PSA maximizes use of 3 platforms; Flexibility is key as Peugeot and Citroen preserve identities while sharing 'hidden' parts.(News)(PSA/Peugeot-Citroen)

Saint-Seine, Sylviane de; Weernink, Wim Oude

Byline: Wim Oude Weernink, Sylviane de Saint-Seine

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen aims to build 85 percent of its passenger cars on three platforms - for small, medium and large cars - by the end of 2004.

PSA's platforms are highly flexible. For example, the wheelbase length and track - the width between the wheels - can be varied. Different body styles, ranging from classic three-box sedan to monobox, can be built on each platform. The Peugeot 307 station wagon, for example, has a longer wheelbase than the standard 307.

"The cars must share everything that the consumer does not ...