Douglas Hall wrote:

Indeed, but think about cost - there's a fair few more Golf (octavia / leon
/ TT /) platform drivetrains manufactured than A4 platform (A4 / superb)
making a mass production cost benefit, and the transverse engine gives
better packaging (less bonnet, more passenger space) and according to Volvo
and Saab better frontal crash protection.

Means the 4WD versions will now be Haldex instead of Quattro based but
that's no big deal to 99.999% of passat buyers anyway.


--
re-configure the solar matrix in parallel for endothermic propulsion

SteveH (steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

Umm, why?

It's a steel A8 hit with the ugly stick and in SERIOUS need of a diet.

A8 - Ally, 1,700kg.
Phaeton - Steel, 2,300kg.

Tim S Kemp wrote:
The only disadvantage is that the the transverse layout inevitably means
McPherson struts front suspension, whereas the traditional layout allows
more advanced front suspension. Whether this is actually employed in the
A4 I don't know. Whether it matters in a repmobile, I don't know.

The message <1h2j3wb.1ev4xw9w99cjeN%steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk>
from steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk (SteveH) contains these words:

When come back, bring Phaeton!

--
Skipweasel.
In the beginning was the word.
And the word was Aardvark.

Guy King <guy.king (AT) zetnet (DOT) co.uk> wrote:

Argh!
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Passat 1.8 Turbo SE - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Adrian <toomany2cvs (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

I don't know, really. I just fancy a W12, that's all.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Passat 1.8 Turbo SE - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Johannes (johs (AT) spam-no-chance-sizefitter (DOT) com) gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

While most transverse layouts certainly DO use MacStruts - which are,
indeed, shit - it certainly isn't "inherent", and it's certainly possible
to use far better (whether "more advanced" or not) layouts with a
transverse lump - it's been done many times in the past.

The fact that VAG choose not to shows either complete poverty of
imagination or the rule of the bean-counter.

SteveH (steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

So why not have it in an A8?

(Or, indeed, in something else... a friend of mine should be taking
delivery of his W12-powered four-door soon, I think he said this week...
It's coming from Crewe...)

Adrian <toomany2cvs (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

Much as I like the A8, I actually prefer the styling of the Phaeton.

Not to mention the fact that Phaetons will be stupidly cheap in a few
years.

Nasty. Why pay that much money for a VW?


--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Passat 1.8 Turbo SE - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Johannes wrote:

true, ish. Doesn't Honda manage to fit full double wishbone in its
transverse cars?

As for it mattering, no, it doesn't, again to the huge majority of passat
owners. The Passat, like the Vectra and the Mondeo, is a very very good all
round mid price car, it doesn't have to excel in anything.

--
re-configure the solar matrix in parallel for endothermic propulsion