# What does MK mean?



## markwaddle (Aug 6, 2003)

Sorry if this has been covered, a quick answer will do.
What does MK mean when talking about model/chassis generations?
Thanks
- Mark


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## dr_spock (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: What does MK mean? (markwaddle)*

MK stands for mark, I believe. British for version.


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## Goldice (May 3, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (dr_spock)*

MK stands for body style, dont confuse it with A, which is chassis. the MK abbreviation has nothing to do with chassis.


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## skyliner77 (Dec 9, 2002)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Goldice)*

from Merriam-Webster dictionary
: TRADEMARK (2) capitalized -- used with a numeral to designate a particular_ model_ of a weapon or machine <Mark II> e : a written or printed symbol (as a comma or colon)


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## maximus_manx (Jul 16, 2001)

*Re: What does MK mean? (skyliner77)*

By the way, it's pronounced 'mark;' not 'emm-kay.'








The European designation for a car's generation is referred to by mark. Everything from Ford GT40's to Austin Healy 3000's carried 'Mk' designations.
VW's in-house designation for the chassis platforms is the 'A,' as in A1, A2, A3, etc. The European version of that is Mk1, Mk2, Mk3, etc. No matter what anyone says, ALL Sciroccos are Mk1's(A1 platform).
**EDIT** I just noticed the original poster's name is Mark. Ironic, no?


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## Troike (Jul 21, 2003)

*Re: What does MK mean? (maximus_manx)*

and for a picture example


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Goldice)*

Doesnt a1 mean the exact same thing as mk1?


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## nuugen (Jan 2, 2002)

*Re: What does MK mean? (dr_spock)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dr_spock* »_MK stands for mark, I believe. British for version.


The original word was "Marque", which means a brand or make of product, and the numeral after it is used to denote the particular chassis/model designation of a model...Lincoln had a series simply named MKV, MKVI, MKVII, MKVIII, etc.-- each one was an evolved model from its predecessor...


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## maximus_manx (Jul 16, 2001)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*


_Quote, originally posted by *1.8TRabbit* »_Doesnt a1 mean the exact same thing as mk1?

Yes it does, until you involve the Scirocco owners; then it gets muddy. ALL Sciroccos were on the A1 platform, but there were 2 generations of 'Roccos. I personally refer to them as Scirocco I and II, or call them 'first generation/second generation.'


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## RedG6 (Mar 6, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (maximus_manx)*


_Quote, originally posted by *maximus_manx* »_By the way, it's pronounced 'mark;' not 'emm-kay.'


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Goldice)*

So then why do people say mk1 mk2 mk3 mk4? Is it really a1 a2 a3 a4? Or are the older vws a1 a2 then mk3 mk4?


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## ZoSo914 (Sep 12, 2003)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*


_Quote, originally posted by *1.8TRabbit* »_So then why do people say mk1 mk2 mk3 mk4? Is it really a1 a2 a3 a4? Or are the older vws a1 a2 then mk3 mk4?

Really its two ways of saying about the same thing. the MK is used more when refering to the body design of a car, while the A# is used more when refering to chasis development. the example given above about scirocco's shows this very well. the MKI and MKII Scirocco's were both built on the A1 chasis platform. it may seem a little confusing at first but its actually very simple when conpaired to other car makers.


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## Rallybug (Dec 29, 2000)

*Re: What does MK mean? (ZoSo914)*

Ah well, at least there's not A5 chassis - it'll be a choice of Mk 5 or PQ35 now


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Rallybug)*

So it is a1 for chassis. I knew that but The body is reffered to mk? aka mark?


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## kamzcab86 (Feb 14, 2002)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*

A1 / Mk1 / Golf I (Rabbit)
A2 / Mk2 / Golf II
A3 / Mk3 / Golf III
A4 / Mk4 / Golf IV
A5 / Mk5 / Golf V
A1 / Mk1 / '79-'93 Golf I Cabriolet = Europe
A1 / Mk1 / '79-'84 Rabbit Convertible
A1 / Mk1 / '85-'93 Cabriolet
A3 / Mk3 / '94-'98 Golf III Cabrio(let) = Europe
A3 / Mk3 / '95-'99 Cabrio
A3 / Mk3.5 / '99-'02 Golf IV Cabrio(let) = Europe
A3 / Mk3.5 / '99.5-'02 Cabrio
A1 / Mk1 / Scirocco I (up to '84ish)
A1 / Mk2 / Scirocco II (from '84ish on)
You get the idea. "A" is VW's chassis designation. "Mk" is the British moniker meaning "version". "(car) II" is the European moniker for the cars. All essentially mean the same thing. But as you can see it can get confusing. With the Cabs, they're all A1 chassis cars up to '93; in '88 the Clipper Kit was added but "Mk2" was not used (it is by a few Brits) because the body itself went mostly unchanged. All 'roccos are built on the A1 chassis but they underwent a body change in the mid-'80s and are therefore Mk2 'roccos. The Cabrios went from Mk3 to Mk3.5 because they retained the A3 chassis and Mk3 body aside from the Mk4 aesthetics (which are indeed different, size-wise from the hardtop Golf); they aren't truly Mk4s, hence a middle-ground of Mk3.5 (although Mk4 as well as Golf IV are widely used).
Make sense?


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (kamzcab86)*

Yeah it does.. lol... But I thought the mk5s werent built on the same chassis. So therefor its not a a5... pq35/mk5


_Modified by 1.8TRabbit at 10:50 AM 1-10-2005_


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## VR6 Master (Sep 16, 2003)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*

I NEVER KNEW THE DIFFERENCE..


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## DubMaN69 (Jan 11, 2003)

*Re: What does MK mean? (dr_spock)*


_Quote, originally posted by *dr_spock* »_MK stands for mark, I believe. British for version.


i have to 2nd that i believe it stands for mark


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## maximus_manx (Jul 16, 2001)

*Re: What does MK mean? (DubMaN69)*


_Quote, originally posted by *DubMaN69* »_
i have to 2nd that i believe it stands for mark 

It doesn't 'stand' for it...it's an abbreviation.


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (maximus_manx)*

mk aka mark stands for Version in british terms.


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## Junkyardrabbit (Jul 7, 2003)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*

Off topic, I get a kick how the Brits call a 300Z a "300 Zed" Makes me giggle.


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Junkyardrabbit)*

my friend has a 350z And I have never heard of them being called that?







Why do they call them that?


_Modified by 1.8TRabbit at 12:09 AM 1-13-2005_


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## 3VWMAN (Feb 6, 2002)

*Re: What does MK mean? (1.8TRabbit)*

FYI. VW never used the Mk or Mark designation on their european vehicles. It is only used by us crazy enthusiasts.


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## tinman0 (Jun 11, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (3VWMAN)*

vw do use mk in the official parts catalogue.


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## APR'dGLI (Jan 13, 2005)

*Re: What does MK mean? (skyliner77)*

MK means the version. It is just another way of saying it.


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## maximus_manx (Jul 16, 2001)

*Re: What does MK mean? (Junkyardrabbit)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Junkyardrabbit* »_Off topic, I get a kick how the Brits call a 300Z a "300 Zed" Makes me giggle.

The British, and most anyone into ham radio uses the 'call letter' of Zed in place of the letter Z. Doesn't make me giggle.


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## 1.8TRabbit (Nov 15, 2004)

*Re: What does MK mean? (maximus_manx)*

Now I feel all giggly inside!!


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## Vw_herbie (May 10, 2000)

*Re: What does MK mean? (maximus_manx)*


_Quote, originally posted by *maximus_manx* »_
The British, and most anyone into ham radio uses the 'call letter' of Zed in place of the letter Z. Doesn't make me giggle.









Canadians do it too, I think it sounds better, for example Z3 sounds really bad compared to zed 3, but thats just because I am used to it, and not zee.


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## Geist296 (Jan 25, 2012)

1.8TRabbit said:


> my friend has a 350z And I have never heard of them being called that?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Because in Deutsch that is the way Z is pronounced


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## jim_c (Sep 22, 2013)

I don't think VW ever has used MK to designate different cars, it is, however, a British term.
VW has always used type on the older cars and it probably does today. An original bug was a Type 1, an original Rabbit was a Type 17. If you know the type you can look in the parts catalog and find all the parts specific or built for that specific car.
It used to be that you could, as a mechanic, walk up to the parts window and ask for spark plugs for a type 1. I doubt that you can do that with MK.
To me if a person uses MK it means that person is either not very knowledgeable about Volkswagen or they are an effete snob.


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## PSU (May 15, 2004)

Holy thread bump.


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