GTP Cool Wall - VW Phaeton W12 LWB

[Barracuda]

One word, boring. Power, luxury, blah blah blah, uncool.

Never been all that fond of German styling anyway, they like to make their cars look, well, like all of their other cars. Not to say I don't like German cars, some of their designs are great, but for the Phaeton at least, a big fat Jetta with a W12 doesn't exactly strike me as cool.

 

[SVX]

Cool. Very nice amount of power, it looks bland though.

 

[Northstar]

This car just screams "Over payed Executive", which is by no means cool.
Seriously Uncool.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

But execs don't buy them which is precisely what makes the Phaeton cool.

 

[Northstar]

But execs don't buy them which is precisely what makes the Phaeton cool.

It doesn't matter if they actually buy them or not. If you buy one that is probably what people will think of you.

I guess I should have said "entry level executive" as a top level one would have enough sense to get something that actually resembles a luxury car and not one that looks like a bloated Passat.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I guess I should have said "entry level executive" as a top level one would have enough sense to get something that actually resembles a luxury car and not one that looks like a bloated Passat.

No, a top-level exec would have the badge snobbery to not buy a VW.

Someone with money and their senses about them would go for the Phaeton.

 

[Northstar]

Someone with money and their senses about them would go for the Phaeton.

Someone with money and senses could get more for less than what it costs to get a Phaeton.

 

[homeforsummer]

It doesn't matter if they actually buy them or not. If you buy one that is probably what people will think of you.

I guess I should have said "entry level executive" as a top level one would have enough sense to get something that actually resembles a luxury car and not one that looks like a bloated Passat.

I disagree on both counts. The Phaeton is far less a symbol of conspicuous consumption than an Audi/Merc/BMW etc, so it represents a more considered, subtle choice. And likely one not led by badge snobbery.

I'm also not sure what makes a "top level" executive more educated in choosing luxury cars compared to an "entry level" executive. Often a top level exec will have just done more brown-nosing to get there, and coincidentally be more likely to buy an Audi or a BMW just to impress someone else even if it offers no objective advantage over another car.

And it's worth remembering that the badge has absolutely nothing to do with luxury. If Kia brought out a more comfortable, more spacious, quieter, better equipped and quicker car than a Maybach, it would be the better luxury car despite the badge on the front.

 

[niky]

It doesn't matter if they actually buy them or not. If you buy one that is probably what people will think of you.

I guess I should have said "entry level executive" as a top level one would have enough sense to get something that actually resembles a luxury car and not one that looks like a bloated Passat.

Top Level Executive =/= luxury car, actually.

http://www.myjourneytobillionaireclub.com/2009/12/frugal-billionaires.html
http://autos.aol.com/article/what-billionaires-drive

A Phaeton would not actually appeal to middle-management types with salaries under a million bucks a year, but it might just appeal to the penny-pinching types who actually create wealth (as opposed to the wasteful progeny of the old rich who do nothing but use it up) and don't like to show it off.

 

[homeforsummer]

Top Level Executive =/= luxury car, actually.

http://www.myjourneytobillionaireclub.com/2009/12/frugal-billionaires.html
http://autos.aol.com/article/what-billionaires-drive

A Phaeton would not actually appeal to middle-management types with salaries under a million bucks a year, but it might just appeal to the penny-pinching types who actually create wealth (as opposed to the wasteful progeny of the old rich who do nothing but use it up) and don't like to show it off.

Fair play to those billionaires 👍 (Though the first link set off alarm bells with my Avast antivirus... dodgy scripts running on the page I think). I've often thought that if I had ridiculous wealth my consumption would be fairly inconspicuous. I'd not buy a bunch of Ferraris so much as buy a bunch of really cheap cars and classics that I like and spend money doing them up...

 

[Philly]

I disagree on both counts. The Phaeton is far less a symbol of conspicuous consumption than an Audi/Merc/BMW etc, so it represents a more considered, subtle choice. And likely one not led by badge snobbery.

Maybe this is just because I'm in America, but I get the impression that only a VW fan would buy a Phaeton. And that is because it is a VW trying to be a luxury car. It just doesn't work here in the states, especially since the Audi/Merc/BMW are only a little bit costlier.

 

[neanderthal]

Actually, anyone who wants to avoid conspicuous consumption could very gladly drive the Phaeton.

 

[Rue]

All go and no show. The thinking man's Bentley. I love this car to bits. If a Conti GT is uncool and a Flying Spur is cool, then this just has to be Sub-Zero.

 

[homeforsummer]

Maybe this is just because I'm in America, but I get the impression that only a VW fan would buy a Phaeton. And that is because it is a VW trying to be a luxury car. It just doesn't work here in the states, especially since the Audi/Merc/BMW are only a little bit costlier.

Thing is, it is a luxury car. Like I mentioned before, cost+badge dont necessarily = luxury. Luxury is about tangibles like space, comfort, quietness, and gizmos that make your life easier. The Phaeton has these, so despite the badge it's still a luxury car.

 

[TheCracker]

Uncool, for the same reason the Skoda Superb is. Badge fail.

 

[Philly]

Thing is, it is a luxury car. Like I mentioned before, cost+badge dont necessarily = luxury. Luxury is about tangibles like space, comfort, quietness, and gizmos that make your life easier. The Phaeton has these, so despite the badge it's still a luxury car.

I must have worded that a bit wrong. I know that the Phaeton is a great luxury car, but Americans would just be too hesitant to buy one from a marque known for economy cars, especially when more prestigious badges have offerings as well. Thus mostly VW fans would probably ever own one. Similar to the Passat W8.

 

[Northstar]

I must have worded that a bit wrong. I know that the Phaeton is a great luxury car, but Americans would just be were too hesitant to buy one from a marque known for economy cars, especially when more prestigious badges have offerings as well. Thus mostly VW fans would probably ever own one. Similar to the Passat W8.

They only managed to sell about 2,000 in the 2 years they sold them here.

 

[Stotty]

Seriously, seriously uncool

Bland, bland, bland... absolutely no style or road presence what so ever.

No one with £70k or so to spend on a car is going to choose one of these over an S class or a 7 series unless they are buying it 2 years old for peanuts.

 

[JCE]

For grins today I looked up the pre-owned price for one of these and was astonished. $18,995-25,995. Seriously, that's great value for the second owner! I'd buy one if I wasn't in love with Mercedes.

 

[EA11R]

No you wouldn't, because nobody would ask. Car people would know already, and non-car people wouldn't care in the first place...

Yes, but normal people would say something like, "What? You don't have a V8?"

And then you get to explain that it's like a V12, but cut in half and placed side by side and geared togethe-

And it looks exactly like my bloody Altima. Totally, unforgivably, bland. Unless you can devise a way to show off those stunning trunk hinges, it's just uncool. It's not seriously uncool because, you know, 200mph.

 

[homeforsummer]

Yes, but normal people would say something like, "What? You don't have a V8?"

Maybe in the States, not over here. It wouldn't surprise me if that sort of buyer here didn't have a clue what was under the bonnet... they just ticked the highest box they could find on the order form...

 

[McLaren]

Seriously, seriously uncool

Bland, bland, bland... absolutely no style or road presence what so ever.

No one with £70k or so to spend on a car is going to choose one of these over an S class or a 7 series unless they are buying it 2 years old for peanuts.

Hence, why it failed in America.

 

[JCE]

7-series yes but I'd definately buy an S-class and A8 before the Phaeton. The 7-series is just dead to me now. The last good one was the previous gen. (pre 2003?)

 

[neanderthal]

7-series yes but I'd definately buy an S-class and A8 before the Phaeton. The 7-series is just dead to me now. The last good one was the previous gen. (pre 2003?)

Me too.
The Bangle 7 series may be a technical marvel, but is is ugly as sin.