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Phaeton about to become a rare commodity state-side....



(just in case any of you cared, and don't miss my rant at the bottom....)

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/14/D8DSH59G0.html

[ARTICLE]
Volkswagen AG said Monday it will stop selling its luxury Phaeton sedan in
the U.S. market next year. 

Volkswagen spokesman Tony Fouladpour said U.S. customers will be able to
order the Phaeton through February, and production will end in May. The
Phaeton will still be sold in Europe. 

Fouladpour said the company wants to concentrate on its best-selling
vehicles, the Jetta and the Passat, which make up three-quarters of its U.S.
sales. Volkswagen launched the new Jetta at the beginning of this year, and
its new Passat went on sale in August. Its GTI hatchback goes on sale next
month. 

The Phaeton has been a poor seller since its introduction to the U.S. market
in 2003. In the first 10 months of this year, Phaeton sales were down nearly
52 percent, according to Autodata Corp. 

The Phaeton starts at $68,655, comparable to a Jaguar XJ or Mercedes
S-Class. The A8 sedan from Audi _ which is owned by Volkswagen _ also is a
direct competitor. Fouladpour said Volkswagen knew it would be a challenge
to lure buyers in such a competitive segment. 

Fouladpour said high gas prices also hurt the Phaeton, which gets 12 to 16
miles per gallon in city driving. 

By contrast, Phaeton sales are up 23 percent in Europe so far this year,
Fouladpour said. The European version of the sedan has a diesel engine that
gets better fuel mileage, but that engine doesn't meet U.S. emissions
standards, Fouladpour said. 

Volkswagen, hurt by a weak dollar and fierce competition, has amassed losses
of more than $1 billion in North America this year. The company's U.S. sales
were down 11 percent in the first 10 months of compared to a 2 percent
uptick in the market overall, according to Autodata. 

The company named a new North American chief in October and plans to
introduce up to 10 new models in the next five years to boost sagging U.S.
sales.
[/ARTICLE]




<rant>
Hmmmm.....maybe if they hadn't MADE THE DAMNED THING LOOK LIKE THEIR
LAMETASTICLY-FUGLY PASSAT, THEY COULD HAVE NOTCHED OUT A SMALL MARKET-SHARE
FOR THEMSELVES.

I swear, I friggin' *HATE* VWAG. If it wasn't for this Scirocco, I'd never
have anything else to do with those twits.
</rant>




Dan Snow -TPA, FL
'87 16v Scirocco
'87 16v    -occo (? car-trailer)
'82 DIESEL Scirocco (*NEW and IMPROVED daily driver)
'81 Rabbit Sportruck
'87 16v Scirocco (back-up shell)


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