Phaeton fired (in the US)

Newswheel staff :: 15 November 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Phaeton, US

[Click on an image to view]

Big barge throws in the towel

VW’s lumpy luxo-barge hasn’t exactly been a smash hit in any market. But if the launch of a cheaper 3-litre diesel version in Europe has encouraged a few Euro execs to forsake their precious BMWs and Mercs, the Phaeton has been literally welded to the floor in showrooms Stateside. Not anymore. VW North America has admitted defeat. The Phaeton will no longer be imported.

The German Car Blog has managed to get hold of the internal communiqué shown below which reveals that VW of America will be dropping the Phaeton in favour of “establishing a creditable and profitable volume base in the traditional Volkswagen market segments.” The Phaeton has found just 500 homes in the US in 2005. Not good.

(Click for full letter)

Linkage:
German Car Blog