Terminology 101

[Tom Haapanen]

To confuse things a little bit more, VW has changed its internal 
platform nomenclature.

The old ones (A00, A0, B, C, D) have been replaced with more descripting 
but more obtuse-looking two- to four-character codes:

e.g.

PQ24 (A2, new Polo)
    Platform
    Quer (transverse)
    Size class 2
    Generation 4

PQ35 (new A3, next-gen Golf/Jetta)
    Platform
    Quer (transverse)
    Size class 3
    Generation 5

PQ46 (next-gen Passat)
    Platform
    Quer (transverse)
    Size class 4
    Generation 6

PL46 (current A4)
    Platform
    Leng (longitudonal)
    Size class 4
    Generation 6

PL62 (new Audi A8)
    Platform
    Leng (longitudonal)
    Size class 6
    Generation 2

PL71 (Touareg)
    Platform
    Leng (longitudonal)
    Size class 7
    Generation 1

T5 (new Transporter/Caravelle)
    Transporter
    Generation 5

Tom


Louis-Alain RICHARD wrote:

>Just to be sure that everybody follows you Ti, I should add this to the
>discussion.
>
>I am sure everybody knows it but maybe the newcomers don't: the alphanumeric
>nomenclature A1, B5 or C4 etc. refers to the overall dimensions and the
>generation of a chassis. 
>
>EX: 	A1 is the small platform 1st generation (Golf-Rabbit, Scirocco,
>Jetta)
>	B2 is the medium sized car, second generation (like the Type 81 and
>85)
>	C4 is the big car, 4th iteration (Audi 100, urS4)
> 
>The Type XX nomenclature is a way to differentiate the
>mechanically-different models from a same time-period built on a same-size
>chassis.
>
>Sometimes, Type XX and alphanumeric nomenclature follows each other, (like a
>type 43 is a C2 and all C2 are type 43), sometimes not (like the B2 type
>81-85 we are now trying to decipher...). But a Type XX can not cross over 2
>different alphanumeric chassis. I think. 
>
>The advantages are obvious:
>	- model year, country, or marketing names are nor relevant. A type
>43 is always a Type 43, no matter it's a 5000 or a 200 or a 100...
>
>	- Different brand-models are regrouped under a same name. A
>1998-2004 B5 Passat (Type 3B) is closely linked to the 1996-2001 B5 Audi A4 
>	(Type 8D). Many parts are exchangeable and even if the wheelbase is
>different, they share the same general chassis dimensions.
>
>	- People "in the know" (like us on this list) can look either very
>knowledgeable or downright stupid at their parts department if we understand
>or not these *not so simple* nomenclatures...
>
>
>I hope I did not mixed up things too much...
>
>Is there a table (or a genealogical tree maybe...) for the relationship
>between Type and Alphanumerical?
>