I agree. The Equus is not as much of a risk as the Phaeton was, since it won't have nearly as high of a price as the Phaeton did. Even still, Hyundai expects very low sales for the Equus.

Hyundai would be wise to create a luxury brand in North America if they wish to move upmarket with more expensive vehicles, to make sure their upmarket vehicles don't have the image of low-end Hyundai economy cars.

 

Uh thats not quite so. If you remember VWs reliability a few years ago was so terrible that people didnt trust to spend 20k on their cars, much less 90k.

 

1Sick is right on one huge problem for the Phaeton is that you could not get it serviced at just any old VW dealer. Most did not have the ability to service them. Not only that, but if one could parts were not available, and you may have to wait 2 weeks for parts to be delivered from Germany. Lastly, you are not getting the same treatment you would get from a Lexus dealer who sold you a 30K IS even though you bought a 90K VW.

I do think that the A8 was just too close in price / features set to the Phaeton. I myself looked at both, and luckily for me both have horrible resale value (I buy my car's used, too cheap, poor, smart to pay new), and just like the magazines at the time, the Phaeton was just too heavy compared to the A8. 1 year later and I have no regrets. I do hope VW does bring the new Phaeton here though, if nothing else but to keep Audi/BMW/Merc on their toes.

 

Take the Genesis approach--fully loaded, serious lux car for $45-50K--and it will sell.

 

VW will just never learn...

 

Sure at that price point it would stand a chance, although not happening.

 

It IS quite so. The public buys unreliable BMWs and Mercedes V12s; why not VW's?

 

The Pheaton

-Features - Everything!!
-Value - You are paying entry level money for a top of the line car
-Luxury - Realy do I have to comment this one?
-Quality - ^
-Looks/Style - Thats subjective, some will like the quiet looks of the Pheaton.
-MPG/economy - The diesels are amazing and the V8 isnt to shabby
-interior - It would work well in a bentley
-ease of use/driver accommodations - steeting wheel controls and voice activated everything
-Technology- It cant be argued its like going into a computer store
-Performance - V8 and twin turbo W12 options
-Image/Panache - Its VW it hasnt won the americans hearts in the luxury market
-Dealer Service - Best in its class
-etc etc etc - yes, yes, and yes

Now before you compare to FKL who posts every little story from vw, acknowledge that the Pheaton truley great value and does some things better than the competition and something not as well. Doent most on this forums say how they dont look at the badge when they buy the car?

 

Why can it work for Hyundai and not VW?

 

Well, because it's a .. VW , not a Mercedes or BMW, which people can brag about owning

 

Yeah, it's too bad the current model isn't selling that positively here.

It's doing quite well though in other markets though (heck like in Hong Kong, they have at least twenty Phaeton W12 cars parked near within the Chek Lap Kok airport grounds with some of them used by high-ranking airport staff.

 

My response was b/c you said people buy Lexus for only 2 reasons. I listed a multitude of other reasons. It had nothing to do with the Phaeton.

You then take my list and say the Phaeton offers it. If you look no one here is arguing the Phaeton is not a great car so I'm not sure why you are using my list for something totally unrelated. We are all here saying ITS A FANTASTIC VEHICLE. Where is the disconnect?

Internet forums are funny and I don't mind saying the brutal honest truth. No one will buy a VW Phaeton for 80 grand b/c its a VW.

Period, case clased.

I say the internet is funny b/c for nearly a decade I have watched people love to recommend cars THEY WON'T BUY WITH THEIR OWN MONEY. I have seen people argue against conventional wisdom in regards to image. Not sure why people want to act like image doesn't mean anything. We would all live in apartments in average neighborhoods, all wear off brand white polo shirts and we would all drive Hyundai Sonatas. Cars like the Phaeton, Q45, RL etc are all examples of solid cars without the image behind it to justify the asking price, thus they fail miserably. Anything else they lack just compounds the problem.

Is it small minded of people? That is an opinion. Who am I to judge someone b/c they may want a badge better. THis forum is not dismissing the Phaeton, we appreciate the Phaeton. However no one should be UPSET for stating the obvious. It won't sell b/c of badge.

This is not just an image issue that inflicts VW nor is it limited to the auto industry. In a UTOPIA, yeah people will buy cars based on merits ONLY and not badges. We don't live there.

You want more brutal truth. Some people won't consider a LEXUS b/c they don't like the image of it. So be it, that is life and IMO their loss b/c its a great car. I have no problem acknowledging that Lexus still has an image problem with people and it does lack the panache to BMW/Benz, even if Lexus scores better than them in surveys with the affluent.

I guess I should think how they think.

 

I'm with you the the Ford Five Hundred. It is and always will be a Ford Five Hundred. Changing to Taurus was a dumb idea. Sure the Taurus had a few good years but then faded away and ultimately Died...does Ford want that for the Five Hundred? What was Allen Mulally thinking?

Anyway back to the Phaeton. Is the Phaeton suppose to compete with the Toyota Avalon? If so then the price should be similar to the Avalon to compete. I know the Phaeton has the underpinnings of the A8 and there is no way in hell people will pay for an $80K VW. It didn't work the first time but VW can sure try and try again. VW has the money and the resources to do it. Good luck VW with selling the Phaeton...

 

Again, the misinformed public...

 

Please feel free to inform me...