An
automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. Many vendors refer to this as a
vehicle architecture. Originally, a platform was a literally shared chassis from a previously-engineered vehicle, as in the case for the Volkswagen Beetle frame under the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. The first generic platform to be shared among a number of vehicles was the Ford Fox platform of the 1970s. In the 1980s, Chrysler's K-cars all wore a badge with the letter, "K", to indicate their shared platform.
Today, platform sharing is much less noticeable. Vehicle architectures consist of "under the skin" components only, and shared platforms can show up in unusual places like the Nissan FM platform-mates Nissan 350Z sports car and Infiniti FX SUV. Volkswagen A platform-mates like the Audi TT and Volkswagen Golf also share much of their mechanical components but seem entirely different. Ford Motor Company has had much success building many well differentiated vehicles from many marques off the same platforms.
The following automobile platforms are used by Ford Motor Company and its subsidiaries.
1970s
Platform | Type | Drive | Example |
| Fox | compact | RWD | Ford Mustang |
| Maverick |
| Panther | full-size | RWD | Ford Crown Victoria |
1980s
Platform | Type | Drive | Example |
| CE14 | compact | FWD | Ford Escort |
| Fox | compact | RWD | Ford Mustang |
| Panther | full-size | RWD | Ford Crown Victoria |
| EA26 | full-size | RWD | Ford Falcon |
1990s
Platform | Type | Drive | Example | VIN Code |
| B | subcompact | FWD | Ford Fiesa |
| C170 | compact | FWD | Ford Focus | P3 |
| CDW27 | mid-size | FWD | Ford Mondeo |
| SN-95 | compact | RWD | Ford Mustang | P4 |
| Panther | full-size | RWD | Ford Crown Victoria | P7/M7 |
| DEW98 | mid-size | RWD | Lincoln LS | M86/M87 |
| EA77 | full-size | RWD | Ford Falcon |
| EA169 | full-size | RWD | Ford Falcon |
2000s
Platform | Type | Drive | Example | VIN Code |
| B3 | subcompact | FWD | Mazda Mazda2 |
| C1 | compact | FWD | Volvo S40 |
| CD2 | Crossover SUV | AWD | Ford Escape | U0/U9 |
| CD132 | mid-size | FWD | Ford Mondeo |
| mid-size | FWD | Ford Taurus | P5/M5 |
| CD3 | mid-size | FWD/AWD | Mazda Mazda6 | P8 |
| CD345 | mid-size | FWD | Ford Mondeo |
| SN-95 | compact | RWD | Ford Mustang | P4 |
| D2C | sports | RWD | 2005 Ford Mustang |
| compact pickup |
| Ford Ranger | R |
| P2/P3 | full-size pickup |
| Ford F-Series | X/F/W |
| U2/U3 | SUV |
| Ford Explorer | U6/U7/U8 |
| large SUV |
| Ford Expedition | U1/U2 |
| large SUV |
| Ford Excursion | U4 |
| V2 | minivan |
| Ford Freestar | A2/A5 |
| V184/V185 | mid-size van |
| Ford Transit |
| VN | full-size van |
| Ford Econoline | C/E/S |
| D3 | full-size | FWD/AWD | Volvo S60/Ford Five Hundred |
| DEW98 | mid-size | RWD | Lincoln LS | M86/M87 |
| EA169 | full-size | RWD/AWD | Ford Falcon |
| Panther | full-size | RWD | Ford Crown Victoria | P7/M7/M8 |
| VH | sports | RWD | Aston Martin DB9 |
General Motors has embraced the sharing of automobile platforms globally, although the company currently uses the term,
architecture rather than
platform. Traditionally, GM platforms were long-running vehicle families aimed at similar market niches. For example, the E-body Oldsmobile Toronado lasted through four generations from 1966 through 1992, but retained the same name throughout. Customers began to use the platform names as well. For example, many economy car owners called their cars J-bodies rather than the multitude of different names used by the various GM divisions.
In some cases, the name was retained for a market segment even while the architecture diverged radically. In 1982, the A-body switched from front- to rear-wheel drive. The former chassis continued, now with the G-body name, while the new A-body was all-new.
Current platforms Template: GM platforms
Historical platforms As mentioned above, GM used platforms to make a heirarchy of models aimed at different market segments. The following table attempts to place each shared platform in context.
Front wheel drive
| Vehicle Type | Platform | Chevrolet | Pontiac | Oldsmobile | Buick | Cadillac |
| economy | J-body | Cavalier | Sunbird | Firenza | SkyHawk | Cimarron |
| compact | X-body | Citation | Phoenix | Omega | Skylark | - |
| compact | N-body/
L-body | Malibu/
Beretta | Grand Am | Cutlass Calais/
Achieva/
Alero | Skylark | - |
| compact coupe | N-body/
L-body | Beretta | Grand Am | Cutlass Calais | - | - |
| midsize | A-body | Celebrity | 6000 | Cutlass Ciera | Century | - |
| midsize | W-body | Lumina/
Impala | Grand Prix | Cutlass Supreme/
Intrigue | Regal/
Century | - |
| midsize coupe | W-body | Lumina/
Monte Carlo | Grand Prix | Cutlass Supreme | Regal | - |
| fullsize | H-body/
G-body/
C-body/
K-body | - | Bonneville | Eighty-Eight/
Ninety-Eight/
Aurora | Le Sabre/
Park Avenue | Deville/
Seville |
| personal luxury | E-body/
V-body | - | - | Toronado | Riviera/
Reatta | Eldorado/
Allante |
| minivan | U-body | Lumina APV/
Venture | Trans Sport/
Montana | Silhouette | - | - |
Rear wheel drive
GM re-used some platform names between the front- and rear-wheel drive families.
| Vehicle Type | Platform | Chevrolet | Pontiac | Oldsmobile | Buick | Cadillac |
| economy | T-body | Chevette | 1000 | - | - | - |
| compact | A-body | Corvair | Tempest | Cutlass | Special | - |
| compact coupe | H-body | Vega/
Monza | Astre/
Sunbird | Starfire | SkyHawk | - |
| midsize | G-body | Malibu | Grand Prix/
Bonneville | Cutlass Supreme | Century | - |
| midsize coupe | G-body | Monte Carlo | - | Cutlass Supreme | Regal/
Grand National | - |
| fullsize | B-body/
D-body | Caprice/
Impala SS | - | - | Roadmaster | Brougham |
| fullsize wagon | B-body | Caprice | - | Custom Cruiser | Estate/
Roadmaster | - |
| GT coupe | F-body | Camaro | Firebird | - | - | - |
| sports car | Y-body | Corvette | - | - | - | XLR |
Others
GM also has a number of non-shared and international platforms:
- GM V platform - Holden Commodore
- GM Z platform - Saturn S-series
And the company has used the platform name for badge-engineered and non-GM products:
- GM M platform (Suzuki) - Chevrolet Sprint, Geo Metro
- GM P platform (Isuzu) - Chevrolet Spectrum, Geo Storm
- GM S platform (Toyota) - Chevrolet Nova, Geo Prizm
- GM T platform (Daewoo) - Pontiac Le Mans
The
Volkswagen A platform is an automobile platform shared among the compact cars of Volkswagen Group. It is based on the architecture of the Volkswagen Golf and is adaptable to either front- or all wheel drive.
A1 platform cars:
- VW Cabriolet
- VW Golf Mk.1
- VW Jetta Mk.1
- VW Caddy pickup truck
- VW Rabbit
- VW Scirocco
A2 platform cars:
- VW Corrado
- VW Golf Mk.2
- VW Jetta Mk.2.
A3 platform cars:
- VW Cabrio
- VW Golf Mk.3
- VW Jetta/Vento Mk.3
A4 platform cars:
- Audi A3
- Audi TT
- VW Golf Mk.4
- VW Jetta/Bora Mk.4
- VW New Beetle
- Skoda Octavia
- Seat Leon
The
A5 (or
PQ35 internally) platform is designed to be more flexible than previous A platforms. VW expects to be able to move the A platform into larger vehicles in the future. A first in the A platform is a fully independent suspension in the A5.
Expected A-platform VW products include:
- Audi A3
- VW Golf V
- VW Jetta/Bora V
- SEAT small minivan
- Volkswagen small minivan
- VW Stadlieferwagen (to replace the VW Caddy)
- Skoda Octavia
- SEAT Toledo
- SEAT Leon
- 2008 VW small crossover SUV
