Talk of the return of the Volkswagen Phaeton to U.S. shores dates back almost as far as the car’s exit in 2006. Most recently it was reported that a concept previewing the next-generation Phaeton, due out in the next year or two, was scheduled to be revealed at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show earlier this month.

No Phaeton concept was shown, but that doesn’t mean VW isn’t planning a new version of its flagship for the U.S. market. According to Car and Driver, VW had a concept ready for the Detroit show but pulled it at the last minute because the production version of the car was still too far away.

VW is working hard to ensure the second launch of its Phaeton isn’t a failure. Some of the measures its taking are said to include an aluminum body to help shed weight, increased dimensions to boost interior space, and the use of the latest infotainment technology.

Downsized engines are also likely, instead of the fuel-hungry V-10s and W-12s of previous versions, and expect to see plug-in hybrid technology used as well.

VW previously admitted that the Phaeton was generally unsuccessful due to a number of shortcomings, including problems with initial quality and bland styling. The automaker is convinced it’s learned the lessons from that failure and is ready to try again. We’ll just have to wait and see.

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