At the previous Geneva motor show I went to sit in the back of every luxo barge to compare the rear accomodation there as if I was being wisked around... the Pheaton had by far the most money thrown at its rear accomodation. Granted it was the 2 seat optional seating arrangement in the top 12cylinder version, but from the cupholders, the seperate climatronic controls, to the beautiful armrests (those hinges!) it was just superb. Both the S-class and the BMW 7 felt so mundane in the back... even in 2 seat versions, not to speak about the normal ones with a rear bench... and the airvents that close completely behind wood flaps to hide them once the temparature has been reached... so no wind blows over your face!
BUT it is too expensive for a VW. A Golf is seen as something to aspire to as better than a Focus, a status symbol. The Pheaton is rubbing shoulders with some serious cars... and it simply is not good enough. It offers nothing new, nothing more to say, well yes it is a VW, BUT it has.... what does it offer more? Nothing really. So it won't sell. Had it looked more avant garde or even retro, was made of aluminium like its cousin the A8 or whatever, maybe it would have worked...
BUT also remember VW knows full well they will loose money on every single Pheaton they make in that stunning factory of theirs - complete with parquet flooring! It does not matter. It was created as a halo car to show the other guys what VW can do if it puts its mind to something... has Vauxhall or Ford got something similar? No. And that is what matters in the pub to a Golf owner or someone deciding on buying a Passat... on that level the Pheaton is a massive success I think... Unfortunately VW will never know how many more Golfs or Passats were sold due to the Pheaton's existence or not, but just the fact that they did it at all shows they have guts and that there is hope for smaller projects like roadsters, Golf 4x4 estate cars, smarter bigger Passats, etc etc...
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[img=left]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/180225.jpg[/img=left]
2001 A2 TDI SE Crystal Blue with Open Sky, 6CD Symphony II, BOSE upgrade, DIS and HALF a winterpack!
iPAQ 3970 with Sat-Nav sleeve, rear cupholders, luggage net and floppy wiper!
http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk23.htm