Autoblog

Volkswagen to follow similar formula for new Phaeton

Noah Joseph — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:31:00 EST

Whatever Volkswagen has done to get to the position of dominance in the European - and indeed the global auto industry, it's clearly been working. But some of its decisions still leave us scratching our heads. The Phaeton is one such four-wheeled decision.

A Volkswagen sedan that shares its platform with the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, the Phaeton offers the space, luxury and meticulous engineering standards you'd expect of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series, in a package decidedly bereft of the badge cachet that goes with it. VW clearly spent big dollars developing the vehicle, so when sales never really materialized, we were hardly surprised that plans were floated to phase it out in favor of something a little more cost-effective for both buyer and manufacturer, closing the enormous canyon between the current Phaeton and the Passat and CC ranges that sit below it.

In fact, we've read reports for years now stating that VW will/will won't follow up the Phaeton with a new model - it's one of the most cyclical future product stories in the entire auto industry. This latest report from Motor Trend suggests that Volkswagen is planning to replace the current Phaeton in 2015 or 2016 with another model in the same mold, downsizing in neither price point nor scale - and bringing the new model back to the North American market in the process. MT suggests the Phaeton will be an technological wonder, going with smaller engines (no W12), forced induction power and available hybrid and plug-in models. Us? we wouldn't be surprised to see the Phaeton adopt the new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine found in the 2013 Bentley Continental V8.

Apparently VW is keen to retain the buyers who have enjoyed their Phaetons thus far, giving them the conservatively styled, anti-prestige alternative to the luxury sedans built by its sister company Audi and its own retiring executives - including Group CEO Martin Winterkorn and his product chief Ulrich Hackeberg - something of a parting gift.

Volkswagen to follow similar formula for new Phaeton originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen passes on showing Phaeton concept in Frankfurt, new car expected for 2015

Noah Joseph — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Volkswagen, Luxury

The Volkswagen Group had a whole lot and then more to show off at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. There were about a dozen vehicles rolled out at the pre-show VW Group evening, and then more once the show opened the following morning. For the Volkswagen brand itself, the new production Up! was the main focus, sharing the stage with the Nils concept, the Beetle R showcar and the Polo rally car. But there was, according to the UK's CAR magazine, to be one more major debut.

That additional concept car would have been a preview of the next-generation Phaeton, but apparently VW's corporate strategists opted to hold it back so as not to detract from the Up! runabout. Instead, it will likely show off the concept second-generation luxury sedan at another show in the near future, but the production model isn't expected to come until 2015.

When it does, we'll find out what strategy the Phaeton will have switched to. Insiders suggest it will be downsized to slot in between the Audi A6 and A8 (rather than compete directly with the latter) and could include one or several less traditional (and more practical) bodystyles in addition to a traditional four-door sedan.

We're also likely to be looking at smaller engines than the eight, ten and twelve-cylinder mills currently on offer, all in an effort to sell the new Phaeton to more customers than the current model, one in two of which reportedly stay in Volkswagen's hands as VIP shuttles.

Volkswagen passes on showing Phaeton concept in Frankfurt, new car expected for 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW CEO Browning: Phaeton not in the cards any time soon

Chris Paukert — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen, Luxury

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton - Click above for high-res gallery

During a business background event on Sunday at its North American headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, Jonathan Browning, Volkswagen of America's CEO confirmed to Autoblog that the company's short-lived Phaeton sedan isn't likely to return to America any time soon.

Despite a flurry of reports to the contrary since the Phaeton left the U.S. market after the 2006 model year, Browning confirms that the luxury sedan is not part of the brand's ambitious plan to sell 800,000 units in North America by 2018. That said, while it's unlikely to return to North America in that time frame, VW is not completely ruling it out. According to Browning, the large luxury sedan segment is something that VW will eventually field an entry in once again ("It is not a case of if, but when") - but at the moment, it sounds like the return of the Phaeton is likely to be couple of generations away.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

VW CEO Browning: Phaeton not in the cards any time soon originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Inside Volkswagen's cutting-edge Transparent Factory in Dresden

Noah Joseph — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Videos, Volkswagen, Luxury

Click above to watch the video after the jump

There are a lot of impressive things about the Volkswagen Phaeton. Like the notion that a Vee-Dub could share its underpinnings with a Bentley, and the sheer chutzpah of taking the People's Car up-market to compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and its own sister-company's Audi A8. But few factors stand out quite like the Transparent Factory.

While most automotive assembly plants are greasy behemoths sequestered off on the fringes of industrial cities, the assembly plant that puts together the Phaeton (as well as the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, until its transfer to Crewe in 2006) stands as a squeaky-clean, glassed-in pantheon to the automobile right in the heart of downtown Dresden, Germany.

Volkswagen developed a number of brilliant technologies for use in the factory, from the moving wood floor and electronically-tracked nuts and bolts to the magnet-driven robots that shuttle the parts around the facility and the cargo tram that delivers them there. All of this and more is on display to visitors as well as customers coming to take delivery directly on premises. It's a wonder to behold: Discovery's MegaWorld series went by to check it out, and you can too with the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, RosenBrodi!

Continue reading Video: Inside Volkswagen's cutting-edge Transparent Factory in Dresden

Video: Inside Volkswagen's cutting-edge Transparent Factory in Dresden originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ferdinand Piech finalizes will that protects his VW/Porsche shares from the kids

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials

Ferdinand Karl Piëch, head of the Volkswagen Supervisory Board and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, knows that nothing lasts forever - especially, life. The VW boss man has his mind on his money while his family has his money on their minds.

Piëch, born in 1937, has recently shifted his holdings into two Austrian foundations; Ferdinand Karl Alpha and Ferdinand Karl Beta. The reason behind this move is to protect the company in the event of his death. That's to say, if he dies his family can't start selling off shares like platinum hot cakes. His wife Ursula Piëch will assume control of the foundations upon his passing.

As stipulated in his will, the assets can be sold only when the managing board, the advisory board of the trust and at least nine of Piëch's 12 children all provide a "yes" vote. As you would expect, some members of the family are a little miffed. Also, under the stipulations presented in the will, Mrs. Piëch is not allowed re-marry or divorce Ferdinand after he passes on. If she does go out and find a new hubby, she gives up control of the foundations.

[Source: FOCUS via The Truth About Cars | Image: Nigel Treblin/AFP/Getty]

Report: Ferdinand Piech finalizes will that protects his VW/Porsche shares from the kids originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reports: Phaeton coming back to the U.S... again *UPDATE

Zach Bowman — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, China, Europe, Volkswagen, Rumormill, Luxury

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton - Click above for high-res image gallery

This time, with feeling. According to both Bloomberg News and USA Today, Volkswagen is once again considering bringing the ill-fated Phaeton back to the U.S. market. The reasons behind the move are many, but center around VW's intention to triple its market share here in the land of the free by 2018. In order to do that, the company is planning on rolling out its luxury bruiser one more time, bolstered in part by the success Hyundai has seen with its Genesis sedan. Of course, that particular luxury cruiser doesn't cost anything close to the Phaeton's $85,000 MSRP - even the Korean automaker's forthcoming Equus range-topper will likely not command that sort of money - and its success in the U.S. remains as-yet unproven.

Bloomberg spoke with Juergen Borrmann, the director of the carmaker's Dresden facility. Borrmann said that the company is gunning for the U.S. and that by the time the model hits our parking lots, it will be completely reworked.

Consider us interested.

Supposedly, the American version will feature a slew of different engine choices compared to the cars currently on sale in Europe and China, as well as a significantly different interior materials. According to the report, our model will share very little with the next-generation car set to hit the market next month. Hey, if at first you don't succeed...

*Update: Volkswagen says that while it thinks that there are opportunities for the Phaeton in the U.S., right now no final decisions have been made. At the same time, the carmaker says that it is continually working with the Dresden plant to evaluate potential markets for the luxury sedan.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

[Sources: Bloomberg News, USA Today]

Reports: Phaeton coming back to the U.S... again *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai CEO reveals reason for Equus, explains why it's no VW Phaeton

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Hyundai, Luxury

2011 Hyundai Equus - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik is rarely one to hold back his opinions, and today's topic of discussion is marque's upcoming Equus luxury flagship. Hyundai has moved up in the automotive ranks so quickly over the past 15 years that many people have wondered if the brand is overreaching with the Equus.

Krafcik addresses the obvious comparison to the U.S. market failure of the Volkswagen Phaeton. The way Krafcik sees it, VW skipped a few pricing steps going straight from the Passat to its ill-fated Phaeton range-topper, noting that there was a much larger gap between the Passat and the Phaeton than there will be with Hyundai because they've taken the trouble of bringing the Genesis sedan and coupe to market - the former of which verified that consumers are willing to pay $40,000+ for a Hyundai.

Of course, that's no guarantee that consumers will pay $55,000-60,000 for an Equus but it seems more plausible than $80,000+ for a Phaeton. Krafcik also addresses the fact that each Equus buyer will get an Apple iPad with the owner's manual. As he explains it, the tablet PC is meant to provide a more useful resource for people to figure out how to use all the technology in this flagship, hopefully avoiding the pitfalls of some other luxury machines.

The iPad will also have an application that allows owners to schedule service appointments. When the appointed time arrives, Hyundai will send a driver to the Equus owner's home or office with a loaner, and then return the Equus when the work is done. As Krafcik sees it, other luxury automakers have spent millions of dollars to gussy up their dealerships - building things like coffee bars, fancy seating areas and water features. Problem is, nobody really wants to visit their dealer even with those added niceties, so Hyundai plans to remove it from the equation with its pick-up and delivery service. In other words, the ultimate luxury is never having to take your car to the dealer at all. Fair enough.

The Equus goes on sale this Fall.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Equus

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue reading Hyundai CEO reveals reason for Equus, explains why it's no VW Phaeton

Hyundai CEO reveals reason for Equus, explains why it's no VW Phaeton originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pics Aplenty: Volkswagen releases full slate of 2011 Phaeton images and info

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen, Luxury

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's not surprising that the latest batch of photos of the reworked 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton were all taken in China. The Middle Kingdom is by far the biggest market for VW where wealthy executives prefer to be driven rather than get behind the wheel. As we already witnessed at the Beijing Motor Show, the Phaeton has now adopted the same horizontal theme for its fascia that we have seen on every other recent Volkswagen introduction, and the headlamp clusters now feature LED eyeliner running lamps.

Interestingly, the Phaeton is the first car to incorporate the ability to download Google Maps satellite imagery and points of interest data over a mobile phone. The new information can be overlaid on the built-in navigation maps to provide a vastly expanded and up-to-date database of information compared to the static data that can be stored on-board the car.

A camera behind the windshield can actually read traffic signs and display information like speed limits and no-passing zones on the navigation screen and the driver information display in the main instrument cluster. The camera can also scan the surroundings for other cars that could suffer glare from the bi-xenon headlamps and mask portions of the lights to cut that glare. We'll be curious to see just how well the Dynamic Light Assist works at maintaining light for the driver without blinding others. While you ponder all of that technology, check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Pics Aplenty: Volkswagen releases full slate of 2011 Phaeton images and info

Pics Aplenty: Volkswagen releases full slate of 2011 Phaeton images and info originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beijing 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton ups the luxe

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen, Beijing Motor Show, Diesel, Luxury

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton - Click above for high-res image gallery

As impressive of a vehicle as the seminal Volkswagen Phaeton may have been, the uber-luxe German sedan was an unqualified flop of an experiment here in the United States. In some other parts of the world, though, VW's BMW and Mercedes-Benz (not to mention VW-owned Audi) competitor is still going strong.

Hence, VW has seen fit to give the Phaeton a mild update for the 2011 model year, and it tellingly used the Beijing Motor Show as the platform to reveal its top-shelf sedan. In case you missed the exterior changes, take a closer look at the front and rear fascias, where you'll find tighter lines and new LED lighting.

It's inside the cabin where the Phaeton gets the bulk of its improvements. Included in the refresh is VW's latest navigation technology, along with a helpful seeing-eye camera that can monitor speed limit and no passing signs and inform lazy drivers of the data. There is also a lane-departure system that keeps the car between the proper lines and Dynamic Light Assist that adjusts the headlights to keep from blinding oncoming traffic.

Powertrain options remain the same as before, with a 450-horsepower 6.0-liter W12 engine taking top billing over a 335-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 280 ponies. Finally, those looking to save a few bucks at the pump can opt for a 3.0-liter diesel V6. Check it out for yourself in the high-res image galleries below.

Gallery: Beijing 2010: Volkswagen Phaeton

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

Continue reading Beijing 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton ups the luxe

Beijing 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton ups the luxe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Volkswagen Phaeton's third facelift spotted nearly undisguised

Dan Roth — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:42:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Volkswagen, Luxury

You thought the Volkswagen Phaeton went away, did you? Oh no, Volkswagen has continued to fiddle with its range-topper in Europe, which has been snagged by spy photographers while the as-yet-unannounced third-generation was on a late-night photo shoot.

Volkswagen's chutzpah is admiriable, and the Phaeton is certainly one heck of a car, but extending its lengthy tenure of could be a refusal to admit past mistakes. It's likely that Phaeton owners tell people of the car's mechanical similarities to the Bentley Continental GT, while the uninitiated will shrug and see a Passat. AutoExpress reports that there are rumors of a diesel V10 as one of the panoply of possible engines, and all will probably be revealed in September at the Paris Motor Show.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Spy Shots: Volkswagen Phaeton's third facelift spotted nearly undisguised originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive makes our inner plutocrat swoon

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Europe, Volkswagen, Luxury

2010 Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive - Click above for high-res image gallery

When it comes to the Phaeton, we really don't care what anyone else thinks. The only justification we'll offer is that back in the early 2000s, VW's ubermensch Ferdinand Piech took off the calf-skin gloves and dropped the mother of all gauntlets. He ~~told~~ commanded engineers to build A) the very best high performance hypercar the world had ever seen, and, B) an equally superb luxury sedan. The results, as you may have guessed, were the Veyron and the Phaeton. A little bit of this high high-falutin' zeitgeist rubbed off on the Touareg as well -- especially the twin-turbo TDI V10 monster.

The whole Phaeton can'o'worms is quite messy in the States. To put it bluntly, the grand sedan completely failed. Still, anyone that's spent so much as thirty seconds in the back seat knows that the Phaeton's failure in WalMart country had nothing to do with the Phaeton. Proof? Volkswagen, who by year's end is projected to be the largest automaker in the world and therefor knows a thing or two about cars, is bringing the Phaeton back to our red, white und blue shores. This particular Phaeton Exclusive (featuring the universe's glossiest, deepest and darkest black paint) is actually sporting the 2007 facelift. But you can rest easy, secure in the knowledge we'll be getting the new Phaeton when it returns to the US in 2011.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton Exclusive makes our inner plutocrat swoon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #141 - Now with 100% more Tanner Foust!

Dan Roth — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Acura, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Spyker, Celebrities, Design/Style

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #141 of the Autoblog Podcast marks the first time we're joined by a guest outside the Autoblog Inner Circle, and we're hoping that it's the start of a trend. This week, our interview couch is occupied by drift, rally and stunt legend (and all-around good guy) Tanner Foust, the only back-to-back Formula D champion ever. Since Tanner's a racer, we kick off the show talking about the heartbreaking Ferrari crash at Monterey before touching on the Dodge Viper powered Devon GTX and its screaming lap at Laguna Seca.

Actual news starts with talk of the Hyundai Equus coming to the United States, moves on to the Volkswagen Phaeton's supposed return to the North American market, and then to the Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder. Acura's ZDX tickles (or not) our design eyes, and then we wrap up with some of your questions. Thanks for the new reviews at the Autoblog Podcast iTunes page, as well as taking the time to fill out our survey. The feedback to our Podcast at Autoblog Dot Com address has been great, too, so keep it coming... see you next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #141 - Now with 100% more Tanner Foust!

Autoblog Podcast #141 - Now with 100% more Tanner Foust! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next VW Phaeton could return smaller, cheaper and under diesel power

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:39:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Green, Volkswagen

Although most of the automotive industry was left scratching its collective head when Volkswagen introduced its flagship Phaeton in the first place, Volkswagen itself is still scratching its head trying to figure out what went wrong, at least in the U.S. It's not giving up, and in the process has given us another set of hints at the form the next Phaeton could take.

According to reports from Automotive News, Volkswagen of America CEO Stefan Jacoby has revealed that the next Phaeton will come to the American market with a $55k price tag, a shorter wheelbase, a diesel engine and more modest and patient expectations from Wolfsburg. The $55k price target would significantly undercut the $70k base price the current Phaeton had when it was pulled from the U.S. market, even with purchase incentives that at times topped $10k. Using a turbodiesel engine in the new Phaeton, according to Jacoby, would allow the luxury sedan to be positioned as the company's technical and environmental flagship. (Watch out, Lexus.)

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Next VW Phaeton could return smaller, cheaper and under diesel power originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen Phaeton: coming back to America?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen

The facelifted Volkswagen Phaeton - click to view in high resolution

"Mistake" is a word often used in association with the Volkswagen Phaeton. Some say it was a mistake to make it in the first place; some say that it was a further mistake to launch it in the American market. However, Volkswagen says it was a mistake to withdraw it from the US marketplace. This from the mouth of Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen of America, echoing previous remarks from VW chief Martin Winterkorn.

Jacoby makes a tough argument, considering how poorly the Phaeton performed in the US. Introduced in late 2003, it sold just short of two thousand units in 2004, and in the two years after, it failed to sell more than a thousand before being pulled. Compare that to the Bentley Continental, which shares its underpinnings with the Phaeton, yet has been selling like six-figure pancakes despite yet costing two-three times as much. The conclusion was that, no matter how good the car, American consumers were not prepared to pay big bucks for a VW, and the gap in Volkswagen's sedan range stretching from a $39k fully-loaded Passat to the $64k base Phaeton was just too large. However several developments will reduce that gap: the Passat has gotten bigger, the higher-end Passat CC was introduced, the next Phaeton is anticipated to go down-market compared to the current model, and Volkswagen is also preparing another model to fit in between. A more cost-effective Phaeton could stand a better chance in the American market as the flagship in a range of luxury sedans than it did as an island floating off the shore of Volkswagen's core line-up.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Volkswagen Phaeton: coming back to America? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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