VW Phaeton article in WSJ
02-14-2003, 06:24 AM
#11
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What do our friends in europe think?
I'd like to get some input on this from our friends in europe who are on this forum. Is VW thought of as a premium brand in europe?
Personally, I think VW is taking a huge risk. Audi isn't as clearly defined as a premium brand as many of their competitors. To confuse Audi with VW, by attemtping to take VW upmarket, they risk causing the same type of brand confusion that has beset GM for the last 20 years.
Americans think of the bug when they think of VW. I think that VW is becoming perceived as a higher-quality brand than it once was. IMHO, the Passat is one of the best values in the market.
To go from where they are to getting people to think of VW as a competitor to Lexus or Mercedes is a huge leap. I doubt they can get that far.
Personally, I think VW is taking a huge risk. Audi isn't as clearly defined as a premium brand as many of their competitors. To confuse Audi with VW, by attemtping to take VW upmarket, they risk causing the same type of brand confusion that has beset GM for the last 20 years.
Americans think of the bug when they think of VW. I think that VW is becoming perceived as a higher-quality brand than it once was. IMHO, the Passat is one of the best values in the market.
To go from where they are to getting people to think of VW as a competitor to Lexus or Mercedes is a huge leap. I doubt they can get that far.
02-14-2003, 09:18 AM
#14
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Re: What do our friends in europe think?
VW is definitely not thought of as a premium brand here in Europe. In my opinion VW has a good reputation of producing solid, good-quality middle-class cars but VW is far from being a "premium brand" over here. I have nothing against Volkswagens, I think they are very good cars and usually do very well in Finnish car magazine tests, but they have never been thought of as high-end cars.
I also think that VW is making a mistake with the Phaeton. Audi should be the one introducing high-quality luxury and sports cars and VW should concentrate on building cars for the masses so to speak. I'm also afraid this VW's ambition to build luxury cars creates only confusion among the customers and is a waste of VW's money...
Having said that, I have to admit that Phaeton doesn't look too bad at close range. But it's still a Volkswagen...
<img src="http://personal.inet.fi/surf/photos/Phaeton1.jpg">
<img src="http://personal.inet.fi/surf/photos/Phaeton2.jpg">
Pete (Finland, Europe, A6 2.7T Abt)
I also think that VW is making a mistake with the Phaeton. Audi should be the one introducing high-quality luxury and sports cars and VW should concentrate on building cars for the masses so to speak. I'm also afraid this VW's ambition to build luxury cars creates only confusion among the customers and is a waste of VW's money...
Having said that, I have to admit that Phaeton doesn't look too bad at close range. But it's still a Volkswagen...
<img src="http://personal.inet.fi/surf/photos/Phaeton1.jpg">
<img src="http://personal.inet.fi/surf/photos/Phaeton2.jpg">
Pete (Finland, Europe, A6 2.7T Abt)
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