Currently reading: Revisions for Phaeton
Mild refresh for flagship VW saloon

Volkswagen has given the Phaeton a mild refresh. The slow-selling luxury saloon gets a new front grille and alloy designs, plus new metallic paint shades. The interior has a revised centre console with an updated instrument cluster and a new touch screen satnav system.

Volkswagen has also taken the opportunity to slash the range to just two models, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI and the range-topping 6.0 W12. Prices have increased slightly, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI now costing £44,235 and the W12 listing at £75,395.

Both the 3.2-litre V6 and the 4.2-litre V8 have been quietly dropped. Not surprising, as the 4.2 Phaeton LWB lost more than 50 per cent of its list price in the first year – and only three had been sold in the UK since January.

That’s still better than the W12. According to the SMMT, only one Phaeton W12 has been registered in the UK this year.

Vicky Parrott

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The Volkswagen Phaeton’s decade-old platform needs more than a tweak to be a success in the luxury car market

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topower 9 March 2009

Re: Revisions for Phaeton

we can offer VW Diagnostic tools and cables,for VW all kinds of cars

jelly7961 9 March 2009

Re: Revisions for Phaeton

Colonel Snappy wrote:
Lexus have had quite a long struggle to establish themselves in such a position.

Very true. But they had the might and money of Toyota and could afford to operate at a loss for as long as it took to become 'acceptable'. Unlike Mazda and to a lesser extent Nissan with their Eunos and Infiniti brands resepctively. At the time the Eunos 800 with it's Miller-cycle engine was a really nice car. Our family had one of the first LS400s and while boring it was beautifully built.
jelly7961 9 March 2009

Re: Revisions for Phaeton

Colonel Snappy wrote:
But imagine being wafted home in the back of a comfortable saloon with a 4.6 litre V8. Would make a change from a knackered Primera, no?

Just came back from the US and drove one from LA to San Francisco. Unbelievably smooth and much more powerful that I would have thought given that it is 2 tons with tank full and with a driver. The steering was completley feel-free but reasonably accurate, and it had surprisingly high levels of grip (Pirelli tyres and not the usual Hankkok or Sumho) The one I had was a Genesis 'Technology -there are no options and it is loaded. Good to see them still getting their gen-you-wine wood grain trim from an oil barrel... The ride was very soft - which suits it. All-round the quality seemed pretty good and it is indistinguishable from a previous shape S-Class from the front. What more could you want?