Damn that's a nice car inside. Very un-assuming on the outside (and damn if only it was an Audi, not a VW, for the status symbols on the outside... VW is cheesy) but holy crap it's nice inside with tons of luxury features. It's really an Audi... why couldn't they put the Audi badging on it? ;p

I'm not too thrilled with the exterior design either, but it's another world inside. I was wondering why my nuts were getting cold and then I realized the seats were air-conditioned like on Benzos. Btw the rear seats have that feature too!

And WOW that W12 is smoooooooth through redline.

 

Audi doesn't need another big car, they have the A8.

 

Yeah the problem is VW makes junk and also doesn't make luxury cars. They should either make it an Audi or start a new marquee like Benz did for the Maybach.

 

I always thought the Passat was a pretty nice car. And VW obviously does too with the prices they charge. But you're right, it still seems like a big step up from a Passat to a Phateon.

Are they out everywhere already? I'm gonna have to swing by the local VW dealership and check them out.

 

VWs are infamous for being unreliable. Its ranked #34 in J.D. Powers and Assoc.

I dont know what VW is thinking trying to upscale a car with such reputation. Replacing the A8 with the Phaeton would have make a whole lot more sense.

Toureg will sell fine (cos of americans hunger for SUVs) but I wouldnt be surprised if this Phaeton disappeared in couple of yrs.

 

Once upon a time nobody believed the Japanese could make a real luxury car .Guess they were wrong .Looks like VW can do this too .And don't bother with the quality side of the argument unless you are going to tell me that Honda suddenly makes great trannies etc. .All manufacturers have issues and teething problems with their products and I am sure VW has them too .
As far as the status goes ,well let me say this .Most Americans are fully in the belief that Acura Lexus Infiniti are noble brands ,they aren't in reality .Acura does not exist except in the North American marketplace and all of them are really just rebadged cars cobbled up and sold as "luxury" cars .Mercedes Benz sounds real good too till you realize the number one Taxi in Europe is a Benz .It's all about perception .Squish the Honda "H" on a European market Accord stick an "Acura" moniker on the back and tadah instant "luxury" automobile .

Jens

 

now the new Audi A8L will have the W12 engine too!... 0-60 in less than 5s.!

 

Jens is right where he gets at the underlying bias toward VW because they have a history of not making reliable, durable products. That is exactly why I have a prejudice against this Phaeton being a VW.

It's great to discuss that issue but when we're done discussing the facts still remain - VWs are, to this day, not very reliable vehicles compared to most of the other vehicles on the road over the average timespan people own their cars. I believe the test of brands/models that was recently released (was it JD Powers?) showed them near the bottom ("as usual", one might add).

So when I see the massive (it is truly huge... bigger than the Cadillac badge on the back of the Escalade I'd bet) VW moniker on the trunk of the Phaeton, instead of focusing on the "w12" or "Phaeton" which make me think of luxury and expense, I see the VW and think "crap".

 

Agreed JRock ,but let's take this then another step .As we all "know" GM builds garbage or at least that is popular belief .Interestingly enough GM is climbing in the ever popular polls that poeple assume are the "truth" .There are people like myself who relate the VW moniker with cars like the original Beetle .Yet there are also large numbers of younger buyers for whom the Beetle (original) is just an abstract idea much like a Model T is for me just an interesting historical item .People quickly forget and if VW indeed can get it's act together on this car than people will quickly begin to place the VW name in a higher class (percieved or otherwise) group of cars.If anything VW deserves credit not only for trying but daring to move upmarket with it's real name not some assumed identity like our favorites from Japan .Audi was never a high lux item for me because I remember them being about the same in stature as a Passat when my father drove one .Yet today they have grown into very luxurious high tech content machines .Same thing will (if VW is lucky) happen to these luxurious cruisers from the maker of the "People's car"
Ferdinand Porsche would be proud .

Jens

 

and the new Golf R32 AWD is coming with some 250HP. Real fast competition to new pocket rocket!

 

Jens - I wish them the best. The car is very nice inside.

NNH - too bad it's a VW for $30k and lacks a couple of the nice features found on the Euro model that people over at vwvortex are kinda disappointed about. =\

 

vw is not luxo. thats what audi is, the "rebadged vw".
the reason for these luxo lines; vw/audi, honda/acura, etc. is because Americans classify and associate status with vehicles. in europe and japan, this is not so much the case, therefore there is no need for luxo lines. they use benz's and bmw's as taxi's there, they don't consider them as luxo as we do here.kinda like if someone there said a oldsmobile was a luxo ride, we'd be like wtf?

 

Did you read the article in this months Motortrend that shows HPA Motorsports tweaking one out to 550hp+

And thats only the Stage II version.

 

VW Phaeton > Audi Phaeton.

i like that it has a VW badge.


the Phaeton is the best luxury car on the market.

 

took the words right from my mouth.

AMEN.