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2006 Volkswagen Phaeton V8 Road Test

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Khatir Soltani
Plutocrats Wanted

As I write, the Volkswagen Phaeton is fading away. It's beginning
The Phaeton is extremely inconspicuous for a vehicle that has caused such a great fuss. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)
to vanish, into thin air, though you'd be hard pressed to notice since there are less than one hundred and fifty of these cars spread across Canada. When it was launched just three years ago, it stirred up quite a fuss; after all, the Phaeton was the Volkswagen that would fundamentally change the way the world would perceive Germany's meat and potatoes brand. But in this perfectly calculated experiment of boardroom management, something went amiss, and now Volkswagen is quietly pushing it aside like week-old paperwork.

Growing
Volkswagen - a premium name, but not in the premium sector. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)
up, I watched the rise of many manufacturers, one of which was Volkswagen. It's not the same kind of rise that sees a manufacturer making something from nothing, but rather the transformation of a brand that once produced bottom of the food chain vehicles to one that has developed into a desirable household name, a name that has appeal, and can 'hold water'. Of course, the question remains, if cars like the Golf and the Passat are so highly regarded, why didn't people flock to the Phaeton? Surely it can't be that VW is an inferior brand as a whole; in nearly all the segments it has products entered its vehicles are considered benchmarks that other companies strive to emulate, be it in design, road manners, or that feel-good sensation you get when sliding into the driver's seat.

What strikes me as odd about the Phaeton is its purpose; I've yet to
Phaeton shares its platform with the far more successful 'Baby Bentleys'. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)
find a theory that fully explains its existence. One says that the company is merely doing good on building "The People's Car"; after building a portfolio of modest automobiles it finally got around to building a car for those "people" who are very, very wealthy. There's another that says this car is merely a showpiece, a tool to drive up the profit margins on Golfs and Jettas by getting people to plunk down on leather, nav and other four-figure options. Another says that it was merely a way to offset the expense put out for the Baby Bentleys - AKA Continental GT and Flying Spur - which ride on the same platform and use a version of the top-line W12 engine and drivetrain. One explanation that makes sense is that it was developed for luxury buyers who wanted a car with Bentley characteristics, but who didn't necessarily want to attract attention by appearing too ostentatious when driving up to the office. My personal favourite is the one that says that the Phaeton is a strike against Mercedes-Benz, which honed in on VW's territory with its front-wheel drive A- and B-Class, and this is their way of striking back.

But
I don't care that the Phaeton didn't catch on; it's an excellent car in all respects. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)
regardless of the original motive or any beliefs other journalists and media types may adhere to, and regardless of what philosophy the Phaeton was executed with, it plain outright didn't work; it didn't dethrone any of its class peers. I could happily go on and on about how this grandiose idea did not work, but I'm going to leave it here. Instead, I'm going to get on with the evaluation, because the car, as an example of design and engineering excellence, is equally as interesting as its history and background info.

Getting back to the very beginning, vanishing is something that the Phaeton is very good at, whether you're talking in terms of shooting off into the sunset, or, in a shroud of ordinary.
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada