Size, features, power. The Phaeton has everything but will the people who matter want it?

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Neither do I, but you don’t need to understand German to know that Volkswagen means the ‘people’s car’ and that the Phaeton is the antithesis of one. The Phaeton is a super-luxury saloon, VW’s answer to the Mercedes S-class, BMW 7-series, and even the Audi A8 with which it shares the same platform. It’s now available in India and is ready to muscle into a minuscule market. But does the VW brand have the clout to sway buyers in a class where badge and snob value take precedence over everything else?
First impressions are not very convincing. The styling is too anonymous and the Phaeton lacks the visual flair of its Teutonic rivals. In fact, it looks like a puffed up Passat and there are even hints of the Superb in its smooth, clean lines.
Step inside and it’s a different story. You’re simply gob smacked with the interior quality and attention to detail. The seats provide living room levels of space and comfort and the feature list is huge, even in the standard configuration that is offered. The highlight is the four-zone (individually adjustable for four passengers) climatronic system, which provides draught-free air that flows through a fine mesh on the top of the dashboard.
The air-con is smart too. It constantly registers the position of the sun and automatically adjusts the temperature. A superb touch is the way the wood-finish air-vent covers roll when the air-con is not in use, giving the dashboard a nice, flush look. The cup-holders with flush-fitting covers is another example of the obsessive detail the Phaeton is built with.
The rear seat of the five-passenger configuration is supremely comfortable and if you opt for the ‘Premium’ option (Rs 1,40,000 extra), you get additional lumbar support plus a massage function and seat air-conditioning. These features, though fit for an emperor, are now common in super-luxury cars. What sets the Phaeton apart, however, is the exquisite craftsmanship in every square millimetre of the cabin.
VW has decided to offer the Phaeton initially with a 3.2-litre V6 petrol, a 241bhp motor that seems powerful enough except that it needs to haul a 2199kg limo. Performance is nothing exceptional, with a 0-100kph timing similar to the V6 Accord’s 9.46seconds. But then, performance is not what the Phaeton is about. This is a pure comfort machine.
In the brief drive that I had, it glided majestically over the Noida roads around the VW dealership. It doesn’t have the driver appeal of a BMW or even a Merc. The steering is quite numb and the response to any input is measured. The upside is it rides much softer and feels plush and hushed in a way that would appeal to chauffer-driven owners. At Rs 58 lakh, it’s keenly priced compared to an S-class but would you trade the star for a badge that spells People’s Car? Exactly.

FACTFILE
Price Rs 58 lakh (plus options)
Top speed 239kph(claimed)
Power 241bhp@6200rpm
Torque 32.12kgm@2400rpm

Length 5175mm
Width 1903mm
Height 1450mm
W’base 3001mm
Weight 2199kg
Fuel tank 90 litres

Engine 6 cyls in vee, 3189cc
Installation Front, longitudinal
Compression ratio 11.3:1
Specific output 75.57bhp/litre
Bore/stroke 84/95.9mm
Gearbox type 6-speed, automatic

Front suspension Independent, four-link front axle, electronically controlled hydraulic shock absorbers
Rear suspension Independent, trapezium-link rear axle, electronically controlled hydraulic shock absorbers
Front brakes Ventilated 360mm discs
Rear brakes Ventilated 310mm discs
Wheel 7.5J x 17
Tyre 235/55 R17

First verdict
Superbly appointed, but lacks flair.