VW are being secrative about the platform that will be used on the new China only VW Lavida. Previous news reports have stated that it will be the newer PQ35, but later reports have said that it may actually be the old PQ34. VW havent been forthcoming on either denying or confirming what platform the Lavida will be using, which has caused the Chinese motoring press to go into speculation overdrive.
One automotive news outlet, Autohome.com.cn garned from a VW official that the PQ35 platform would be used, however, they seem to have gained information at a later date that indicates the Lavida may not be using the PQ35 but the older PQ34.
The PQ platform is used across a wide range of VW vehicles, including Audi, Skoda, and SEAT. The PQ35 features fully independent rear suspension and is considered to be an improvement on the previous PQ34 platform.
According official information from VW the Lavida and New Bora are based on a PQ34L platform, which is a bit longer than the PQ34. (Wheelbase 2610 mm).
greetings! Erik
Erik,
Thank you very much for your insightful info, as always!
Sounds to me like VW is afraid of the inevitable shouts of REDUNDANCY! If both vehicles are built on essentially the same platform, that is.
Who really cares???
The plataform is a big deal when we are concening the driving dynamics of the vehicle.
A better and more modern plataform makes the whole difference.
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when I’m out to buy a car, I REALLY DO CARE about which plataform it is based on. Structural rigidity means A LOT MORE to me, than plain and superficial stuff.
I’d rather so much to get an unloaded car, but based on a better plataform, than a weaker plataform vehicle loaded with a bunch of tech crap…
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The lavida is PQ34, which is a really good and solid plataform. But it’s still not the PQ35 though….
PQ35 has independent rear suspension. Much better handling and ride quality.
The end result is that with body attached both will achieve the same! We are talking about cars made for the Chinese market so its all academic-handling and ride quality and not often on the buyers minds here -ok they should be but its an uneducated market here with mainly city usage and more concerns about colour choice and where to position snoopy and micky mouse stickers on the body work rather than the niceties of modern engineering and how the wheels jiggle up and down!!