Volkswagen’s Phaeton was a first-ever flasgship for the brand, however it was a troubled car from the get-go. As a result, the Phaeton did not sell well. This due to the fact that it was indeed a very expensive Volkswagen and it was entering a market, which consisted mainly of buyers who were very nameplate-conscious. Additionally, it was overlooked because it was trying to put up a fight against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series. Despite these points, Volkswagen has just announced that a new one will be coming in 2015.
The Volkswagen Phaeton wasn’t a terrible car. It had an interior that rivalled a Bentley (because the Phaeton was built alongside the Bentley Continental in the same VW factory in Dresden, Germany). But its humdrum looks, poor ride comfort and uninspiring handling made it lack significantly against the competition.
Word is that the new one, internally dubbed the VW631, will be completely new and based on Audi/Volkswagen AG’s new MLM Evo modular platform. It will also feature an aluminum-intensive body with a more advanced layout and less nose-heavy characteristics.
The new Phaeton is slated to be positioned between the A6 and the A7. Powertrain options are still being planned, but rumor has it that the new Phaeton will be powered by a four-cylinder, a hybrid powertrain and two options of high-output six-cylinders.
What should also be noted is that Volkswagen is planning for several body variants of the Phaeton, which may include a “four-door coupe” version, a five-door hatch version a la Audi A7 and a Jaguar Vanden Plas-like elegant and luxurious Super-Variant.
Also see – Volkswagen offers Rs25 lakh discount on Phaeton
Source – CarMagazine
