With the decision made to develop an all new generation Phaeton, Volkswagen is expanding the Phaeton line-up. A convertible with folding hard-top will go on the market and compete directly against the SL from Mercedes.
Rumors about the next generation Phaeton are going in two different directions, some sources talk about a shared platform with Porsche’s Panamera, while others are saying that it will be based on the new Audi platform that also will be used for the new A6 and A8.
The Phaeton hasn’t been the big success that VW had been hoping for, but with the next generation, and by adding now a Phaeton Coupe-Convertible (CC) to the model range, the car maker is hoping for more success. With the Mercedes SL selling very well, VW is aiming at taking over some of those buyers to make the Phaeton line-up finally profitable.
The pictures are revealing a very first test mule for the new CC model based on a shorter and wider Audi A8 body. When the testers noticed the photographer, hell broke loose. The prototype disappeared immediately inside a truck, and the engineers did their very best to stop the photographer from taking more pictures. So this is the only set existing at this time.
[via Winding Road]
The pictures of the blue car look more like an Audi!