"Because," explained Engine magazine editor Masafumi Suzuki, "no one but us would admit to driving an $85,500 Toyota. Lateral grip is on par with an Audi A8L's. Fortunately, Phaeton sales helped Volkswagen see the light: the car was such a flop that Volkswagen … "I mean, come on, I drive a VW.". There is no chirp at launch, thanks in part to 4MOTION all-wheel drive. This may be the perfect car for millionaires worried about a profligate image. None of which matters when you're lounging on the vast rear sofa, whose seatback angle encourages sleep. You're going to have to look him in the eye and say, "Well, I bought a $91,415 Volkswagen.". In the end, the Phaeton is a total anomaly — one of the most unusual vehicles; a car developed at a time when Volkswagen was truly going through an identity crisis. The screen won't even allow you to alter cabin temp without acknowledging its presence. The suspension shows to best effect in high-speed sweepers, where it takes a confident set and delivers fine path control. You're just wafted to colossal speeds, with 6000-rpm WOT upshifts clicking past as imperceptibly and silently as mile markers. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. The quarter-mile vanishes in 14.0 seconds, 1.1 second quicker than an eight-cylinder Phaeton we tested last December. It features a 48-valve 12-cylinder engine, an air suspension, and Magic Fingers vibrating seats. It's everything a luxury car should be. ", In America, you can buy a Volkswagen luxury sedan called the Phaeton W-12. We asked why the Century was sold nowhere but Japan. Fast and serene, the Phaeton W-12 is what might have resulted if Mercedes had its way with a Lexus LS430 and Jaguar did the interior. There's so little drama involved, so little head snap, so few clues suggesting vehicular strain or stress, that a back-seat mother-in-law will remain blissful right through her weekly harangue about your apparent inability to afford an Audi. Top speed is governed to a wimpy 130 mph. What will happen next is that your neighbor will come close to breaking the speed limit by the time he reaches the end of your driveway. Still, major yumps are overcome with but one cycle of the dampers, and although the Phaeton always reminds that it is as large and heavy as Dresden, it rarely translates to outright ponderousness. In America, you can buy a Volkswagen luxury sedan called the Phaeton W-12. info)) /ˈfeɪtən/ FAY-tən (Typ 3D) is a full-size luxury sedan/saloon manufactured by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen, described by Volkswagen as their "premium class" vehicle. "Hey, man, I'm lean, I'm green, " Ralph Nader could tell voters without flinching. Our car experts choose every product we feature. In tight switchbacks and S-bends, understeer manifests early, as does noticeable body roll, at least in the "Basic" default damper mode. VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan, PRICE AS TESTED: $91,415 (base price: $83,515), ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 48-valve W-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection, Displacement: 366 cu in, 5998cc Power (SAE net): 420 bhp @ 6000 rpm Torque (SAE net): 406 lb-ft @ 3250 rpm, DIMENSIONS:Wheelbase: 118.1 in Length: 203.7 in Width: 74.9 in Height: 57.1 in Curb weight: 5436 lb, C/D TEST RESULTS: Zero to 60 mph: 5.5 sec Zero to 100 mph: 13.6 sec Zero to 120 mph: 21.0 sec Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.3 sec Standing ¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 101 mph Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph Braking, 70-0 mph: 174 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g, FUEL ECONOMY: EPA fuel economy, city driving: 12 mpg, 2022 Infiniti QX55 Debuts with Fastback Styling, 2022 Honda Civic Will Be More Sophisticated, Design Details We Love on Honda Civic Prototype, Civic Lineup Will Include Sedan, Hatch, Si, Type R. When's the last time you saw a VW with a $3000 gas-guzzler tax? We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. Sales in North America ended in 2006 and global sales ended in 2016. Stretch your legs, read the Times, finger the exquisite eucalyptus trim, marvel at the 270-watt stereo. The brakes are strong-70 mph is dissipated in 173 feet-but the first pulse of ABS is tricky to predict, also loud. The long throttle travel takes some getting used to. It's like those spaceships in Close Encounters that floated up the hill after Richard Dreyfuss-silent, awesome, quicker than you'd think. Description: Used 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton 4 Dr W12 Sedan for sale - $9,999 - 129,000 miles with Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Navigation System, Alloy Wheels, Heated Seats. It features a 48-valve 12-cylinder engine, an air suspension, and Magic Fingers vibrating seats. First thing he'll do is start this VW and not realize it's running-yes, it's that silent, with no telltale vibration thrumming up through the steering column. This flagship VW is not without flaws. The suspension's pneumatic struts and compressors are co-conspirators in this cosseting, with the long wheelbase and astounding mass eliminating any residual ride harshness or crash-through. Certified Pre … If he still looks as if he might momentarily laugh so hard that fluid exits one or more nostrils, flip him your car's keys. Distant da-dumps suggest the chassis is getting a workout, but it's like scullery maids clicking and clacking in a faraway kitchen-soothing, gratifying, and none of your concern. Not because the Phaeton W-12 is a hot rod-although 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds is impressive for anything weighing 5436 pounds-but because it attains illegal speeds as if by magic. Introduced at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, the Phaeton was marketed worldwide. 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