Wednesday 4th May 2005

VW tweaks Phaeton

Prices cut plus satnav as standard

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Now with added satnav

VW has announced a number of tweaks to its Phaeton range of slow-selling premium market luxo-barges.  

If you thought a luxury saloon like the Phaeton should include satnav as standard, the VW has just woken up to the fact. Its slow-selling premium market competitor now gets a navigation/radio system with a seven-inch colour screen as standard, and ultrasonic parking sensors at front and rear. VW reckoned this will save £2,300 off the options list.

In a bid to boost sales, VW has also cut the price of the recently launched Phaeton 3.0 V6 TDI 4MOTION. You'll be able to pick it up for £36,995 compared with its usual RRP of £41,490 OTR. This makes this advanced TDI diesel model even more attractive to cost-conscious luxury car buyers. The deal is available at participating Volkswagen luxury car retailers.

At the top of the range, the Phaeton 6.0-litre W12 4MOTION gets a power boost from 414bhp to 444bhp. Maximum torque is also boosted from 406lb-ft, available from 3,000rpm to 4,700rpm, to 413lb-ft, now more flexibly available from 2,750rpm to 5,200rpm.

Both 5.0-litre V10 4MOTION and 6.0-litre W12 4MOTION models also now get a new design of standard-fit alloy wheels – 8.5J x 18 ‘Innovation’ alloy wheels with 225/45 R18 tyres and anti-theft wheel bolts.

• More at VW's Web site

[aston67]

it is a VW for god's sake!

[z_chromozone]

It's a VW with free anti-theft wheel bolts.

My favorite gizmo on this car has always been the windscreen wipers....


Z

[Gentelman]

z_chromozone said:

It's a VW with free anti-theft wheel bolts. Z

Which if someone forgets to include the lug-wrench adapter for when buying second hand will really screw you over to no end when a tire blows.

[Balmoral Green]

I have to say, I rather fancy a 6.0 W12 Phaeton, I would put Bentley Flying Spur badges on it too

[pentoman]

For some reason I really like this car too, in the same way I like the Rover 75 V8.

Can't see many people buying it but I'd be glad every time someone does. And they even gave it some proper interesting engines, too.

Russ

[FourWheelDrift]

Balmoral Green said:

I have to say, I rather fancy a 6.0 W12 Phaeton,

Will be an excellent 2nd hand bargain.

[4WD]

Precisely. A used bargain in the making.

I wonder if AMD will pop that 6.0 in a mk1 golf

[mondayo]

I actually saw one of these tonking along on the M1 on Monday...it looks pretty good in the flesh.
I had to admire the bloke, as he did have the 6.0 version!

[aston67]

possibly a VW dealer that got it as a bonus or the UK VW HQ CEO whatever.....

Aston67

[speedy_thrills]

Article said:

ultrasonic parking sensors

Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t they just sensors that tell you when you get to close to another vehicle? I wonder how much VW charges for them because I made a very similar system when I was 16 or 17 to guide a robot around a room without crashing into objects and I would stay you could make the same system for about 10 quid.

[tvr33]

I had a drive in one of these in Frankfurt recently. Horrid! 150mph tank. Ugly ride and handling. Too much acceleration for the suspension. Yuk. Back seat passengers nearly chundered.

[Yugguy]

Seen one in Rugby of all places recently. I took me several seconds to realise it wasn't a Passat.

[tvr33]

Yugguy said:

Seen one in Rugby of all places recently. I took me several seconds to realise it wasn't a Passat.

Actually it was a Passat - joined up with another one!!

[JohnnySB]

my dad has just taken delivery of his phaeton 3.2 v6.. it is actually a stunning car, very few people actually have one therefore is much more exclusive than alot of other luxury barges....wish he'd got the V10 diesel though..that engine is superb, he took me out in a touareg v10 diesel and it was like the peverbial off a well greased shovel!!

excellent luxury range somewhat forgotten by most - unfortunately.