Volkswagen confirms the range topping Phaeton sedan is coming back to the USA for 2018 - Does the new CEO Michael Horn get the US market?

[Sticky]

Volkswagen seems determined to repeat its mistakes. For whatever reason they are ignoring their history in the USA and ignoring the failure of the first generation Phaeton. Why? Well, they have the money to burn so if they fail again launching a premium priced VW model in the USA it really will not do much else other than give the US operations a bit of a black eye. New CEO Michael Horn will be the one who that will be held accountable if the Phaeton fails again.

Horn wants to connect the German and American Volkswagen markets more directly. Well then why not bring over the models they sell in Germany that they do not sell here? People are interested in the Amarok pick up truck, there's a good place to start in the pickup crazy American market. He says the truck is too small compared to something like an F150. The market doesn't need another F150 it needs a compact truck. Does an $80k+ premium luxury sedan that will compete with Audi's offerings really make more sense than an affordable compact diesel truck?

What about the Scirocco? We are not good enough for that car either? Michael Horn is a German and he has a good idea of how the brand does in Germany. However, this is not Germany. The one good sign is that Michael Horn says he is about the 'peoples' car and increasing volume with mainstream cars. Then give us the damn mainstream cars!

He does not want to take the brand upstream but make it more mainstream. Good. So how in the world does the Phaeton accomplish that? Why say one thing which is the right thing to say but then do the wrong thing by taking the brand too far upscale? It just does not make any logical sense.

Hopefully Michael Horn is able to turn around the US Volkswagen operations but this will not be accomplished with a Phaeton. Unfortunately, the Germans just do not seem to be listening to the Americans.

Source

[Puerto Rican 335d]

STUPID STUPID STUPID bring the damn AMAROK I will buy one, dont bring the P it will never sell well specially in the land of BMW Merc and Audis, WTF is this guy thinking. Im blown away. Another F150 duh hello shmuck!! F150 has been outselling their category for 10 yrs a small diesel truck will make heads turn, look at the NEW RAM 1500 with its Vimotori engine clicking 28 mpg/hwy