Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

VW Phaeton coming back to US, could be revealed in Detroit

Since its ignominious departure from the US car market in 2006, there have been any number of on-again/off-again rumors about the Volkswagen Phaeton returning to our shores. With that said, VW's aggressive goals in terms of worldwide sales dominance would seem to countenance all manner of new product; taking a second stab at a halo-luxury car for the US, included.

At least that's the gist of a new report from Bloomberg, which dangles the idea of a new Phaeton potentially being "shown to US consumers in January," or just in time for the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.

Short on specifics and citations, the Bloomberg report seems to rely on the expansionist behavior of VW as a whole over the last few years, and a few statements of positivity from VW CEO Martin Winterkorn. The publication quotes Winterkorn as saying, "A brand as large as Volkswagen needs a halo project in the upscale segment." Bloomberg also states that Winterkorn was "confirming" the Phaeton's return to the US.

The supposedly Detroit-bound Phaeton demonstrator could come in concept form, as a way of better judging public reaction to the reintroduction of the sedan. Pending a greenlight, the next-gen Phaeton is likely to share architecture with the Audi A8, with the potential good for a hybrid version, as well.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/17/v...turning-to-us/

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

The Phaeton is like the NSX...

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

^^ gotta love the last one was offered with a W12

Question is will they continue to offer good power or really swing towards efficiency and neuter it

Aron9000

Yeah the W12 model is a poor man's Bentley. Same car under the skin as the Continental GT, you can pick up a nice one for about $20,000 now days.

The Phaeton MIGHT make sense if they price it in that $65-85k price bracket and leave the 85k and up to the A8. That was always the problem with the old Phaeton, it was way too closely priced to the A8, which was a better car.

UDel

The original Phaeton is one of the most unreliable trouble prone cars sold in the past 10 years, be very careful of inexpensive used ones, even that great deal may not seem to be a great deal once the bills start coming in.

There still could be a market for a nice VW sedan above the Passat but they can't price it anywhere near what they priced the last one.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Phaeton will keep the Equus company

Fizzboy7

I will always have a soft spot for the Phaeton. Back in the 2000's, VW loaned me a V8 with Michigan plates, which I tested out for a week and reported back . I'll never forget driving up to a rave in Orange County and people saying, wth is that? Probably not the publicity VW had in mind. Anyway, it turned out to be a darn nice car and I missed it instantly. It was executive, modern, stealthy, conservative, plush, luxurious, and trendy, all for less dinero than most others. Hopefully modern times catch up with it, as reliability indeed was poor.