How to bring the Phaeton back to the States

"BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather" (bugeyedacura)
10/28/2013 at 11:58 • Filed to: None

With guaranteed success: the 3.0TDI.

Think about it. It's in the Touareg already. And that's the one vehicle currently in VW's stable that's allowed to be expensive. There's also no cars that have that engine in their current lineup. I think a 3.0TDI Phaeton could easily garner 45-50k without too much harassment. Especially since the Audis with it are going for 60+k.

DISCUSSION (20)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 11:59

Badge it as an Audi. Done.

505Turbeaux > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 12:03

They would have to pull alot of what makes a phaeton a phaeton out of it. So you would end up with a big Passat

Nibbles > 505Turbeaux
10/28/2013 at 12:05

I thought all the Phaeton was was a big Passat...

maristgrad > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 12:07

VW should use the V8 or W12 they loaned to Bentley to use in their Continental GT coupes.

Kinja'd!!!

dogisbadob > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 12:08

They should just call it the Audi A8. That's right, the Phaeton should just be the A8.

maristgrad > Nibbles
10/28/2013 at 12:09

The Phaeton was supposed to be the greatest VW ever built.

505Turbeaux > Nibbles
10/28/2013 at 12:11

quad zone hvac for starters! It actually really is, and that used to not be a bad thing when the passat was *fairly* luxurious. Now it is like a big plasticky tin can, I fear to bring the Phaeton to that price point, even as a base model, would make it lose it's panache.

Nibbles > maristgrad
10/28/2013 at 12:12

The Phaeton' ain't shit compared to the Syncro

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > 505Turbeaux
10/28/2013 at 12:27

I mean if you wish to keep the Phaeton to its old mission of having every bell/whistle/technology known to man on it, then yes.

But that's not what VW needs right now. It simply needs something above the CC to do true flagship duty and be a counterpart to the Touareg.

If that's what it woulda been the first time around, it woulda succeeded.

505Turbeaux > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 12:31

I think if they had pegged the E class instead of trying to tread on S class territory it would have seen more success. Also if they were to do a Phaeton coupe and wagon to compliment a la e class, that would have helped. In actuality your 3.0 plan would have slotted right in here

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > 505Turbeaux
10/28/2013 at 12:45

Well they targeted the S-Class for a specific reason. They wanted to beat Mercedes at its own game since MB was coming after the Golf with the (then-new) A-Class.

And the E-Class is still to expensive. No one is going to spend 60+ for a VW. People that want to spend that much on a VW buy an Audi. It's, unfortunately, just that simple.

Party-vi > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 12:47

You can't bring back the Phaeton for that little of money. It was - and still is - an amazing car the no one expected from VW. With their recent cost cutting measures we'll never see something quite like it again.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Party-vi
10/28/2013 at 12:58

Well I don't think we can bring the Phaeton back as it was for that much. But I don't see why VW can't build a nice flagship for that much. Something to function as a car compliment to the Touareg.

Jagvar > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 13:02

I'm on it!!

Party-vi > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 13:10

I don't know if there's a market place for it but I would guess it'd be like Hyundai offering the Genesis and Equus - big ass luxury car for less money, but would VW use an A8-based car to cannibalize A8 sales?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Jagvar
10/28/2013 at 18:43

Go forth my son, and return your people to their rightful place!

Seriously though. This is why you should need me.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Party-vi
10/28/2013 at 18:48

The Phaeton isn't based on the A8. As a matter of fact, very little is actually shared between them. It's much more from the Bentley bin.

And they're differentiated by purpose. The A8 is supposed to be the sporty brother. All-state QB, center point-guard, Short-stop.
The Phaeton is the luxury sibling. Dresses well and always has his Mac and a witty quote.

Party-vi > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/28/2013 at 19:20

I was using the A8 as an example, as if VW were to bring back the Phaeton (previously shared a platform with the Continental GT) it would be based on the A8 and not the more expensive Bentley platform to shave costs and streamline production. I would imagine if Equus sales are good they may attempt to stretch the Passat platform or reengineer the Toureg platform as you suggested.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Party-vi
10/28/2013 at 20:35

Well they're making a full-size SUV off of the Passat platform. So I can't imagine it wouldn't also fit a car like the Phaeton. And if they can reinforce the structure to provide the quality of ride and acoustics that they need, that would help costs a lot.

FeistyGoat > Party-vi
10/29/2013 at 09:01

Magazines stated that the new Phaeton will be build on the new MSB or MQB platform. But it is not yet clearly stated by VW. The Audi A8 uses Audi's current MLB platform with some adjustments, since it is their flagship. The production costs will be reduced since the VW group is going to use something like 5 platforms for the entire lineup of cars (micro, small, big, huge, SUV, small SUV and so on): NSF, MQB, MSB, MLB, MSS.