Speaking at the launch of VW’s ‘Strategy 2025’ in Wolfsburg, VW Group boss Matthias Müller revealed that the wider VW Group would make a “big reduction” in the number of model variants it produces – currently around 340 – as well as slashing the number of individual modular architectures from 12 to just four.

The four platforms will be small, medium, premium and sportscar.

This decision could cause future large Audis based on Porsche’s MSB platform and Audi’s unusual, longitudinally engined MLB architecture to be dropped altogether. VW’s standalone NSF platform, which underpins the Up, could also be killed off.

However, Müller confirmed the VW Budget Car plan with "local partners” is on track and that the new model is likely to be aimed specifically at Asia.

In India alone, the cars that fall under the VW Group umbrella are underpinned by as many as 9 platforms. The VW Polo, Ameo and Vento, and Skoda’s Rapid are built on the PQ25 platform, while the VW Jetta, Skoda Yeti and Audi Q3 use the PQ35 as their base. 

Larger models from Audi along with the Porsche Macan are underpinned by the MLB platform while the latest offerings like the new Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga are based on the larger MLB-Evo platform.

On the other hand, Porsche’s sportscars are underpinned by their own platforms while older Bentley offerings feature their own platforms as well.