Siemens velaro vs alstom AGV

[ECML43]

while alstom used to monopolize european high speed train manufacture, siemens has now come into the game with their velaro EMU. Strangely though, although alstom are continuing to use shared bogies in their AGV, siemens, as they always have done, are sticking with a more standard 4 axles per car. their trains are reaching the same speeds as the alstom TGVs (which also have shared bogies) but are presumably causing more friction. The new velaro 320 trains ordered by eurostar also have this more standard configuration and it seems to be a down-grade in technology from the 373 eurostars. does anyone know why more axles seems to be equally preferable (or in some cases the preference) to the shared bogie design? and of course, post your thoughts on which you personally think is better.

[swisstrains]

According to the magazine "Today's Railways Europe" there are a number of reasons why the Siemens Velaro was chosen.
1) The Siemens design uses distributed power instead of separate power-cars which means that it can carry 20% more passengers than the current Eurostar sets.
2) The new trains are required so that Eurostar can expand services to the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and the South of France. Extra electrical and signalling equipment will have to be carried for these countries and it is thought that the articulated AGV could not be equipped with these without pushing it over the maximum permitted axle loadings.
3) The Velaro has a proven track record and is already in service in Spain, China and Russia. The DB version is also very similar so approval costs can be shared and the time needed to gain authorisation will be shorter.