Umm, if I wanted to waste THAT amount of cash on a car I'd go with a Mercedes, Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti..... CORVETTE.....
Mike
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<url>http://money.cnn.com/2003/12/29/pf/autos/vw_phaeton.krt/index.htm</url>
Phaeton drives Volkswagen upmarket
$64,000 VW for the well-to-do who don't want to flaunt it.
December 30, 2003: 11:30 AM EST
By Jim Mateja, Contributing Columnist
CHICAGO (Tribune Media) - Some things Dad insisted be held sacred.
Mustard on a hot dog.
Sausage on a pizza.
Standing, hand on heart, when the band strikes up the "Beer Barrel Polka."
And never pay more than $3,000 for a Volkswagen.
2004 VW Phaeton V-8
• Base price: $64,600
• Engine: 4.2-liter, 335-hp V-8
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic
• Fuel economy: 15 mpg city/22 mpg hwy
Good thing Dad never saw the `04 VW Phaeton, a $64,000 sedan from the same company that sells the $16,000 to $25,000 Beetle.
It's like Target selling Tiffany.
To justify $64,000, Phaeton features lots of electronic innovation. Not as mind-boggling as the BMW iDrive system, but sufficiently sophisticated that Phaeton should carry a warning: "Some assembly required" or "Batteries not included."
The two versions of the most expensive VW ever produced start at $64,600 for the 8-cylinder model and $84,899 -- $79,900 plus $4,999 in required options -- for the Premier Edition 12-cylinder model. Its rivals are the BMW 760Li at $116,495 and the Mercedes-Benz S600 at $122,820.
Who'd pay $64,000 for a VW?
In October, its first month on the market, 82 folks handed over a check while 118 more bought one in November. None asked for 72-month financing or a cash rebate. VW expects to sell only 3,000 yearly (330 with the 12-cylinder), but it will take about 250 folks driving Phaetons out of VW showrooms each month to reach that goal.
Phaeton isn't the only luxury car VW has in mind. It is considering an offering somewhere between a $40,000 fully equipped Passat sedan and the $64,000 Phaeton.
VW is trying to be all things to all people. That's tough to pull off when economy and luxury buyers are asked to visit the same showroom; economy buyers are intimidated and luxury buyers are infuriated to have to mingle with commoners.
But VW spokesman Tony Fouladpour insists there was a good case for a luxury VW.
"It will elevate the VW brand image," he said.
Equally important, "there was a segment of VW owners who wanted to move upscale, but we had nothing to offer," he said, noting that those folks moved into BMW or Mercedes instead.
You could argue that VW could move them into luxury sedans from its Audi division, but VW counters that to foster a more upscale image, the vehicle must carry a VW badge.
"Phaeton is for people who have wealth but don't want to show it, who want a German luxury sedan without the pretense of the namebadge," Fouladpour said, an obvious reference to BMW and Mercedes, not Audi.
"It will be a challenge for us and take time to attract a lot of customers. We'll have to earn our way into this (luxury) market," he said.
Phaeton elevates the performance you expect from a car carrying the VW name. It comes with either a 4.2-liter, 355-horsepower V-8 or 6-liter, 420-h.p. 12-cylinder. The test vehicle came with the V-8.
Tap the pedal and go. No hesitation. The V-8 quickly springs to life. A luxury car with an attitude.
Unfortunately, the V-8 Phaeton will pass everything on the road except a filling station. The 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway rating earns it a $1,334 gas-guzzler tax. At 12/19, the 12-cylinder is tagged with a $3,000 guzzler tax.
It's nice to boast about quickness and the ability to move swiftly in a straight line, but it's far better when the package is complete and the car delivers nimble handling while maintaining stability and control when the line twists and bends. Phaeton passes that test.
It comes with 4Motion full-time all-wheel-drive as standard, which we found ensures the 18-inch all-season radials grip the pavement whether straight or twisting, dry or dusted with snow.
A very sure-footed machine thanks to not only AWD but also to the standard electronic stability control as well as the air suspension with electronic damping control to adapt suspension settings to all driving conditions. In other words, comfortable, no-hassle ride and very precise handling with no surprises.
But its performance character is nearly overshadowed by all the gadgets.
Not just power seats, but 18-way power driver/16-way power passenger seats that heat, cool or massage the occupants (though, if you touch the massage button by accident, the sensation of something in the seat running up and down your spine is more than a tad unnerving); not just climate control, but also humidity sensors; not just a trunk lid, but an automatic opening/closing lid at the touch of the key fob; not just spacious limo-like rear seats, but rear seats with enough room for foot rests.
Turn a dial and the outside mirrors fold flat to prevent damage in a car wash.
(Continued)