Latest press release:
The New Phaeton –
One of the world’s highest quality saloons got even better
Flagship of the Volkswagen brand has fundamentally new front-end styling
Online services and dynamic main beam control make their way into Phaeton
Wolfsburg /Sanya, June 2010. Volkswagen produces one of the
world’s highest quality and most exclusive automobiles at the
German Transpa rent Factory (Dresden): the Phaeton. The quality,
style and travel ling comfort of this saloon (standard all-wheel drive,
air sus pen sion and 4-zone automatic climate control) set their own
standards. The Phaeton is offered with two wheelbases as well as two
rear seating versions (three seat bench or two individual seats). Now
Volkswagen has further perfected the brand’s flagship.
The entire front end was redesigned, including the standard bi-xenon
headlights with LED cornering lights. Also tuned to match this look are
the new LED rear lights. In parallel, an abundance of new technical
features are making their way into the vehicle. They include a new
brake system, the Dynamic Light Assist (camera-based, dynamic main
beam control) system being introduced in a saloon for the first time,
and a navigation system, which can integrate online data in the map
display upon request. Moreover, thanks to an optional front camera
the Phaeton “sees” traffic signs; speed limit signs are visualized in
the instru ment cluster (multifunction display) and the central touchscreen
of the centre console. The system will be the first in the world to
recognize and display no-passing zone markings. The latest generation
of the Phaeton will launch on the market in just a few weeks (Europe in
June; China in August).
V6, V8 and W12 engines: On the drive side, four engines are avai lable
(one turbodiesel, three petrol). The six, eight and twelve cylinder engines
cover a power range extending from 176 kW /240 PS to 331 kW /450 PS.
The six-cylinder petrol engine in the Phaeton is a V6 direct-injection
engine (FSI with 206 kW /280 PS). At the power levels above the V6
FSI, a V8 and a W12 petrol engine are available (246 kW /335 PS and
331 kW/450 PS). In the diesel area, Volkswagen offers an extremely
fuel efficient and refined V6 TDI (174 kW /240 PS) whose combined fuel
consumption has been reduced from 9.0 to 8.5 l/100 km (equivalent to
224 g/km CO2).
Design avant garde: The Volkswagen Design-DNA developed by the
Head of Design for the Group, Walter de Silva, defines the car’s lines.
In the area of the new front end, in particular, the design team added
a measure of precision to the original, stylish and superlative image
of this model. This gave the timelessly elegant Phaeton a broader and
more powerful appearance: In keeping with the current Volkswagen
Design-DNA, horizontal lines dominate the geometry. Different than
on any other Volkswagen based on this new DNA so far, in the Phaeton
the radiator grille is not styled in glossy black; rather a completely new
chrome element is used. This radiator trim has a decisive impact on the
styling of the new Phaeton.
Joining the left and right sides of the grille are the newly developed
bi-xenon headlights with integrated LED indicator lights and LED
cornering lights. The new bumper design complements the radiator
grille and headlight styling. Here too, horizontal lines are the virtual
common thread linking their design. Even the front fog lights now shine in
LED technology. The rear section of the car was also modified.
In this area, the design team chose not to change the classic, clear and
powerful basic styling of the Phaeton; instead it developed new smoked
LED rear lights. Similar to the front end, the rear bumper was also
modified. In its side profile, the car’s new side trim strips and narrowstyled
LED indicator lights in the outside mirrors stand out.
Interior artistry: The interior of the Phaeton is one of the most elegant,
high quality and comfortable of the entire luxury class. The styling is
linear and timeless; the materials and quality of workmanship define
the benchmark worldwide. Unmatched in quality are its techno logical
concepts such as a draft-free 4-zone climate control system and 18-way
seats with award-winning ergonomics. As an alternative to the version
with three rear seats (5-seater), the saloon may be ordered with two
electri cal ly adjustable individual seats as an option (4- seater). The
Phaeton is also available in an extended chauffeur version that is
120 milli metres longer. The possibilities for customising the saloon are
practically limit less with numerous options from Volkswagen Exclusive
covering a broad range of leather, Alcantara trim, wood accents and such
featu res as a refrigerator and multimedia systems. This also applies to
the new styling of the multifunction steering wheel; it can be ordered in
either leather or a wood-leather combination that is coordina ted with
the interior accents. Many customers in Europe – and those customers
travelling to Europe − take advantage of the opportunity to configure
their new Phaeton with original leathers, woods and paints right at the
Transparent Factory.
Infotainment systems: The thoroughly intuitive operation of the
Phaeton was transferred unreservedly to the current generation radio/
navigation system (RCD 810 as standard unit and RNS 810 as an option).
The systems, whose features include 8-inch touchscreen control, form
one functional unit with the climate control and multimedia controls.
In the new Phaeton, Volkswagen is offering − for the first time − an
Internet-based Google function as a supplement to the map display of
the RNS 810 radio-navigation system with 30 Gigabyte hard drive. The
relevant data are loaded into the system via mobile telephone using a
specially set up Proxy Server. Visualisation on the touchscreen display
is the same as that of the Google maps “Satellite” view or the Google
“Hybrid” map on the iPhone, which are familiar from the conventional
Internet, and it includes Points of Interest that can be called up. In
the Phaeton, the satellite images are of course supplemented by the
selected route recommended by the navigation system.
Ideally, the system loads the data over a UMTS connection. The
tele phone itself is fully integrated in the system via remote SIM Access
Profile (rSAP). If a user wants to use a mobile phone with Hands-Free
Profile (HFP) as an alternative (e.g. the iPhone), this is also possible in
the new Phaeton (in this case, Google is not activated). The info tainment
system can do even more. Thanks to an optional camera, it can
now recognise traffic signs and show the relevant information on the
touchscreen and/or the display of the multifunction display (located
between the speedometer and tachometer). By the way, this is the first
vehicle in the world to indicate no-passing zones to the driver.
Electronic assistance systems: Assistance systems on the Phaeton
include the new Dynamic Light Assist (dynamic main beam control),
ACC (adaptive cruise control), Front Assist (surroundings monitoring
system) and Side Assist (lane-changing assistant) systems. A tyre
pressure monitoring system contributes to an even higher standard
of safety. A completely new development is the optional Dynamic
Light Assist: In conjunction with a camera integrated behind the front
windscreen, the main beam modules of the bi-xenon headlights remain
continual ly active; they are only masked in areas in which the system
has analysed potential glare to other traffic participants. As a result, the
driver has considerably more light to work with, and the system offers
a clear gain in safety and driving convenience.
Full gallery here:
The New Phaeton | No Speed Limit
It's still my favourite high-end luxury sedan.
…nevertheless would have loved to see new engines - especially the V8 TDI and a new V6 TDI engine.
