Volkswagen B platform
Encyclopedia
The Volkswagen Group B platform is a mid-size
automobile platform
from the Volkswagen Group
. It has been used for saloon cars/sedans, estate cars/station wagon
, and coupé
s - under the Volkswagen Passenger Cars
, Audi
, SEAT
and Škoda
marques over the years.
More recently, Volkswagen Group have introduced a new alphanumeric nomenclature for car platforms. The platform code is composed as follows:
An additional + suffix indicates a long-wheelbase
variant.
derived platform, the first Volkswagen Passat
was nearly identical to the Audi 80
(Audi Fox in US), sharing much of its mechanical systems, including its longitudinal engine
placement.
ian subsidiary (Volkswagen do Brasil
), again borrowed heavily from the Audi 80 (Fox/4000) of the day. The BX platform was used for the Brazilian Volkswagen Gol
, Voyage (Gacel or Senda - In Argentina, and Fox in the U.S.), Parati (Amazon in U.S.), Saveiro (pickup) and Furgão (van) models. The Gol/Fox was quite unique in that it started life with a four-cylinder Volkswagen air cooled engine
(borrowed from the Volkswagen Beetle
), and eventually ended up with a more modern watercooled engine, being sold in the US for the first time as a 1987 model. The VW BX family was restyled in 1987 and 1991.
placement and, on some European models, the quattro four-wheel drive
system, rebranded Syncro for Volkswagen cars. The Santana (facelifted) is still produced to this day in China.
models. Instead, the design borrowed heavily from the Volkswagen Group A2 platform.
The "B3" designation is also used to refer to the "Typ 89" version of the Audi 80/90
produced from 1987 to 1992 and the "Typ 8B" Audi Coupé and S2. However these are not based on the same platform as the "B3" Passat.
The "B4" designation is also used to refer to the "Typ 8C" version of the Audi 80 and RS2 produced from 1991 to 1994. However these are not based on the same platform as the "B4" Passat.
placement, which differs from the Volkswagen Group A platform which have been traditionally transversely mounted
. This platform (also known as PL45) was introduced with the first-generation Audi A4
and the 1996 Volkswagen Passat. B5 platform cars can be equipped with a multilink front suspension and a Torsen
centre differential for quattro or 4motion
branded four-wheel drive
systems. A long-wheelbase
derivative of this platform - originally designed for the Chinese market and being used in the 1999 Volkswagen Passat Lingyu, but ultimately being used for its rebadged version under the Škoda brand, the 2002 Škoda Superb - is referred to as PL45+.
In 2001, the B5 Passat received a facelift, referred to as "B5.5".
Confusingly, the current generations of Volkswagen's Passat
are also colloquially
referred to as "B6", given that they are Volkswagen's sixth generation mid-sized saloon. However this generation of the Passat uses the PQ46 platform for its sixth generation, a improved enlarged version of the Golf Mk5
and Jetta Mk5
's PQ35 platform.
ranges, suspension
revisions, updated chassis and consumer electronics, and restyled bodywork
. The B7 A4/S4 retains the Typ 8E/8H numbers of the B6 A4/S4, though with different suffixes, while the SEAT Exeo though it has derived from the Audi A4 B7 takes the Typ 3R number.
ahead of the clutch
, allowing the front axle
to be moved forward 4 inches. This results in an increase in wheelbase
and a slightly more rearward weight distribution for better vehicle dynamics
.
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
automobile platform
Automobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...
from the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
. It has been used for saloon cars/sedans, estate cars/station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
, and coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
s - under the Volkswagen Passenger Cars
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
, Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, SEAT
SEAT
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded on May 9, 1950 by the Instituto Nacional de Industria , a state-owned industrial holding company....
and Škoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
marques over the years.
More recently, Volkswagen Group have introduced a new alphanumeric nomenclature for car platforms. The platform code is composed as follows:
- A letter, P, indicating a passenger car platform
- A letter indicating the configuration of the engineInternal combustion engineThe internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
:- Q indicates a transverse engineTransverse engineA transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...
(Quer in German) - L indicates a longitudinal engineLongitudinal engineIn automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
(Längs in German)
- Q indicates a transverse engine
- A digit indicating the platform size or class (4 corresponding to the "B" series of platforms)
- A digit indicating the generation or evolution
An additional + suffix indicates a long-wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
variant.
B1
1974-1988. An AudiAudi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
derived platform, the first Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
was nearly identical to the Audi 80
Audi 80
The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
(Audi Fox in US), sharing much of its mechanical systems, including its longitudinal engine
Longitudinal engine
In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
placement.
- VW Passat B1 / VW DasherVolkswagen PassatThe Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
(Typ 32, 1974–1981; 1975-1988 in Brazil) - Audi 80Audi 80The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
(Typ 80, 1973–1976) - Audi 80Audi 80The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
(Typ 82, 1977–1978)
BX
1980-1993. The BX platform, developed Volkswagen's BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian subsidiary (Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil
Volkswagen do Brasil Ltda. is a subsidiary arm of Volkswagen Group, established in 1953.-Brazilian developed Volkswagens:Many of its models were designed especially for Brazil:*Brasilia*SP1 & SP2*1500/Variant/Variant II*Karmann Ghia TC...
), again borrowed heavily from the Audi 80 (Fox/4000) of the day. The BX platform was used for the Brazilian Volkswagen Gol
Volkswagen Gol
The Volkswagen Gol is a subcompact car manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil since 1980 as Volkswagen's entry-level car in the South American market—where it succeeded the South American VW Beetle ...
, Voyage (Gacel or Senda - In Argentina, and Fox in the U.S.), Parati (Amazon in U.S.), Saveiro (pickup) and Furgão (van) models. The Gol/Fox was quite unique in that it started life with a four-cylinder Volkswagen air cooled engine
Volkswagen air cooled engine
The Volkswagen air-cooled engine is an air-cooled boxer engine with four horizontally opposed cast iron cylinders, cast aluminium alloy cylinder heads and pistons, magnesium crankcase, and forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods....
(borrowed from the Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
), and eventually ended up with a more modern watercooled engine, being sold in the US for the first time as a 1987 model. The VW BX family was restyled in 1987 and 1991.
B2
Still an Audi derived platform, this time based on the Audi 80/4000, again, including its longitudinal engineLongitudinal engine
In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
placement and, on some European models, the quattro four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
system, rebranded Syncro for Volkswagen cars. The Santana (facelifted) is still produced to this day in China.
- Volkswagen Passat B2 (Typ 32B, 1981–1988; 1984-2012 in China; 1982-1988 in the US where it was sold as the Quantum)
- Audi 80 and 90 (Typ 81, 1979–1987)
- Audi 4000 (Typ 85, 1984–1987)
- Audi Coupé (Typ 85, 1981–1987)
- Audi QuattroAudi QuattroThe Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, now part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.The word quattro is derived from the Italian word for "four"...
(Typ 85, 1981–1991) - Audi Sport Quattro (1984–1987)
- Volkswagen SantanaVolkswagen SantanaThe Volkswagen Santana is a three-box sedan, based on the second generation Volkswagen Passat . It was first introduced in 1981 and is scheduled to remain in production until 2012....
(1984–2006)
B3
The B3 Volkswagen Passat was the first B platform car to be called Passat in the United States. The B3 was also the first Passat with an independently designed platform, it did not share parts with AudiAudi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
models. Instead, the design borrowed heavily from the Volkswagen Group A2 platform.
- Volkswagen Passat B3 (Typ 35i, 1988–1993; 1990-1994 in US)
- Volkswagen CorradoVolkswagen CorradoThe Volkswagen Corrado is a hatchback coupé developed by German automaker Volkswagen and built by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany, between 1 September 1988 and 31 July 1995....
(1988–1995, hybrid platform with A2)
The "B3" designation is also used to refer to the "Typ 89" version of the Audi 80/90
Audi 80
The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
produced from 1987 to 1992 and the "Typ 8B" Audi Coupé and S2. However these are not based on the same platform as the "B3" Passat.
B4
The B4 Passat was a face lifted B3 (receiving its own generation number is controversial), remaining nearly mechanically identical, but with entirely new sheetmetal, and an updated interior design.- Volkswagen Passat B4 (Typ 35i, 1993–1996; U.S. 1995-1997)
The "B4" designation is also used to refer to the "Typ 8C" version of the Audi 80 and RS2 produced from 1991 to 1994. However these are not based on the same platform as the "B4" Passat.
B5 (PL45)
The B5 platform employs a longitudinal engineLongitudinal engine
In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
placement, which differs from the Volkswagen Group A platform which have been traditionally transversely mounted
Transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...
. This platform (also known as PL45) was introduced with the first-generation Audi A4
Audi A4
The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive...
and the 1996 Volkswagen Passat. B5 platform cars can be equipped with a multilink front suspension and a Torsen
Torsen
Torsen is a type of differential used in automobiles. It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a contraction of Torque-Sensing...
centre differential for quattro or 4motion
4motion
4motion is a registered trademark of Volkswagen AG, used exclusively on Volkswagen-branded automobiles which utilise four-wheel drive systems. Volkswagen has previously used the term "Syncro" for its 4WD models....
branded four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
systems. A long-wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
derivative of this platform - originally designed for the Chinese market and being used in the 1999 Volkswagen Passat Lingyu, but ultimately being used for its rebadged version under the Škoda brand, the 2002 Škoda Superb - is referred to as PL45+.
In 2001, the B5 Passat received a facelift, referred to as "B5.5".
B5 / PL45
- Audi A4 (Typ 8D, 1994–2002)
- Audi S4 (Typ 8D, 1997–2002)
- Volkswagen Passat B5 (Typ 3B, 1996–2001)
- Audi RS4 Avant (Typ 8D, 2000–2001)
- Volkswagen Passat B5.5 (Typ 3BG, 2001–2005)
B5 / PL45+
- Volkswagen Passat LingyuVolkswagen PassatThe Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
B5 (1999–present; long-wheelbase version for Chinese market) - Škoda SuperbŠkoda SuperbThe Škoda Superb is a large family car primarily built by the Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto as its flagship car. The versions produced from 2001 to 2008 are based on the platform of the Volkswagen Passat, but are elongated by , and shares its major mechanicals and powertrain with the Passat,...
(Typ 3U, 2002–2008)
B6
The designation "B6" is used to identify the "Typ 8E" Audi A4/S4 produced from late 2000 to 2005. The platform used by these models is formally known as the PL46 platform.Confusingly, the current generations of Volkswagen's Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
are also colloquially
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
referred to as "B6", given that they are Volkswagen's sixth generation mid-sized saloon. However this generation of the Passat uses the PQ46 platform for its sixth generation, a improved enlarged version of the Golf Mk5
Volkswagen Golf Mk5
The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 , built on the Volkswagen Group A5 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 2003 and went on sale in Europe one month later. To commemorate this, Wolfsburg was renamed "Golfsburg" for a week. It reached North American markets in June...
and Jetta Mk5
Volkswagen Jetta
Although the Golf had reached considerable success, in the North American markets, Volkswagen observed that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration...
's PQ35 platform.
B6 / PL46
- Audi A4 (Typ 8E/8H (saloon: 8E2, Avant: 8E5) / 8H7 (Cabriolet), 2001–2005)
- Audi S4 (Typ 8E/8H (saloon: 8E2, Avant: 8E5) / 8H7 (Cabriolet), 2003–2005)
B6 / PQ46
- Volkswagen Passat (Typ 3C, 2006-)
- Volkswagen Passat CCVolkswagen Passat CCThe Volkswagen Passat CC is a 4-door coupé version of the Volkswagen Passat. It debuted in January 2008 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit...
(Typ 3C8, 2009-) - Volkswagen Magotan (2007-)
B7
The Audi A4, S4 and RS4 has a "B7" generation, from 2005 to 2008. However, this seventh generation of the car was a minor revision of the PL46 platform, but with major revisions to engineInternal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
ranges, suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
revisions, updated chassis and consumer electronics, and restyled bodywork
Coachwork
Coachwork is the body of a horse-drawn coach or carriage, a motor vehicle , a railroad car or railway carriage. Usually reserved for bodies built on a separate chassis, rather than being of unitary or monocoque construction...
. The B7 A4/S4 retains the Typ 8E/8H numbers of the B6 A4/S4, though with different suffixes, while the SEAT Exeo though it has derived from the Audi A4 B7 takes the Typ 3R number.
B7 / PL46
- Audi A4 (Typ 8E2 (saloon), 8E5 (Avant), 8H7 (Cabriolet), 2005–2008)
- Audi S4 (Typ 8E2 (saloon), 8E5 (Avant), 8H7 (Cabriolet), 2006–2008)
- Audi RS4 quattro (Typ 8E2 (saloon), 8E5 (Avant), 8H7 (Cabriolet), 2006–2008)
- SEAT ExeoSEAT ExeoThe SEAT Exeo is a five-seat large family car, and flagship model, built by the Spanish car manufacturer, and Volkswagen Group subsidiary SEAT, S.A., with factory production commencing in December 2008....
(Typ 3R5 (saloon), 3R9 (Sport Tourer), 2009-)
MLB/MLP (B8)
The MLB (Modularer Längsbaukasten in German) or MLP (Modular Longitudinal Platform) component matrix is used in the "B8" generation Audi A4 among other models. This is noteworthy for placing the front differentialDifferential (mechanics)
A differential is a device, usually, but not necessarily, employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways: in one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs—this is found in most automobiles—and in the other way, it...
ahead of the clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
, allowing the front axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
to be moved forward 4 inches. This results in an increase in wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
and a slightly more rearward weight distribution for better vehicle dynamics
Vehicle dynamics
Vehicle dynamics refers to the dynamics of vehicles, here assumed to be ground vehicles. Vehicle dynamics is a part of engineering primarily based on classical mechanics but it may also involve chemistry, solid state physics, electrical engineering, communications, psychology, control theory,...
.
- Audi A5Audi A5The Audi A5 is a coupé produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi since 2007. It is the coupé, cabriolet, and five-door fastback versions of the fourth generation Audi A4 saloon and estate models....
(Typ 8T, 2007-) - Audi A4Audi A4The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive...
(Typ 8K, 2008-) - Audi Q5Audi Q5The Audi Q5 is a compact crossover SUV which was released by German automaker Audi for the 2009 model year. It is built using the new Audi MLP platform which debuted in the 2007 Audi A5 coupé. The Q5 is the second Audi model in the "Q" range, after the full-size Q7...
(Typ 8R, 2009-) - Audi A8Audi A8The Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, luxury sedan car manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, the A8 has been offered with front wheel drive or permanent four-wheel drive, with multitronic or tiptronic automatic transmissions — and in short- and...
(Typ 4H, "D4", 2010-) - Audi A7Audi A7The Audi Sportback concept is a concept car produced by Audi, shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. The Sportback concept, a luxury five-door fastback model, was regarded as a preview of two future models: the Audi A5 Sportback variant and the Audi A7...
(Typ 4G, 2010-) - Audi A6Audi A6The Audi A6 is an executive car marketed by the German automaker Audi AG, now in its fourth generation. As the successor to the Audi 100, the A6 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany – and is available in saloon, and wagon configurations, the latter marketed by Audi as the Avant.All generations...
("C7", 2011-)