In an recent interview, Volkswagen CEO has confirmed plans to bring the Phaeton back to the United States after pulling it seven years ago because of weak sales.
Speaking to Bloomberg at a conference in Wolfsburg, Martin Winterkorn said "A brand as large as Volkswagen needs a halo project in the upscale segment. We’ve seen what happens to brands that don’t have that kind of project."
The next-generation Phaeton will be based on the Audi A8 and could be introduced at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January. Bloomberg also speculates the luxury sedan could cost more than $60,000.
The return of the Phaeton is a part of Volkswagen's plan to spend $5 billion over the next three years to roll out new models and boost sales in the U.S., where deliveries have started to slip after a two-year burst following the 2011 rollout of the Passat and Jetta sedans that were redesigned for American tastes.
