Phaeton

[thepolarfoxqx]

VW announced production specs for Phaeton:

Curb weight on the W12 model to 5,200lbs (yeah, scary - it makes S600 look light)

Engines will be:

3.2L VR6 V6 - 240hp

4.2L 5V V8 - 330hp (they decided the W8 wasn't powerful enough to fill the gap)

6.0L W12 - 440hp (factory 0-60mph with W12 is 6.2 seconds)

Some thoughts:

I: A six cylender on a two and a half ton super lux-car?

II: Jaguar's 3.0L V6 makes 250hp for 2003 (in S type form) - why is VW's less potent?

III. Why not keep the VW engine theme going - tune up the 4.0L W8.

IV: With the W12 it only 0-60s in 6.2 - with a speed auto. BMW 745i can beat that with a V8 (so can S500 and S8)

V: It has a big VW logo on the hood.

VI: The interior looks like a Vegas Casino

VII: It has indapendant 4 corners climate control - maybe that accounts for the amazing weight

VIII: There are 160+ buttons between the console, steering wheel, and driver and passenger side doors. Suddenly I-Drive doesn't seem so bad?

IX: Who would pay $85,000+ for a Volkswagen?

[Anzeige eBay]

Hallo thepolarfoxqx,

 

kennst du schon Phaeton (Anzeige)? Dort ist vieles zu finden.

 

Andere Automarken Ersatzteile (Anzeige) | Andere Automarken Zubehör (Anzeige)

[Seb2]

Hard to say i think they are not going to make so many.

[thepolarfoxqx]

After developing a 4.0L W8 engine - as well as numerous modifications to the Passat Chasis to sell less than 5,000 Passat W8s (why buy a Passat W8 when you can buy an A6 2.7T which handles better, is faster, and more prestigous) in north america (probably a similar number in europe).

Now develop Phaeton - to compete with A8? - first off - the W12 Phaeton only keeps up with A8 till 60, secondly, if you are buying a car for that much money or that many cylenders - part of it is prestige - why would you buy a VW? It is slower and less advanced than 7 Series, Less Roomy and luxurious than S - Class, and More expensive and less classy than A8 - why buy it? In fact, the rear is divided so it is a 4 seater, you can't even lay down for long trips (that alone is an issue for me). Why is VW spending tons of money on low production cars? Passat W8, Phaeton, Touareg (well, that might sell), Bugatti Veryon 16/4, VW GT, etc. - and not spending money furthering its bread and butter cars, for instance - Passat needs more power (and not in the form of a 40K luxo cruiser) for its 6 cylender to compete with 240hp Accord and Altima, and could use a mid-life refreshing to keep it cutting edge, and Jetta needs a complete overhaul (it is way overdue) - in terms of room and platform dynamics, Jettas competitors are catching up, GTI went from class of one to having to compete with Ford SVT Focus, Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S, and Nissan Sentra Spec V. I am wondering why VW is developing so many high price low volume cars? Why can't they let audi and bentley do their thing, borrow some technology here and there, and have VW be the bread and butter company - VW brand management is well on its way to where GM is now.

[Sportline]

The trouble for VW is that they are taking the brand upmarket and trying to go head to head with Mercedes, while leaving Audi to compete with BMW. Not smart, but without it we would not have such high quality VW products. Honestly, I think that the Phaeton is quite a good looking car, and is much more tasteful than the 7-Series. It is a halo car that will sell slowly, but help pull the other cars upmarket. Just look at the S-Class... how many S-Class do you think M-B sells compared to the C-Class and E-Class?

[thepolarfoxqx]

is the glutanous phaeton the image VW wants to project.

S class says classy

7 Series says sporty

XJ Says Character

A8 says modern.

Phaeton says heavy and glutonous

[M@rtin]

Have you ever seen the Phaeton driving on the street? If it has a dark colour, it looks very nice. And the W12 engine sounds good.

[Foxman]

The problem with the competing cars mentioned is that in most cases they cannot be purchased with a manual transmission. For those of us who only want manual transmission, and desire full size quality sedan, there are not many choices. If the Phaeton is imported to US with manual, this will be the only car in its class, other than BMW 5 series, with manual available. I wish they would make the manual available with the larger engine, but apparently it is not offered with that configuration.

[thepolarfoxqx]

believe it or not, VW does not currently have a manual tranny that can support that much torque, in north america, manuals are unpopular. I have seen probably 100 suzuki XL-7s around, mine is the only I have yet seen with a stick. I wish big SUVs came with stick shifts.

I also wish Audi would tweak up the 4.2 and offer it with a 6spd (I hope bimmer keeps an stick available with 5 speed when it gets redone in a few years).

[Mihai]

I think vw phaeton is a cool car it's better than the s class and the 7 series. The vw name is moving upmarket, but the passat, jetta and golf will be completely renewed within 2 years. it's a long term strategy.

[thepolarfoxqx]

phaeton is certainly different. I doubt you could argue acceleration or luxury against S class, handling or technology against 7 series. It is something new, I just don't know it is superior to the segments best.

[Anzeige eBay]

Hallo thepolarfoxqx,

 

schau doch mal hier zum Thema Zubehör für Andere Automarken (Anzeige)? Eventuell gibt es dort etwas Passendes.

[izzyloveslizzy]

I don't think anything from VW is really aiming at going against luxury car-makers (like taking a shot at serious Luxo-Barges from Mercedes-Benz). They're more like "Germany's TOYOTA" or "Germany's GM".

[thepolarfoxqx]

the last thing the world needs is another GM or Toyota.

Those are my least favorite car makers in perfect order.

[imported_felix]

I dont like it.

I agree that toyota are crap. Well said

[LateNightCable]

One big reason why I don't like Volkswagen, They're arrogant! Sure BMW claims to be " the ultimate driving machine " but they can back that ass up. But VW is just arrogant! Everything they touch looks like a Volkswagen / Audi, even the " Bugatti " Veyron. I think they are trying to take over the world. They remind me of the Chris Bangle kind of arrogance." We are the wave of the future because we say so. "

And Bentley, don't get me started. :roll: I could see it with their LeMans racer that Volks was just trying to beef up Bentley's visability to people gullible enough to believe that racing technology goes into most road cars just because the maker competes. ( that kind of publicity sells cars to a certain sector of society ) And then market that jelly bean Continental GT to as many middle-classers as possible. A mass producer like VW is not the right place for a maker such as Bentley which is more about quality, attention to detail, and low volume production, something VW would never be able to swallow, even with the Phaeton.

Volkswagen needs to go away and make a bug before they get in over their over-inflated heads.

[thepolarfoxqx]

VW feeds off the great reputation that Mercedes and BMW have created for german cars.

Keep something in mind, Audi is Ingolstadt, Bavaria, BMW is in Munich, Bavaria, Mercedes is in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurtemberg, all of which are southern germany.

VW is in northern germany, in Niedersachsen - which borders france.

I say we just call VW french!

[izzyloveslizzy]

I don't know what you people think abuot VW, but I like VW and I don't think it should even be mentioned in the same line as GM. Toyotas is actually very innovative for a monster corporation the likes of GM, but they're still almost the same as GM. For me, GM is the worst.

P.S.: Never call VW French.

[g-unit marko]

vw french comon that car was made for who again, i think he was german and not french, to call vw french is really unjust. I like the phaeton and thnk there is many vw enthusiasts that want a vw that is luxury and not an audi so that in my opinion is why the phaeton was made. it offers much in comon as the audi but just is a vw and many vw owners would buy the phaeton over the A8 ,you will rarely see one on the street and when u do u will want to look at it because u never seen one before.

[paldi]

Hope to find a used one and buy soon.

[ffe]

phaeton is certainly different. I doubt you could argue acceleration or luxury against S class, handling or technology against 7 series. It is something new, I just don't know it is superior to the segments best.

thats not a very speciel car try whith a bugatti veyron:-))!

[bleh]

thats not a very speciel car try whith a bugatti veyron:-))!

yea i hear thats a great luxury sedan...

[djfux69]

you didnt know? oh man are you out of the loop......

[davidmjh]

yes its a good idea

[joenewton]

i think the phaeton is sweet and all, but who WOULD pay 85 g's just for a VW, i mean love mine, but sheesh come on, you would have to really have some cash to get rid of and really like vw, plus, those specs arent too great for a car at that price.

[SilverControl]

I think it's a hot car. I saw it at a car show 2 years ago. Time flies. I hope it's at the DC car show this year.

[firewheel]

I think that VW should create a special brand for their luxury cars like Phaeton or should take the Logo from car.