William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

February 17, 2012

For the past couple of years, the future of the Volkswagen Phaeton was in question. Some said the Phaeton would disappear within a few years, while others said a redesign is in the cards.

Now, a decision has been made on the Phaeton’s future. Motor Trend reports that Volkswagen is very interested in keeping the Phaeton alive.

"There will be a show car first, then we will build it," a Volkswagen source tells Motor Trend, "The car will be their legacy."

Who’s legacy? Most likely the source is talking about Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn and product development head Ulrich Hackenberg. The two have been locked into their roles recently, but are also speculated to retire around 2016.

The source goes onto the say the Phaeton was likely going to be canned, but the burgeoning car market may have saved it. So, what will the new one look like? The source says,

"The new one will have the same positioning: a straightforward sedan for the person who's successful but doesn't feel the need to show it. Volkswagen doesn't change course between generations of a car. It's always easier to keep the customers you have than to lose them and go find new ones."

So expect the new Phaeton to stick with conservative styling, but come with extensive engineering and technology. The new Phaeton is expected within three years and come back to the U.S. market.

Source: Motor Trend