Like the A8 L, rear passengers are treated as royalty including more legroom than needed. A carpeted footrest is tucked under each front seatback, while a beautifully detailed overhead console features mirrors and lighting.
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| Rear passengers are treated as royalty, provided with more legroom than needed. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
The trunk is also extremely accommodating, with a gargantuan 600 liters (21.2 cubic feet) of cargo capacity making it 100 liters (3.5 cubic feet) more spacious than that in the A8 L. Supporting the decklid is an exquisite set of billet aluminum hinges, the nicest I've ever seen.
Back inside, the rear side window screens are also the best I've ever seen, with latches that lay flush against the door panel. Just press to pop them outward before pulling upward. After all is done click them back into place, again flush with the window line when not in use. I love such attention to detail.
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| Small things, like the exquisite set of billet aluminum hinges supporting the decklid demonstrate the level of detail and care put into the Phaeton. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Under the hood the engine is as inspirational to look at as it is to rev through the gears, a sight that should delight the boys in the local garage - not that they have the equipment to do a tune-up let alone any major work as it is. It's a 4.2 liter alloy V8 boasting 335 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 317 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm, making the 2,356 kg (5,194 lbs) sedan feel more compact than it is. One hundred kilometers an hour arrives in an alarmingly quick 6.4 seconds (just contemplate the car's weight for a second) and it's not hampered if the road surface is wet and slippery due to a standard all-wheel drivetrain and ESP yaw and traction control. Part of that acceleration speed is due to the amazingly sweet 6-speed automatic transmission, clicking away quick shifts one after another with little hesitation and no driveline slap.