This goal he made equally concise during a previous interview in March, where the CEO stated, "I would love to be among the top three manufacturers, but not at the expense of profitability."
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| How much life is left in the the project that most analysts agree should have never been built in the first place? (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press) |
It will be interesting to see if Pischetsrieder continues his support of the Phaeton project, even through to a second-generation car, or if he, with the board's consent, kills the luxury sedan that most analysts agree should have never been built in the first place. Would the $65K VW sell better if it was styled after a large sport wagon, possibly designed to look more like Audi's 2001 Avantissimo Concept? Or would it do better as a 4-door coupe, closer in style to VW's Concept D? Pischetsrieder somehow believes it can be both a coupe and a wagon, and when revised would attract those customers bored with conventional sedans.
Volkswagen board members will have to be convinced that at least more than 6 Phaetons per month can be sold in VW strongholds such as Canada, before loosening the purse strings to invest in an updated model.