As automakers diversify, sharing technology, engineering, and parts from one model to another is a common practice in the car sales and automotive market. One early example is General Motors with its Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac brands. However, other, less obvious examples often include collaborations between seemingly rival companies. Read on to find out which new cars share the same platform.
What does it mean when cars share the same platform?
An electric vehicle platform | ANDREW MILLIGAN/AFP via Getty Images
TrueCar defines a vehicle platform as “the foundation the car is built on.” Automakers use platform sharing to lower costs, standardize build processes, and improve overall quality. Additionally, it’s a way for them to get the most out of investments in engineering, assembly-line tooling, and workforce training by spreading the cost of those investments across multiple new cars. While a few are obvious, some of these six examples of new cars that share the same platform may surprise you.
Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon
All three of these new three-row SUVs are General Motors products sharing the GMT T1XX platform and, until recently, shared a similar look and feel. Recent design changes increased each new SUV’s individuality but kept the same shared platform.
The Cadillac Escalade’s $77,990 starting MSRP is the highest of these three new cars. Equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 engine, the Escalade offers the most horsepower and luxury. Combined with Escalade’s luxury is the best technology package of the group.
On the other hand, the Chevrolet Tahoe is the least expensive of these three new SUVs and starts at $52,195. It also offers the fewest options and technology. That said, the Chevy Tahoe is still a good choice for those wanting a large three-row SUV.
Positioned between the Escalade and the Tahoe is the GMC Yukon, which starts at $54,195. The Yukon offers luxury and technology in its upper trim levels rivaling the Escalade. Choosing the right trim level makes it possible to get most of the desirable Escalade features at a lower price by selecting the Yukon.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6
Based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 are both small crossover EVs. Each new car offers unique styling and driving characteristics despite sharing the same platform and vehicle class. The E-GMP platform will support various vehicle types, from small hatchbacks to three-row SUVs in the future.
The base trimmed Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE starts at $43,650. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 features 225 horsepower and a 303-mile all-electric driving range.
Designed to compete directly with the Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV6 is sportier than the Ioniq 5. The EV6 GT-Line starts at $55,900 and features an electric all-wheel drive system with 320 horsepower and up to 274-mile range on a full charge.
BMW Z4 and Toyota GR Supra
When preparing for the return of the Supra in 2020, Toyota turned to BMW for engine options and BMW’s iDrive system, which is available on the BMW Z4 platform. Both new cars use similar 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter six-cylinder engines to produce horsepower ranging from 255 to 382. This pairing is an example of a shared platform that surprises most people as they don’t look alike and involve two apparent competitors.
The BMW Z4 sDrive30i starts at $49,900 and features the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. On the other hand, the Z4 M40i utilizes the turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine producing 382 horsepower and starts at $63,700.
The Toyota GR Supra’s three trim levels begin with the Supra 2.0, at $43,290, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower. Next, the Supra 3.0 utilizes the 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine to produce 382 horsepower and starts at $51,640. Finally, the 3.0 Premium has the same engine as the Supra 3.0 trim but features premium interior trimmings and tech.
Infiniti QX70 and Nissan 370Z
Built on Nissan’s FM platform, which derives its name from its engine placement “front midship,” the Nissan 370Z is a well-known sports car. Building the Infinity QX70 on the same FM platform automatically infused sports car-like handling into the mid-size crossover.
The 2017 Infiniti QX70 featured a 3.7-liter V6 engine that produced 325 horsepower. Although Infiniti no longer makes the QX70, used models still list for around $30K.
Discontinued in 2020, the Nissan 370Z featured the same 3.7-liter V6 engine as the QX70 except for better tuning, which it to 350 horsepower in some trims. Edmunds reports new models listed for $39,490 in 2020.
Jeep Grand Cherokee & Mercedes-Benz GLE
Jeep’s family tree has roots tied to Daimler-Chrysler. So it’s not a big surprise that the Grand Cherokee and the Mercedes-Benz GLE share similar platforms. It’s more surprising that these two similar-looking new cars produced by companies sharing corporate lineage don’t share more parts than they do.
Starting at $33,885, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee features engine choices ranging from 3.6-liters to 6.4-liters and from 293 to 707 horsepower.
On the other hand, the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 starts at $56,150 and features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower.
Audi A4 and Lamborghini Urus
It may seem unlikely, but the Lamborghini Ursus and the Audi A4 share the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform. The MLB Evo platform isn’t a physical platform so much as a method of creating an interchangeable set of parts that work together.
The new Audi A4 starts at $39,900 and features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 201 horsepower. However, higher trims gain additional power up to 261 horsepower.
With a starting price of $218,009, the Lamborghini Ursus is a force with which to reckon. In fact, its 4.0-liter V8 engine makes 641 horsepower, ultimately propelling the 4,844-pound crossover from 0-to-62 mph in 3.6 seconds.
These new cars show how connected the industry is
These six examples of cars sharing similar platforms highlight how connected the automotive industry is. Sharing technology and engineering lead to improved performance and safety for all of us that use vehicles for transportation.
Keyword: TrueCar Reveals 6 New Cars You Didn’t Know Share the Same Platform