herr bentley?

[calmone]

i have one of those semi semi british cars. no, that's not a typo. and no, it's not a flying spur. but it is almost one. it's a 6 liter volkswagon phaeton. as many may know, this car is built on the same platform as the flying spur, has the same w12 engine, sans turbos (so it has a top speed of about 175, limited to 155 and is a second and a fraction slower 0-60 than the spur). the interior is just about as nice as the spur's and it has all the same electronic gizmos to cause anguish. of course, the list price is about $85,000.00 less than the spur. IMHO it qualifies as a brit! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif

 

[Tullamore]

For $100,000 I think I would find something other than a VW to buy. What about this car was so attractive?

 

[tony barnhill]

Where was it built? Photos? Year?

 

[kennypinkerton]

I think he's talking about one of these...

And I'm afraid it is most decidedly german - that's not a bad thing though.
"According to the manufacturer's sticker, 55 percent of the Flying Spur comes from parent company Volkswagen in Germany, including the engine and transmission... ...the information screen on the instrument panel in the Flying Spur is identical to the one found in the Volkswagen Phaeton. The trip computer and navigation system also are shared."
Quoted from
https://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4023846

 

[RomanH]

I really think that is stretching logic to say that the VW qualifies as a Brit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif
Besides, no VW is worth $85k! I am not alone in this sentiment . People are staying away in droves! So much so that VW has already anounced that they will discontinue the car after this model year.

 

[kennypinkerton]

Maybach also came up in my searches... I know one guy where I live who paid the $300,000+ privellage of buying one of these odd expensive rolling office buildings. Not a british car, and barely a car anyway... I have sat in it - not impressed myself.

I kept thinking Aston Martin Lagonda half the time... waste of money the other half. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif Wait no, that's the same thought.

 

[JamesWilson]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif

Besides, if you really want one, wait a year or two and get it cheap(er).... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[calmone]

1. i bought it used with 32,000 on the clock, basically half price.

2. what attracted me was an article lauding the car as having the best seats and a very comfortable ride, a luxo-cruiser that could be had for a bargain price used.

3. the v8 is considerably less $, but i espied this w12 for not much more, perhaps because it was a "buy back", but so far no problems.

4. the phaeton is not being discontinued, it will be sold in europe, etc, but no longer in the u.s. after the 06 run. and yes, vw delers hated it because people would not spend big bucks for a vw and the service was a problem as the car was so complex.

5. it is built at the "glass factory" in dresden, the same plant where many flying spurs anr built.

6. of couse it looks german, you telling me the rolls phantom and to a degree the flying spur don't? just what is an "english" car today? a rover? an MG? oh, maybe a mini!

 

[kennypinkerton]

Nope MINI's are german too - BMW. No new Rovers or MG's... Land Rover, Aston Martin, and Jaguar are now Fords. TVR is up in the air... I think Lotus may be (maybe) one of the only british cars left in existance... but even it has a toyota engine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif It's getting kind of bleak for british cars. I heard Marcos was gonna make a comeback. They didn't get very high reviews on Top Gear though. Hmmmm... Caterham? Where is the dunebuggyish Ariel Atom made?

 

[calmone]

for an "english" view, try this site:

https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5851547501354899215&q=phaeton

 

[kennypinkerton]

Excellent video clip - I always trust what these guys have to say about a car. But it's still definetly German.