New Volkswagen Phaeton Shares Parts with Audi A6

The Volkswagen Phaeton was pulled from American showrooms in 2005 due to poor sales, but VW is planning to bring the marque back to the States with a revitalized look, a smaller stature, and a reduced price. According to CEO Martin Winterkom, the US-bound 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton will share many of its components with the next-generation Audi A6, including the chassis, transmission, and engine.

This results in a Phaeton that is significantly smaller than its predecessor, putting it a whole different league that the Audi A8 (which, at the time, was blamed for cannibalizing sales). The new A8 will be infused with technology from the next-gen Bentley Continental, making it much more upscale.

With all these changes, there’s a good chance that the new Phaeton will be considerably cheaper too. It’ll still be marketed as a luxury sedan, though, sitting head and shoulders above the Jetta and Passat.