2004 Volkswagen Phaeton Review

Specifications

Dressing Down to Slip past the Paparazzi

This is a fabulous car. Volkswagens new Phaeton compares at least evenly with every large premium car in its class, including such industry staples as the BMW 7-Series, Lexus LS and Mercedes-Benz S Class. I like it more than the new Jaguar XJ and ironically more than Audis recently redesigned A8.

Well let me think about that last one. I like the Audis styling better. The Phaeton, on the other hand, is inoffensive externally, blending into the scenery a little more than any of its contemporaries. Even the Lexus LS 430 seems rich in comparison. Drive up to the valet in a Phaeton and no one looks, except maybe the valet that knows enough about each model of every manufacturer to recognize the car for what it is. To most, it just looks like a large Passat, attractive but nothing new and definitely nothing expensive.

Throughout my test week I asked passersby what they thought it was worth. The average answer was $40,000, with most thinking they were shooting a little high. Ask the same people what a BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ or Mercedes-Benz S Class costs and they often overestimate.

But to many, this “problem” will be seen as a positive. Some would rather slip silently by their adoring fans and annoying paparazzi, or discreetly avoid attracting the attention of the taxman or the amorous “heart” of a gold-digger. Maybe you just want all the luxury and refinement that a car in this league can give you, but youd rather not have all your neighbors coming over to see if they can cash in on your lottery winnings.

With this thought in mind I met an awaiting Phaeton owner while dropping off the press car. Hopping out of his previous generation A8, he walked over to inspect the car that he had on order. I asked him why he decided to purchase it and he smiled saying, “There are some meetings where the Bentley just wont do.” Enough said. Querying VW staff later, I found out that the new Phaeton would be just one of six premium vehicles in this owners garage.

While discrete the Phaeton does offer all the luxury and refinement a person could want, unless of course youve been raised on Bentleys. Volkswagens perceived interior quality has long since been the crème de la crème of the industry, whether referring to a base-line Golf or what was a top of the line Passat.

The Phaeton is drop-dead stunning inside, better than the majority of its competition including the more expensive Audi A8 L. And Im not just talking about interior design, something the car exudes with high levels of taste and execution. Rather, Im talking about the thoughtful attention to the minutest of details. For instance, its switchgear is fixed tighter in place than the more expensive A8 L, at least the Audi that I tested wasnt particularly refined when it came to this nor the few that I have since checked over. The VW, on the other hand, only featured a slightly loose power mirror control on the center console. Volkswagen cleverly mirrors the rotating knob with a near identically designed cigarette lighter on the right side of the shifter. Multiple-way heated seats are set into the same interface, with buttons for shock settings, right height adjustment and for defeating the ESP stability and traction control, in between.

Whats my favorite feature? With little hesitation its the retractable dash vents. Click the interface to direct airflow through the dash vents and three motorized lids automatically slide upward exposing four vents. The analog clock at dead center remains visible whether the vent lids are open or closed, due to a hole cut in the middle. Its a feature thats sure to wow your friends.

While the 6-disc CD changer is located somewhat inconveniently in the glovebox, at least VW had the intelligence to situate it close enough to the driver that CDs can be switched while sitting in the drivers seat. The DVD-navigation unit is housed beside it on the right, the same place that Audis A8 product planners placed its CD-changer, rendering it out of reach from the drivers position.

I like the “his and hers” ashtrays at the base of the center stack, but all I could use them for would be disposing of gum or loose change being that I dont smoke. Just above, VW displays large audio controls with six radio presets, showing they didnt want to make the same mistake that BMW did when it introduced its 7-Series with the controversial i-Drive electronic interface and barely any analog controls.

The system mode buttons, situated just below the infotainment display, are also large and easy to actuate. They include climate, nav, audio, trip data, and various additional functions that prompt the display screen when pressed.

The instrument cluster is a feast for tired eyes, literally, easily legible in any lighting and looking more like a set of Breitling chronographs than auto gauges. A discreet chromed “Phaeton” emblem sits at the bottom center position mirroring that on the rear decklid, reminding the user that this is no ordinary Volkswagen.

Like the A8 L, rear passengers are treated as royalty including more legroom than needed. A carpeted footrest is tucked under each front seatback, while a beautifully detailed overhead console features mirrors and lighting.

The trunk is also extremely accommodating, with a gargantuan 21.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity making it 3.5 cubic feet more spacious than that in the A8 L. Supporting the decklid is an exquisite set of billet aluminum hinges, the nicest Ive ever seen.

Back inside, the rear side window screens are also the best Ive ever seen, with latches that lay flush against the door panel. Just press to pop them outward before pulling upward. After all is done click them back into place, again flush with the window line when not in use. I love such attention to detail.

Under the hood the engine is as inspirational to look at as it is to rev through the gears, a sight that should delight the boys in the local garage - not that they have the equipment to do a tune-up let alone any major work as it is. Its a 4.2 liter alloy V8 boasting 335 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 317 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm, making the 5,194 pound sedan feel more compact than it is. Sixty miles per hour arrives in an alarmingly quick 6.3 seconds (just contemplate the cars weight for a second) and its not hampered if the road surface is wet and slippery due to a standard all-wheel drivetrain and ESP yaw and traction control. Part of that acceleration speed is due to the amazingly sweet 6-speed automatic transmission, clicking away quick shifts one after another with little hesitation and no driveline slap.

The same lithe feel translates over to cars maneuverability and handling as well. Driving around town is much easier than initially expected, especially given the substantial chunk of real estate the Phaeton shadows. Parallel parking is easy, but make sure to mind the standard 17-inch aluminum rims wrapped in P235/55HR17 performance tires as they arent curb friendly. Mine came with even more impractical 18-inch alloys wrapped in P255/45VR18 rubber, but they looked fine and dont cost a penny more. Finding a parking stall large enough to accommodate the big sedan is another story, as most in my neck of the woods are for “Small Cars.”

Out on the open road the Phaeton is amazingly stable at speed and wonderfully agile in the corners. I set out on my regular route up the mountainside, steep enough to test acceleration and braking under a fairly severe load while curvy enough to see if its lateral stability is up to snuff. It is, and then some. I threw it into one corner after another, with the same aggressive assertion I would an Audi S4 or RS 6, and while the Phaetons not as firmly planted to the tarmac as these completely sport-oriented machines it manages stress with surprising composure, leaning a little during extremely tight turns taken at double digit speeds but nevertheless pushing and pulling the chassis around to the other side with respectability.

And its softer side comes with rewards, the most important being a superbly comfortable ride. It needs to ride well, of course, being that the limousine-like VW will undoubtedly act as escort to some executives who would rather be driven than drive.

To that end Volkswagen offers its version of the ultimate full-size luxury car, the Phaeton W12. The name says it all. Sporting nothing less than a 6.0-liter 48-valve, dual-overhead cam W12 engine making 420 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 406 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm, its a marvel of modern engineering. Of course, the W12s base price of $79,900 is not for the feint of heart.

Check every option box on the order form including the 4-seater package, comfort and cold weather package, keyless access, park distance control, either Chestnut, Eucalyptus or Myrtle interior trim, and finally one of three Heliochrome paint schemes, starting with Apassionata Blue, Luxury Black, and ending with Papillon Silver (the latter featured on my test car), each adding $4,000 to the bottom line, and then tack on either the Navy Blue or Petrol interior at $500, and the price skyrockets to a very un-peoples car $80,390. Of course, its important to factor in youll be driving one of the worlds finest automobiles.

But thats where I get confused. Sure a few fortunate souls will see the Phaeton as the ideal “cloaked” commuter, not too ostentatious for meeting the boss at the club for racquetball and drinks after work but still replete with every conceivable luxury feature to make getting their bearable. The cars sales numbers are said to make the luxury car the scarcity crown winner. Whats more, the lack of critical mass wont go far to get the word out on the street, which combined with a perceived value that my unsophisticated poll averaged at just under $40,000 means residual values ought to be extremely low. This will be great for the savvy luxury pre-owned buyer who may be able to pick up one of the best cars in the world for a song and dance.

So why did Volkswagen build the Phaeton in the first place? Because it can and wants the world to know just how capable it is? Thats partly true. But Im still left shaking my head as to why the German automaker didnt stick its billions of development money into making the Audi A8 the worlds benchmark luxury sedan - excluding Bentley, Maybach and Rolls-Royce.

You know what? Personally I dont really care why VW built it. Maybe it was a goodwill project for luxury car enthusiasts, or a halo car for showing off Volkswagens many technologies? If this last one was the companys reasoning it would have done better to build the exotic mid-engine W12 powered Nardo supercar concept. Whatever the reason, Volkswagen has created one of the best sedans the world has ever seen, and in the process changed the minds of those in the know as to just what a modern VW is.

But is it really that perfect? Well not exactly. For instance the infotainment display frapped out on me on one occasion, resulting in digital mayhem. It skewed the image back and forth like a TV screen that wasnt set on its vertical and horizontal hold pattern. Thinking Microsoft I naturally rebooted the entire system by pulling over, turning the car off and then restarting it again, with the almost expected results of a reliable system for the remainder of the week.

Once working the navigation system is about as far away from intuitive as anything Ive ever tried. For instance, the one time I actually needed to find an address I couldnt even find the control for inputting the info. Later on my wife tried fiddling with it and couldnt make it work, without reading the manual. Funny, why didnt I think of that?

And what is it about automatic temperature settings anyway? Why am I boiling over in a car at 68 degrees and freezing in another one at 73? The Phaeton has plenty of heat to spare, needing me to set it at 19 degrees in order to be comfortable. This is by far the lowest Ive ever set an auto HVAC system during mid-winter, so my guess is the 66 degree readout has little to do with the actual temperature inside the car. While Im sure I would get used to this fault, its a $65,000 car Volkswagen, get it right!

The Phaeton is also a little low on upscale features offered by rival luxury cars, such as an electronic parking brake, electronic ignition key, self-closing doors, adjustable headrest side bolsters, air conditioned rear seats, seat massagers front and rear, etc. These is the kinds of goodies I expect for a price tag that starts at $64,600 and can easily ramp up to well over a hundred if a few extras are added on.

So, will the Phaeton end up as one of the best cars ever made to never see a second-generation version hit the market, or is it actually the pivotal car for changing perceptions about the VW brand? I wouldnt dare guess. Rather Im just going to enjoy it while its here, and recommend it to those who arent in need of much external recognition.