I never understood why VW wanted to move Audi downmarket (A3), while moving VW upmarket (Phaeton). Granted, Audi, as is the same with BMW and MB, are not the range toppers around the world that they are here. Remember, you can actually get Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes with cloth interiors just about anywhere but the US, and they are most often sold as fleet vehicles to taxi companies. . . with diesel engines! VW has been referred to by friends of mine as "Germany's Geo", and after my sister owned them, my dad worked on them, and my grandfather owned the first VW dealer in Omaha, I have rarely doubted that. It seems ironic that the most competent and well built car they have produced in decades is the one being killed (Phaeton). A few looked at it as a cut price A8, but even fewer could get past the badge enough to buy one. Piech was intent on building an empire that quickly got out of hand. Case in point, the transparent factory in Dresden - what was the point of that? Who really cares enough to see a VW built? Now a transparent Lambo factory, that I would see.

Chad