Volkswagen Puebla plant will only produce cars based on MQB platform

22 March, 2018

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Volkswagen executives in Germany confirmed that the Puebla assembly plant is being reconfigured to produce only vehicles that are based on the MQB platform, which implies that models such as the Beetle and the previous version of the Tiguan, now marketed as Tiguan Limited, will cease to be produced in said facility imminently.

"We have invested a lot in the Puebla plant to produce this new platform there, so we plan to take advantage of these investments," Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG, said in a press conference last week.

"We are transforming the plant in Mexico to produce only models based on MQB," added Jürgen Stackmann, member of the Board of Directors and global responsible for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales of the Volkswagen brand.

More than a platform, the MQB is a system for the use of different platforms that have transverse engines, regardless of the ten body configurations the company manufactures for any of its eleven vehicle brands. All MQB cars will share the same front axle, pedal box and engine positioning, despite varying wheelbase, track and external dimensions.

Currently almost two dozen models are manufactured on this platform, including several from Volkswagen subsidiaries Skoda and SEAT. The latter brand has confirmed through its own executives that it is working with the German automaker to produce at least one model at the Mexican plant.

The vehicles that the Puebla plant currently manufactures on the MQB platform are the all-new Tiguan and the Golf in all of its variations, as well as the all-new Jetta.

Among the models that share this architecture and that are not produced in Mexico are the all-new Polo, which is manufactured in India, and the T-Roc, as well as the current generations of Ibiza, Leon, Arona, Ateca and Tarraco from the SEAT brand.

Although a specific date to discontinue the Beetle production in Mexico has yet to be confirmed, it is to be assumed that the measure will be completed before 2020 when the Puebla facility will start production of a new SUV, which was confirmed by the same officials during the conference that took place last week.

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