Next Volkswagen Phaeton To Get Plug-In Hybrid Drivetrain

It’s been a dozen years since the Volkswagen Phaeton was first introduced to the world, but sales have never been close to what the German automaker hoped. Despite that though, the Phaeton will get a second shot at life, and this time it will offer several drivetrain options that include diesel and plug-in hybrid options making 400+ horsepower, reports Automotive News.

The VW Phaeton had a short run in America, and despite the fact that it rode on the same chassis as the Bentley Continental GT, most customers couldn’t’ be bothered by a $65,000 Volkswagen in the mid-2000s. The premiere engine option was the unique 6.0 liter W12 engine making 444 horsepower…and a few other engines nobody really cared about because they barely moved the bulky Vdub.

But while VW never offered a diesel engine to American buyers, German buyers have had the option of a 5.0 liter V10 TDI engine with up to 309 horsepower 554 lb-ft of torque, and with the next Pheaton, Volkswagen could make the TDI engine more widely available. Rumor has it a 450 horsepower V8 TDI is one of the possibilities, but even more tantalizing is the possibility of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain offering around 400 horsepower. Anchored by a V6 engine, this powerful plug-in hybrid setup could also be shared with Bentley, which has already admitted to working on a plug-in hybrid model for its elite buyers. And yes, the Pheaton is tipped to return to the US for a second go around.

Pricing will be about the same, starting at around $70,000, though this time around Volkswagen is keen to not make the same mistakes that sunk sales of the first Pheaton. I can dig it, but do you?

Source: Gas 2.