There have been some valid points made about why the Phaeton failed in the U.S. market - status, image, brand name etc. are all valid. However VW of America did little or nothing to promote the car. Most people didn't even know the Phaeton existed, combined with VW's lousy U.S. dealer setup and poof-->failure. VW's U.S. dealer operation can't get service right on Jettas and Passats so there was no way in hell they were going to be able to sell and service the Phaeton. Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, and Lexus are all luxury car dealerships and they treat their customer as such.

Nobody in the U.S. media has said that big veedub was a bad car, only that it didn't fit the VW image and that it didn't have a proper dealer setup to support it.

As much as I liked the car, we all know it didn't make sense when VW already has a luxury arm - Audi. VW was trying to have their cake and eat it too, doesn't work that way. Especially in the U.S. market.

M