2006-09-22 02:13:52 · 8 answers · asked by GS79 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Volkswagen
I had a chance to drive a Phaeton for a week in Colorado last year. Let me say the car is fantastic. Smooth, quiet, powerful. The interior is beautiful and functional. Having said that, I would never spend $70K on a VW. They are pushing the envelope in the wrong direction with the Phaeton and the Tourag TDI. VW is known for economy. The Phaeton was a bargain at $70K - if it had been labeled a Bentley or a Porsche they could have sold them like hotcakes.
2006-09-23 09:57:18 · answer #1 · answered by DR_NC 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. It failed because no one was ready to pay $70k for a Volkswagen. They were selling less than 90 a month so it wasn't making any money.
2. The Bentley (and Audi A8L) are based on the Phaeton, not the other way around.
2006-09-22 09:22:16 · answer #2 · answered by vwhobo 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The market for expensive vehicles is very limited. VW is associated with cheap transportation. The Phaeton lacked size and styling to take customers away from other expensive cars. Marques like Cadillac and Mercedes have had 100 years to develop a following.
2006-09-22 09:23:14 · answer #3 · answered by regerugged 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I like Phaeton, but they really had to remove the VW badge from it and leave it as just Phaeton. Rich people don't buy cars for driving, they buy them for the prestige - "What do you drive? - Mercedes, you? Volkswagen... wrong name for the 70,000 car
2006-09-22 22:14:23 · answer #4 · answered by svthech 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nobody wants a $70,000 Volkswagon!
Not enough luxury or prestige for the price when compared to others in that class, Audi A8, BMW 745i, Lexus LS430, Jaguar XJ, Mercedes Benz S-Class.
After all is said and done it's still a Volkswagon(The Peoples Car)
2006-09-22 09:23:03 · answer #5 · answered by Redeft 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was too costly. It was designed for America, if people here want to pay big bucks they want a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche...you know something they can show off.
"I have a BMW" sounds better than "I have a VW"
Personally, I would take the VW.
2006-09-22 09:58:38 · answer #6 · answered by spidertiger440 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
70K was too much to pay for a VW. Especially when the same company makes a very similar car (Audi A8) that is much faster and 1000 pounds lighter.
2006-09-22 10:54:55 · answer #7 · answered by Tony M 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's over-engineered. Over-priced. Over-sized.
And under-Brand.
Toyota uses Lexus to do the expensive work for them.
VW should just stick with using Audi to do the same.
Phaeton just shot VW in the foot.
2006-09-22 11:38:16 · answer #8 · answered by ausserdem2002 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋