Volkswagen to launch the Phideon in China, will compete against Audi

Volkswagen is all set to launch a new luxury sedan built specifically for the Chinese market. The Phideon is expected to be unveiled this Friday and will cater to consumers who are looking for a high-end sedan with luxury features. Reports also say that Volkswagen will be competing against its sister brand Audi in the country. While the Chinese government has conducted a war on overconsumption for the last four years, Volkswagen’s new Phideon should fit in well as there is still a market for cars that offers a bit more or as reports call it, near-luxury. To be honest, one doesn’t think of luxury when you hear the car maker’s name. The company has given a sneak peek at the the Phideon to a few select press members, as it lined up the car against the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class at a media event in Shanghai.  Holger Santel, vice president of sales for SAIC Volkswagen said at the press event that customers in China don’t want the more traditional luxury brands like Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW because they don’t want to show off. Audi will be the biggest competitor as it has been the preferred vehicle of government officials. On the other hand, Volkswagen is considered more of a mass-market vehicle manufacturer thanks to the low-end Santana sedans. They are also the preferred choice for Shanghai taxicab industry. This will help the Phideon to be seen a near-luxury car rather than something that comes out from BMW, Mercedes or Audi.  The Phideon is expected to arrive in two versions, a standard engine version and a plug-in hybrid variant. The top of the line will come with a 3-litre V-6 engine which will produce 300bhp. It will also be the first Volkswagen to use a camera-based night-vision system.