Volkswagen Small Car Platform to get AWD

Audi A1, VW Polo & Skoda Fabia to benefit

by Clinton Deacon
May 8, 2008 11:06 AM
Filed Under: Audi, German, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen

AWD is the name of the game as far as Audi is concerned with their quattro models, and their upcoming A1 based on the Metroproject Quattro Concept will be no different as VW confirms their small-car platform which also includes the Polo and Skoda Fabia will get All-Wheel-Drive.

"The new small-car platform architecture includes an all-wheel drive option," Erich Schmitt, president of Seat said.

The new platform (codenamed: PQ25) has already made its first venture in the form of the Seat Ibiza which unfortunately will not get the AWD, the next generation Polo will follow later this year with the Audi A1 in late 2009.

Source: Autonews

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Comments

Why would anyone need AWD in such a small package and considering performance levels, deploying the power to the ground should not be a problem at all. So, Audi and co. should really invest in other areas.. I've owned a quattro but it only made sense with lots of power.

And just have a look at the new Audi S3. Due to the quattro drivetrain (Haldex but anyway..) it doesn't have a proper bootspace either. So A1 with quattro will be horrible then :)

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by catch22 | May 8, 2008 11:46 AM

Audis haste to rule the motoring world is making them come up with 'Buck Rogers' or star trek cars. Like wise who would need an all wheel drive 'matchbox'. They have come up with very good designs and cars in form of the R8 S5 (what a beut)and i suppose the S3. Now this A1, i feel like it has stolen alot of design cues from the mini and beetle. The only original thing on it are the lights whichare really becoming comical with all these designs. Pretty soon they'll have flashing lights and mirror balls in their head lights.

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by Wisp | May 8, 2008 12:25 PM

On second thoughts those head lights resemble a humans angry looking eyes, doesn't it remind of of 'cats eyes' or 'owl eyes' lights so much missused by BMW...

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by Wisp | May 8, 2008 12:28 PM

They look like eyes from dragon ball Z

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by kevoluetion | May 10, 2008 6:13 AM

Fantastic car.

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by car.fan | May 8, 2008 12:57 PM

Keep polluting the earth...No need for awds anymore in the urban areas, instead they must focus on light-weigth electric vehicles. People die starving all over the world, we make the Arabs richer, they buy more Ferraris and the whole world.

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by trailer | May 8, 2008 1:23 PM

you geek, go buy a 'friendly hybrid' car that has a massive carbon footprint due to it being shipped from the other side of the world.

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by roger | May 8, 2008 2:25 PM

Audi's AWD's do not pollute any more than BMW's rear wheel drives....so shhh.

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by car.fan | May 8, 2008 1:35 PM

So buy chinese.

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by alessandro | May 10, 2008 6:02 PM

Good idea if you live in uk where the potholes require a 4x4 to ge out of! . Why should we care about small cars with 4x4 when concrete is a bigger poluter? Nice car , it will be good if it has the same engine as the polo blue motion .

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by spyshot-73 | May 8, 2008 2:54 PM

What is the weight distribution on this car? it's front looks way to forward like the old A4's or Passats.

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by Wisp | May 8, 2008 3:15 PM

Trailer is right: the A1 won't (shouldn't) get more than 200hp, so two-wheel drive will prove more sensible for real life.

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by NaBUru38 | May 9, 2008 2:43 AM

i's imagine the things 'bout a city car awd is it be very small'N'ightweight. Meaning for virtually negligable performance hit 'coz O' size of car's haldex sys. HOWZ'VER!!! Think go-cart. Think go-cart. Very small, very nimble, AWD a great benefit @@@ this size v-kill. Any size v-kill wit awd.

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by droobear | May 9, 2008 2:45 AM

Having AWD on a small car makes no sence to me. Every body is talking on reduction on a CO2 emision and AWD without powerless engine is nothing.

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by topspeed | May 11, 2008 4:32 PM

mize point is being thats the actual haldex unit, itll be very much small and lightweight. there be no efficiency penalty cause weight is so negligible for a unit this size. awd is only more gas because of weight of extra driveshaft and haldex. both so small n light in a car like this.

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by droobear | May 17, 2008 9:58 AM

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Audi A1 Metroproject Quattro Concept

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Volkswagen Small Car Platform to get AWD

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