2011 Volkswagen Phaeton unveiled at Beijing Motor Show

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By Matt Brogan | April 23rd, 2010

Volkswagen has today unveiled its revised Phaeton at the Beijing Motor Show.

Sporting a new look and new technologies, the new Volkswagen Phaeton features a new front end, comprising bi-xenon headlamps, LED fog lamps and LED daytime running lights, a new grille with two pronounced horizontal bars, revised front bumper bar and reprofiled bonnet.

Up back, the Phaeton scores a redesigned bumper bar and a new set of tail lamps fitted with intricate lenses. New alloys wheels complete the car’s exterior changes.

Inside, a new colour electronic display, new steering wheel and new trim finishes are joined for the first time by Google Maps on Volkswagen’s new RNS810 satellite navigation system. The complexity of the car’s on-board systems is now such that over 2000 separate cables measuring 3.2km connect the 60 different control units.

An advanced new air conditioning system controls humidity automatically while on the Phaeton W12 model, a four-zone climate control system is designed to be capable of maintaining cabin temperature at 22 degrees Celsius while travelling at 186mph (300km/h) through an outside ambient temperature of 50 degrees Celsius.

Like the climate control systems, the new Phaeton’s aerodynamics, brakes, suspension, steering system and even wipers have been designed to cope with speeds “in excess of 155 mph (250km/h)”.

Available with two wheelbase options (120mm differentiating the two), all new Phaeton models receive a very high level of standard equipment including 4MOTION all-wheel drive, Continuous Damping Control (CDC) adjustable air suspension, leather trim, satellite navigation, 18-way adjustable electric seats, a laminated finish to all glass areas and a total of eight airbags.

The new Phaeton, which goes on sale in Europe this August, is available with a choice of two engines – a 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel developing 176kW, and a 6.0-litre W12 petrol engine producing 331kW.

Pricing will be announced closer to the Phaeton’s launch. At this stage, Volkswagen has no plans to introduce the Phaeton in Australia.

Simon

Just another example of masterful engineering that we will never see down under.
Valet Dabess

was is that? angel eyes and leds in the front headlamps…
ChineseDriver

VW sold around 3000 phaetons in China during last year.
t39

Is that positioned above Audi A8 or below? Same platform?

ChineseDriver

They are competitors in China.

A8 is a little more expensive however not much more.

http://mymaties.com VDub Fan

The front isn’t bad but could’ve been hotter. The rest is right up there. 300km/h…. Bliksem. Look at the interior… I can carry on about this car for quite a while.
dasferg

The following companies should never build large cars – Alfa, FIAT, Renault, Peugeot and VW (thats what Audi is for)! None have a great record at large cars and in the case of the VW, it would be a $100000 plus, Ireckon it will be about as popular as the W8. I’ll bet it is beautifully made.

jojo

Would have to agree with that comment…..Nice car but surely VW is burning cash on Development costs on a car which represents a very small market segment to VW.

BMW, Audi & Mercedes can build and sell small cars with a good acceptance but it doesnt work well when VW tries to build a large luxury car to compete with the estasblished luxury car segment.

Reckless1

Some people shouldn’t post on forums.

VW builds Veyron. Enough said.

jojo

And VW loose money on every Bugatti they build also…Enough said..LOL!!

Matt

“Over 2000 separate cables measuring 3.2km connect the 60 different control units.”

Wouldn’t want the electrics to stuff up…

The humidity control is such a good idea though, and it would be very handy in Australia. But it’ll never happen, just as Simon said.
Shane

Possibly the most underrated car of all time

Frank

Agreed. I drove both versions the V8 & V12 and both cars were simply awesome. If I am not mistaken there is more technology in the Phaeton than the A8.

Shak

Very nice car both in and out. With VW’s reputation in Australia they should bring this over and steal sales from the much pricier Germans and our local big boys. But eight airbags sounds like little. Doesnt a Golf have that many.

Deco

It would cost too much.

The Oracle

Apparently they’re a great buy as a 2 year old in the UK. The depreciation is horrendous, about the worst in the market, but they still have some warranty left.
The reviews rave about the quality and the engineering, but not the badge.
They had one on display at the Sydney motor show a few years ago, it look like a large Passat really, nothing distinctive about the exterior design.

PS,antispam was Volkswagen!

smokin’r32

From what I hear on other blogs owning these things outside the warranty period is downright crazy, hence the low resale values. But I’ve never met anyone who owned one in Australia so I just have to take their word for it. Given VWs track record with electronics and reliability id tend to believe it

DL

This is a nice car and all but if it was brought into Australia all it would do is cannibalise Audi A8 sales.

Shak

It would probably cost about 90-100 grand less i would presume.

Baddass

Not even close Shak. The amount of technology in this car, and to make the business case even slightly viable, the base price would be north of 150k, probably 200k.

Pruis Pensioner

This car really hides its age really well. It was introduced in 2002, yet it looks like a car from around 2006.

The Phaeton really does have an elegant and timeless design.

Baddass

That’s because the looks are so bland and unispired that it will never cause offence, and never go out of fashion.

Prius Pensioner

I guess you and I have different tastes in vehicles. How good would it to buy a car today and have it look like only a three-year old design after eight years? I would certainly be very impressed indeed.

Lexus models of previous years exude a similar level of timeless elegance. Many would dub this “elegance” as “blandness”, but it is simply a matter of subjectivity.

The latest Lexus designs, from the 2005 onwards GS model also look fantastic (see also, IS, HS, ES, LS, GX), but I have yet to fathom if these newer design will remain timeless after many years like the originals do.

Baddass

What I meant to say was that when a car comes out with a very daring design, it will be very popular and fashionable for a few years (e.g the current Fiesta), but then tastes change and something else becomes fashionable. This will always be the way. This Phaeton is not a daring design, and people wouldn’t buy one as a fashion accessory, so it is less likey to have a boom in popularity and then a significant slide down. It is more as you said a timeless design, and thus not divide opinions and stay in fashion for longer. It is certainly not an ugly car, and I actually like the looks, so let’s see how this looks in three years more!

The Realist

What an ugly car, I mean just look at those tail lights and bland front end!

Even a Lexus LS460 looks better than this.
Ricky

VW were planning on releasing this here in Australia in April 2005, as a LWB W12 model. This is from a press release they issued in late 2004:

“Volkswagen, Europe’s most successful car manufacturer, enters Australia’s prestige market segment with the launch next April of the beautiful Phaeton sedan.”

“The Phaeton will be available in April 2005 from all Australian Volkswagen passenger vehicle dealers. Two firm orders have been held for some time.”

I wonder what happened. There was never any explanation as to why it was never released.

Baddass

Well, two firm orders is not a very strong base to build a new model in a new market from…

Patrick

Is VW a Luxury brand or the same grade as Toyota? or maybe little more premium than Toyota but less luxurious than Lexus.?
Patrick

3.0 liters V6 to 6.0 liters W12? That’s a big jump. They should offer a v8 too.

Reckless1

No, they shoudn’t. The should bung in the W16 as the top engine…..

shaman

That would be really cool, I see those badges at rear reading: W16 8.0

shaman

There’s a V8 too.

Don

In Europe VW are considered a mainstream volume brand not luxury, but of course they are a lot more popular than Toyota over there. In Oz VW have a slightly premium image, but event that won\’t be enough to justify bringing the Phaeton over here.
IAMBACK

NOBODY would buy it over a Benz, BMW, Lexus or even Audi.

VW knows this rhats why they have not bothered with it.

Nice stealth car though, and what where all the 10 items that the team leader asked it to meet? never revealed??
Cornell Leverette Moore

When will the 2011 be available in the USA?