What is it?
2003 Volkswagen Phaeton
What's special about it?
Is the world ready for a $50,000+ Volkswagen? The volks at VW sure do hope so, as they unveiled the 2003 Phaeton, the company's first entrant into the full-size luxury sedan class. At just about 200 inches in length and 74.8 inches in width, it compares with other such full-sized luxury vehicles as the Audi A8, Infiniti Q45 and Lexus LS 430.
Three powerplants await to propel the aluminum body of the Phaeton: the standard 3.2-liter V6 with 237 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of thrust, coupled with a six-speed manual tranny or an optional Tiptronic automanual. The flagship is a 6.0-liter W12, comprised of two V6 chummily intertwined, making 415 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque managed by a five-speed auto. Europe will also have a choice of the 5.0-liter V10 turbodiesel with 309 horsepower and an astounding 542 pound-feet of twisting force; this will be the most powerful diesel engine available in a passenger vehicle and will be mated to a six-speed automatic. There's no word on availability of the diesel here in the U.S. With the W12 comes VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen differential, optional on the front-wheel-drive V6 versions.
The Phaeton rides on a much-touted pneumatic air suspension system that allows the driver to set a preferred ride height. For travel on rough roads, the vehicle can be heightened by an inch, while the car hunkers down 0.6 inches when it's traveling at a speed of 100 mph or more (it can top out at more than 180 mph). Four damper controls for shocks and springs are available, to be chosen at the driver's discretion -- base, comfort, sport and sport2. VW claims that the Phaeton is the most torsionally rigid sedan in the world.
Volkswagens are already known for their beautiful interiors, but the Phaeton aims to go above and beyond with an acre's worth of wood and hide. Three kinds of rear seats are available; all can control the front passenger seat, as can be seen on a Jaguar Vanden Plas. Standard is a fixed three-person bench seat. There's also a six-way power adjustment system that comes with air-cooled seats and a massage option. Also, it could be equipped with two seats that each have a 10-way power adjustment with memory and an easy-exit feature. A four-zone climate control system makes its debut, allowing for each passenger to travel in his own cocoon of comfort.
Such options as navigation system, premium audio systems, telephones, a TV, an automatic distance control, a heated steering wheel, a solar sunroof, a keyless lock and ignition system, and a tire pressure monitor will be available. Standard safety systems include four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, ESP, EBD, traction control and brake assist. Eight airbags provide protection for the occupants in case of a collision.
Service will be centralized, with all repair inquiries going to the service center in Wolfsburg and includes a delivery service for temporary replacement cars (always a Phaeton!) and a 24-hour service center.
Why should you care?
Volkswagen maintains that it's not trying to move the image of its cars to become an upscale brand. Instead, it's trying to maintain its current customer base, the kind who are upwardly mobile and may be switching to "other" German marques as they move into the next income tax bracket. The world will always have a market for high-end cars; the question is, will wealthy consumers pay a hefty chunk of cash for a downmarket marque? The vehicle will be built at the Phaeton-specific plant (they call it the Transparent Factory — no, the bathrooms aren't really transparent, but you can watch your personal vehicle being assembled) in Dresden, Germany, which, coincidentally, is also the building site of the Porsche Cayenne. It will be available for sale in spring of 2003.
2003 Volkswagen Phaeton
What's special about it?
Is the world ready for a $50,000+ Volkswagen? The volks at VW sure do hope so, as they unveiled the 2003 Phaeton, the company's first entrant into the full-size luxury sedan class. At just about 200 inches in length and 74.8 inches in width, it compares with other such full-sized luxury vehicles as the Audi A8, Infiniti Q45 and Lexus LS 430.
Three powerplants await to propel the aluminum body of the Phaeton: the standard 3.2-liter V6 with 237 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of thrust, coupled with a six-speed manual tranny or an optional Tiptronic automanual. The flagship is a 6.0-liter W12, comprised of two V6 chummily intertwined, making 415 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque managed by a five-speed auto. Europe will also have a choice of the 5.0-liter V10 turbodiesel with 309 horsepower and an astounding 542 pound-feet of twisting force; this will be the most powerful diesel engine available in a passenger vehicle and will be mated to a six-speed automatic. There's no word on availability of the diesel here in the U.S. With the W12 comes VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen differential, optional on the front-wheel-drive V6 versions.
The Phaeton rides on a much-touted pneumatic air suspension system that allows the driver to set a preferred ride height. For travel on rough roads, the vehicle can be heightened by an inch, while the car hunkers down 0.6 inches when it's traveling at a speed of 100 mph or more (it can top out at more than 180 mph). Four damper controls for shocks and springs are available, to be chosen at the driver's discretion -- base, comfort, sport and sport2. VW claims that the Phaeton is the most torsionally rigid sedan in the world.
Volkswagens are already known for their beautiful interiors, but the Phaeton aims to go above and beyond with an acre's worth of wood and hide. Three kinds of rear seats are available; all can control the front passenger seat, as can be seen on a Jaguar Vanden Plas. Standard is a fixed three-person bench seat. There's also a six-way power adjustment system that comes with air-cooled seats and a massage option. Also, it could be equipped with two seats that each have a 10-way power adjustment with memory and an easy-exit feature. A four-zone climate control system makes its debut, allowing for each passenger to travel in his own cocoon of comfort.
Such options as navigation system, premium audio systems, telephones, a TV, an automatic distance control, a heated steering wheel, a solar sunroof, a keyless lock and ignition system, and a tire pressure monitor will be available. Standard safety systems include four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, ESP, EBD, traction control and brake assist. Eight airbags provide protection for the occupants in case of a collision.
Service will be centralized, with all repair inquiries going to the service center in Wolfsburg and includes a delivery service for temporary replacement cars (always a Phaeton!) and a 24-hour service center.
Why should you care?
Volkswagen maintains that it's not trying to move the image of its cars to become an upscale brand. Instead, it's trying to maintain its current customer base, the kind who are upwardly mobile and may be switching to "other" German marques as they move into the next income tax bracket. The world will always have a market for high-end cars; the question is, will wealthy consumers pay a hefty chunk of cash for a downmarket marque? The vehicle will be built at the Phaeton-specific plant (they call it the Transparent Factory — no, the bathrooms aren't really transparent, but you can watch your personal vehicle being assembled) in Dresden, Germany, which, coincidentally, is also the building site of the Porsche Cayenne. It will be available for sale in spring of 2003.
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of expectations/predictions. Volkswagen has also decreased sales predictions for the future by staggering percentages. ![[:)]](/images/smilies/smile.png "Smile [:)]")
