Top Gear Phaeton review

[Badboygolf3]

Did anyone watch the last top gear of the series and see the Phaeton review by Clarkson??

£65,000; 155mph restricted, 201mph derestricted; W12 engine. unmistable windows, radiators!!!! what a beast!!!

I'd rather have a Phaeton than an S class looking at the review, contraversial I know but I like to be different.

Bring on the Phaeton, it is supposed to have surpassed the 10 factors to pass production requirements from Ferdinand(not porsche), which were well OTT!

Even the boot hinges looked tasty!

[s4dreamer]

It certainly looked like it could compete easily against the S-class etc.

The question is, though, will it be able to overcome the VW badge stigma for the sort of buyers who can afford that class of car ? I mean, without test-driving the cars, if you had £65k to spend would VW appear on your shortlist of luxury barges ?

If the car really is as good as Clarkson implied, then I expect that over time it may take sales away from S-class buyers, but I wouldn't be holding my breath if I was VW senior management.

[Prhim]

True, VW does have a challenge on its hands with trying to convince the public to spend £35k-plus on the Touareg and Phaeton. But, having driven (and ordered) a Touareg, I reckon they've got a good chance of pulling it off.

Let's not forget that the current generation of 30-somethings grew up with the original Golf GTi and the emergence of the Polo and Golf as market leaders. Personally, I think VW is pretty well placed to try to capitalise on its reputation and popularity with this age group - and try to keep hold of the customer as their salary, and thus buying power, increases...

This makes sense to me. After all, look at the 'prestige' car marques who are trying to attract buyers earlier in their 'lifecycle' (Merc A class and C-Coupe, 3 Series Compact, X-Type etc etc...). Surely there has to be a chance it can work the other way around - and stop customers defecting away as they climb the economic ladder.

Of course, it might also help that a good portion of the buying public are not fans of Bangle's BMWs (or their w*nkmobile image), or that Mercs and Jags have a pretty staid image at the moment.

I've owned a Jaguar before and currently have an Audi and a Porsche, and transferring to an expensive VW isn't a problem for me... But then maybe I'n not your average car buyer (like the earlier poster, I always like to think I go for something a little different).

My tuppence worth.