Some call it a platform or a chassis. The latest term is “the architecture”. Basically, it’s what lies underneath.

In the old days, you could look at the windshield and roof of a car to determine what it was. Thinking back to the 1970 model year, the Olds 442, Pontiac GTO, and Buick Gran Sport were the exact same car. Oh sure, the engines, transmissions, interiors, brakes, bumpers, fenders and many other parts were different, but the cars were still the same. If those three cars were put on a rack, and the average Joe spent ten minutes looking at them from underneath, Joe would agree.

Times have changed. You can no longer look at the A-pillar of a car and know what it is. The same goes for cursory glances from underneath. Let’s take the Lincoln LS, the Jaguar S-Type, and the Ford Mustang. Now let’s try to apply the old kindergarten quiz, “Which thing doesn’t belong?” The truth is, an argument can be made that they all do, and yet none of them do. Two are luxury cars with a sporting flavor, and one is a pony car. Two are “Detroit Iron”, while one is of “British lineage”. These are three distinct vehicles with one thing in common; they share the same “architecture”.

Mazda’s latest midsize sedan is another good example. The Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr are all derived from the Mazda6. The Fords are derivatives because it’s Mazda’s design. The design was so good that Phil Martins, at that time the Managing Director of Product Strategy, Design and Product Development, is quoted as saying, “We developed the Mazda6 as a new global midsize platform for the future.”

The same applies to the new Volvo V50, European Ford Focus, and the Mazda3. All three use Mazda’s chassis design. According to Anders Robertson, Volvo’s V50/S40 strategy manager, “As long as it meets Volvo standards, it doesn’t matter whether we developed it.” Have you noticed the common denominator here? It appears that Ford is leaning on Mazda for chassis development. Can it really be true that Mazda chassis designs are the best choice in Ford’s global coalition? A better choice than Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, and dare I say it, Aston Martin? For those market segments, yes.

For many Mazda owners, that’s not news. How a car handles is directly related to chassis design, and handling has long been a forte of Mazda vehicles. The Miata is a perfect example. The Miata has the kind of grip typically found on the latest Six Flags roller coaster. Ditto for the RX-8. Mazda chassis design is so good that the best upgrade the average driver can spring for isn’t a set of KONIs, springs, high performance rubber, or sway bars. Typically the best handling improvement can be found by spending a day at a high performance driving school. Some may roll their eyes and say, “Dad taught me all I need to know.” If your first name is Marco, Jeff, or Michael, and your last name is Andretti, that may be true. For the rest of us, Mazda has more chassis than we have ability.