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Next-generation Phaeton to be less expensive
By Yoann Besnard on 19 February 2008 | 
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In an interview given to Automotive News, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby talked straight about the Phaeton model: "We did a lot of things wrong with the car." He also gave some hints bout its replacement.
As reported previously, the next-generation Phaeton will be smaller and will be based on the Audi A6 saloon in order not to compete with the Audi A8 model. This will help keep the price low as Stfan Jacoby said the current Phaeton "was too high-priced.” Instead of a entry price tag of £35,000, the car would cost about £27,000 for the entry model.
Expected to be launched in 2010, the future Phaeton might put the emphasis on diesel engines, especially on the American market in an attempt to fight on green credentials with the Lexus brand. Jacoby also confirmed that the model will keep its current name. “The Phaeton is the name of Volkswagen’s luxury. We are proud of this name, and this name fits this car,” he told the newspaper.
The future Phaeton won’t be critical to Volkswagen ambition of achieving its sales goal but it will likely be considered as the symbol of the company’s success on the American market. Volkswagen wants to send the major flop of the current Phaeton to the forgotten pages of history books.