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  • Volkswagen Phaeton U.S. Relaunch Under Consideration

    Volkswagen Phaeton U.S. Relaunch Under Consideration September 16th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, September 16th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    Volkswagen Phaeton U.S. Relaunch Under Consideration

    Rumors of the Volkswagen Phaeton's return to the U.S. have been brewing, off and on, for almost two years. Now, the return looks more likely than ever, with VW's American CEO Stefan Jacoby saying it's time for a comeback for the big sedan.

    When Volkswagen's flagship Phaeton was last sold in the U.S., it was almost universally overlooked, selling just 3,354 total cars in its brief 2003-2006 stint in the American market. Nevertheless, Jacoby today told Automotive News that "it was a mistake to take this car out of the market."

    Jacoby thinks the VW brand is the right place for the Phaeton, and that focusing on a diesel Phaeton as a high-tech,...

    Rumors of the Volkswagen Phaeton's return to the U.S. have been brewing, off and on, for almost two years. Now, the return looks more likely than ever, with VW's American CEO Stefan Jacoby saying it's time for a comeback for the big sedan. When Volkswagen's flagship Phaeton was last sold in the U.S., it was almost universally overlooked, selling just 3,354 total cars in its brief 2003-2006 stint in the American market. Nevertheless, Jacoby today told Automotive News that "it was a mistake to take this car out of the market." Jacoby thinks the VW brand is the right place for the Phaeton, and that focusing on a diesel Phaeton as a high-tech, efficiency-driven flagship may work best. VW has previously admitted that the Phaeton was generally unsuccessful due to a number of shortcomings, including problems with initial quality and blasé styling. It is convinced it has learned the lessons from that failure and is ready to try again, however. The problems with the Phaeton were largely addressed in the newly facelifted 2009 global model, which saw the inclusion of a direct-injection gasoline V-6 engine rated at 276 horsepower, offering enough power without the overkill of the $100,000 W-12 flagship or even the full-luxury pricing of the $70,000 entry-level models. Instead, the next Phaeton, tipped as a 2011 model-year car, is likely to start closer to $55,000 and will be positioned largely below the Audi A8, its corporate cousin. [Auto News - sub. req.] Read More

  • Preview: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift

    Preview: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift June 30th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, June 30th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 7 Comments

    Preview: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift Volkswagen will be updating its Phaeton flagship for the second time in its short life, reaffirming the lackluster opinion of the car in the full-size luxury sedan market. With a brand new BMW 7-series already on sale, a facelifted Mercedes Benz S-Class just around the corner and a completely redesigned Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ less than a year away, VW’s entrant in this segment is facing a serious uphill battle.

    With the introduction of the first facelifted model last year, sales of the Phaeton in Europe actually rose. Now, with a possible return to the U.S. on the cards, VW is hoping to maximize the potential for success of its... Volkswagen will be updating its Phaeton flagship for the second time in its short life, reaffirming the lackluster opinion of the car in the full-size luxury sedan market. With a brand new BMW 7-series already on sale, a facelifted Mercedes Benz S-Class just around the corner and a completely redesigned Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ less than a year away, VW’s entrant in this segment is facing a serious uphill battle. With the introduction of the first facelifted model last year, sales of the Phaeton in Europe actually rose. Now, with a possible return to the U.S. on the cards, VW is hoping to maximize the potential for success of its stumbling flagship. The facelifted Phaeton will be getting several minor styling changes as evidenced by these latest spy shots. The changes to the car will be mainly cosmetic, with a redesigned front grille and new bumpers, plus a more pedestrian-friendly reshaped bonnet. The styling will be influenced by VW’s new edgier corporate look that was first seen on the Mark VI Golf, as revealed by this computer generated rendering. The powertrain lineup will also likely be revitalized, with a range of more fuel-efficient engines introduced in line with more stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations. A hybrid variant may also be introduced. Expect to see the latest version bow in late next year as a 2011 model.2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift preview Read More

  • Spy shots: Volkswagen Phaeton receives second facelift

    Spy shots: Volkswagen Phaeton receives second facelift June 18th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, June 18th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 1 Comment

    Spy shots: Volkswagen Phaeton receives second facelift Volkswagen will be updating its Phaeton flagship for the second time in its short life, reaffirming the lackluster opinion of the car in the full-size luxury sedan market. With a brand new BMW 7-series already on sale, a facelifted Mercedes Benz S-Class just around the corner and a completely redesigned Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ less than a year away, VW’s entrant in this segment is facing a serious uphill battle.

    With the introduction of the first facelifted model last year, sales of the Phaeton in Europe actually rose. Now, with a possible return to the U.S. on the cards, VW is hoping to maximize the potential for success of its... Volkswagen will be updating its Phaeton flagship for the second time in its short life, reaffirming the lackluster opinion of the car in the full-size luxury sedan market. With a brand new BMW 7-series already on sale, a facelifted Mercedes Benz S-Class just around the corner and a completely redesigned Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ less than a year away, VW’s entrant in this segment is facing a serious uphill battle. With the introduction of the first facelifted model last year, sales of the Phaeton in Europe actually rose. Now, with a possible return to the U.S. on the cards, VW is hoping to maximize the potential for success of its stumbling flagship. The facelifted Phaeton will be getting several minor styling changes as evidenced by these latest spy shots. The changes to the car will be mainly cosmetic, with a redesigned front grille and new bumpers, plus a more pedestrian-friendly reshaped bonnet. The styling will be influenced by VW’s new edgier corporate look that was first seen on the Mark VI Golf. The powertrain lineup will also likely be revitalized, with a range of more fuel-efficient engines introduced in line with more stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations. A hybrid variant may also be introduced. Expect to see the latest version bow in late next year as a 2011 model.2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift Read More

  • Volkswagen upgrades Phaeton for 2009

    Volkswagen upgrades Phaeton for 2009 October 1st, 2008 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, October 1st, 2008 Ralph Hanson 0 Comments

    Volkswagen upgrades Phaeton for 2009 Despite the weak performance of the Phaeton, Volkswagen has persisted with the car in the belief that there is a place for it in the lineup. Less-than-inspired styling, high pricing and nagging quality issues are in part to blame, and VW hopes to cure these in the next iteration of the car. Until then, however, it is forging ahead with updates to the current model.

    Key among the updates for the 2009 model year is a new 3.6L direct-injection petrol V6, rated at 276hp (206kW) - a gain of 28hp (21kW) over the outgoing model, while also improving efficiency and meeting Euro-5 emissions standards. That's not to say that it's a miserly... Despite the weak performance of the Phaeton, Volkswagen has persisted with the car in the belief that there is a place for it in the lineup. Less-than-inspired styling, high pricing and nagging quality issues are in part to blame, and VW hopes to cure these in the next iteration of the car. Until then, however, it is forging ahead with updates to the current model. Key among the updates for the 2009 model year is a new 3.6L direct-injection petrol V6, rated at 276hp (206kW) - a gain of 28hp (21kW) over the outgoing model, while also improving efficiency and meeting Euro-5 emissions standards. That's not to say that it's a miserly fuel-sipper, though it does well for a large car at 20mpg (11.7L/100km) and 273g/km CO2 emissions. 4Motion AWD provides stability and traction, while a full slate of electronic driving aids work to ensure the shiny side stays up. The most comprehensively revised part of the Phaeton, however, is the center console design and the 'infotainment' system housed within. Available with or without navigation, standard features include a high-resolution 8" touch-screen in 16:9 format, integrated 30GB hard drive, and Bluetooth connectivity. A hybrid TV tuner can be optionally fitted to enable reception of both analog and digital DVB-T broadcasts, plus the built-in DVD drive can display any commonly used video or audio format. A set of new controls for the four-zone automatic climate control and a new aesthetic for the system's presentation complete the update. Three choices of wheels (17", 18" and 19") are available, as is the famed W12 engine and a range of new custom colors including such notables as 'Beryllium grey metallic' and 'Mocca-anthracite pearl effect'. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in Europe before the end of 2008. Whether the upgrades will be enough to dig the Phaeton out of its much-publicized hole, it's unlikely that the current model will return to the U.S. An all-new model, expected in 2010 or 2011, is hoped to breathe new life into the car, even to the point of bringing it back to the American market. The new Phaeton will share underpinnings with the Audi A8, though it will be based around a 'modular' design that will let the cars differ where needed, and it is expected to be smaller than the current model as well.2009 Volkswagen Phaeton Read More

  • U.S. Volkswagen Phaeton sales could start next year

    U.S. Volkswagen Phaeton sales could start next year April 17th, 2008 BySiddarth Raja Siddarth Raja, Author, April 17th, 2008 Siddarth Raja 4 Comments

    U.S. Volkswagen Phaeton sales could start next year By all accounts, the Phaeton limo has been a major flop for Volkswagen and nowhere has it performed more badly than in the U.S. where the decision to drop the car came just two years after its launch. However, VW execs in the U.S. have expressed interest in seeing the flagship return on several occasions in the past six months and new reports from Germany claim the car could return as early as next year.

    With the introduction of the facelifted model last year sales of the Phaeton in Europe have actually been on the rise. However, sales figures for its closest rivals, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-series and even its Audi A8 sibling, are... By all accounts, the Phaeton limo has been a major flop for Volkswagen and nowhere has it performed more badly than in the U.S. where the decision to drop the car came just two years after its launch. However, VW execs in the U.S. have expressed interest in seeing the flagship return on several occasions in the past six months and new reports from Germany claim the car could return as early as next year. With the introduction of the facelifted model last year sales of the Phaeton in Europe have actually been on the rise. However, sales figures for its closest rivals, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-series and even its Audi A8 sibling, are all more than double those of the VW. To boost its numbers VW is keen to sell the Phaeton in the U.S. again. In fact, AutoBild reports a high-ranking VW official has hinted the car will return to the world’s biggest car market next year and there were even suggestions it could arrive towards the end of this year. The biggest resistance is coming from VW’s largest shareholder, Porsche, whose CEO, Wendelin Wiedeking, previously stated that the time for “expensive toys” was over. There’s also the fact that the next-generation model is due just one year later in 2010 but even that model won’t arrive in the U.S. until at least a year after the launch of the European model. Read More

  • VW analyses Phaeton failure, reveals new details about next-gen model

    VW analyses Phaeton failure, reveals new details about next-gen model February 18th, 2008 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, February 18th, 2008 Alex Kaufmann 9 Comments

    VW analyses Phaeton failure, reveals new details about next-gen model By all accounts, the Phaeton limo has been a major flop for Volkswagen and nowhere has it performed more badly than in the U.S. where the decision to drop the car came just two years after its launch. Since going on sale back in 2003, VW America managed to find a home for just 3,354 cars in total and last year's tally was the worst yet with just 17 sales. Despite the poor result VW is considering bringing the next-generation Phaeton to the U.S. but first officials need to analyze what went wrong with the original car.

    Some of the problems, as described by VW America CEO Stefan Jacoby, include initial quality issues, overpricing and... By all accounts, the Phaeton limo has been a major flop for Volkswagen and nowhere has it performed more badly than in the U.S. where the decision to drop the car came just two years after its launch. Since going on sale back in 2003, VW America managed to find a home for just 3,354 cars in total and last year's tally was the worst yet with just 17 sales. Despite the poor result VW is considering bringing the next-generation Phaeton to the U.S. but first officials need to analyze what went wrong with the original car. Some of the problems, as described by VW America CEO Stefan Jacoby, include initial quality issues, overpricing and lackluster styling. Prices for the car started at about $70,000 and went all the way up to $100,000 for the flagship W12 model. Speaking with Automotive News, Jacoby said a good price for the new model would be about $55,000 and described the new car as being smaller than the current model so as to not compete with its Audi A8 cousin. Jacoby wasn’t willing to give a release date for the car but earlier reports claim it will be launched in Europe by 2010. To further differentiate the new Phaeton from its rivals, officials are also considering adding a diesel model to the lineup but no final decision has been made. The only thing that’s certain is that if it does arrive the car will still carry the Phaeton name. "The Phaeton is the name of Volkswagen's luxury. We are proud of this name, and this name fits this car," Jacoby explained. Read More

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