has been head of BMW Group's European sales outside of Germany. Before that he was president of BMW M GmbH, the brand's performance division in Munich.

He began his BMW career in 1996 as head of the sales office in Duesseldorf, Germany. He later ran the sales subsidiaries in Germany, Japan and Sweden.

O'Donnell, previously BMW's top executive in the United Kingdom, worked past the company's mandatory retirement age of 60. He leaves with BMW in good shape in the United States. Last month BMW outsold Mercedes-Benz to extend its lead as the top-selling luxury brand this year. And BMW is on track to outsell Lexus in the United States for the first time since 1997.

Through June, BMW's sales rose 13 percent to 113,705, while Mercedes was up 7 percent to 110,926 and Lexus fell 18 percent to 88,010.

"They're too far behind now to catch up," O'Donnell said of Lexus this month.

Last year BMW Group sales, including Mini, rose 10 percent to 266,269, while BMW-brand sales rose 12 percent to 220,113.

Nissan: drinking RenaultSport Koolaid?


That’s because, at first glance, it appears there’s more than just some platform sharing going on between the alliance partners. From this perspective, it seems they’ve stared for a little too long at the rear end of the RenaultSport Clio (we’re talking the 197, pre-facelift version), and, well, see for yourself below…





It’s an example of a trend that appears increasingly widespread among the established, mainstream brands (more of which later). Which begs the question: how can we criticize and laugh at the Chinese for ‘copying’ designs, when established, western manufacturers are themselves producing designs which appear more than ‘heavily inspired’ by designs from another brand?

Joe Simpson

Buick Envision – a vision of something else?

Buick Envision – a vision of something else?

Buick is one of, if not the, most successful and well-known ‘import’ car brand in China. GM has reaped the rewards of investing heavily in China so clearly, there’s some logic in taking the brand into the Crossover/SUV space, a market that’s set to mushroom in the next few years. Yet this Buick concept confused many observers, including us. It’s not bad, per-se, yet nor, crucially, does it bring anything new or innovative to the SUV concept party. Most worryingly it also fails to feel in any way authentically Buick.

Strip the clumsily-resolved waterfall grille from the front and you’re left with a car that feels like a mixture of design elements we’ve seen from other OEMs recently, particularly Mazda. It’s clear to see that some of the ideas behind its surface treatment were interesting and powerful in their own right, but zoom in on them and there’s an awkaward clash of lines and some difficult surface intersections. In fact, many of these are so sharp and acute that, considered as a whole with its interior (which in theme and colour and trim treatment reminds us of the ULC concept), we actually think this vehicle would fit better under GM’s Cadillac brand. The question is, does this matter for the Chinese market? Thoughts in the comments please.

Joe Simpson

Shanghai 2011: can someone turn the volume down please?

Shanghai 2011: can someone turn the volume down please?

There’s a somewhat disturbing trend happening in Shanghai, that’s been making it incredibly hard for us to do our jobs. It concerns noise. The approach of most of the domestic manufacturers seems to have been one of ‘if our music and PA system is loudest, we’ll attract the most attention’. Dishonarable mention here goes to Renault, whose PA system was just intolerably loud – and sat completely at odds with the striking, yet composed voluminous forms of the DeZir.

While this might sound like a journalistic winge, it genuinely creates serious issues and meant we ended up moving off some show stands long before we’d have done given tolerable volumes. To give you some idea of the scenario, think of the last time you were in a club, trying to have a conversation with a friend. You end up yelling down each others ears to make yourselves understood. Now imagine those kinds of volume when you’re trying to interview someone. On video.

So please, to the guys in charge of the show stands, could you turn down the volume? We’ll still come and cover your cars – promise. Then next time, we might be able to get some video of the designers too… and not go home each night with our ears ringing and our heads hurting.

Joe Simpson

Top Gear returns salvo at Tesla

Top Gear returns salvo at Tesla

Not one to back away from the bombardment of complaints they’ve received over the years, the producers of Top Gear have returned fire at Tesla over the latter’s surprising lawsuit against the popular British show.

Tesla is suing Top Gear for libel and malicious falsehood over a review of the Tesla Roadster that happened a little over two years ago. For their part, Top Gear is not one to lay down without a fight, or in this case, a response to Tesla’s claims. So the show’s executive producer, Andy Wilman, went on the offensive and released a letter explaining their side of the story.

It’s not the first time that Top Gear has been in hot water, but there seems to be a certain sense of seriousness with this particular lawsuit and we won’t be surprised if the British show sees this case all the way through the courts, as opposed to their usual routine of witty banter on one of their episodes.

To read about Andy Wilman’s response to Tesla’s claims, proceed after the jump.