Impressions of my 24 hrs. with a Phaeton W12 (very long!).
02-02-2004, 01:23 PM
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Impressions of my 24 hrs. with a Phaeton W12 (very long!).
I had the pleasure of being a participant in VW's Phaeton "extended test drive" program over the weekend. We picked up the car Saturday afternoon and got to keep it for 24 hours. They wanted us to drive it, have fun with it, explore it, and then share impressions upon returning it.
<b>The Pick-up</b>
My lady and I picked up the car at the W Hotel in San Francisco. It was ready and waiting at the hotel valet station, freshly washed and with a full tank of premium unleaded. We got a black W12 with beige leather interior. The pick-up process was pretty impressive; they had a person waiting for us at the valet station who greeted us by name and led us to the registration area inside the hotel. There they scanned my driver's license, gave us a copy of the Phaeton brochure (it's a good 1/4" thick), and gave us a couple of bottles of water. From there we went back down to the car where we got a great in-person orientation to most of its key features. The whole check-in/orientation process lasted about a half hour. The demeanors of the VW staff were very impressive - I felt like royalty.
<b>Off to the photo shoot:</b>
We'd made arrangements to meet our forum buddy LMGotts and his beautiful bride Heather in downtown San Francisco; the meeting served as a photo op for Larry and as a chance to meet one of our fellow Audi enthusiasts in person. The 4 of us hung out for an hour or so before heading off separately for our evening plans. It was my first face-to-face with Larry and Heather and I was reminded of the fact that a lot of really great people hang out here. Larry and Heather are the kind of folks anyone would like to have as next door neighbors; I hope we get together again.
<b>First impressions of the Phaeton:</b>
This thing is BIG! With an overall length of 203.7 inches, it's as long as an A8 L and a 760 Li; it's a half inch longer than an S Class and 5.7 inches longer than a 745i. I found its enormous size to make it a little cumbersome to maneuver in parking garages, but otherwise it wasn't a problem.
Another thing that jumps out pretty quickly is the car's complexity in terms of features and controls. The engineers have given the Phaeton a ton of stuff that I for one wouldn't have even thought of. This became evident during the orientation. The car is so loaded with "stuff" that in some ways it crosses a line from "technologically advanced" to "gimicky". A few examples:
- When you start the engine you don't just turn the key and release it after the engine starts. Instead, you just turn the key to the "start" position and immediately let go. The computer takes over and manages a sequence that effectively starts the car for you. Cleaver? Sure. I'm not sure what the value is in it, though.
- I've never understood the benefits of megabuck seats that have 18 zillion different adjustments. The W12 has an 18-way adjustable driver's seat and 16-way passenger seat. They're not only heated (and they get a lot hotter than ours in the A6), but they're air conditioned and have a "massage" function. Puhleeze! Even the rear seats are available with optional 10-way power adjustments.
- The trunk lid is power-operated in both directions. Ingenious, no? You never have to actually touch the lid.
- Not only do the head and taillights stay on after shutting off the engine, but you tell the car <i>how long </i>you want them to stay on.
- When you put the car into reverse, the climate control automatically goes into "recirculate" mode to prevent exhaust gasses from entering the car.
- The windsheild wipers periodically adjust their "at rest" position to reduce the amount of stress on the wiper blades.
- The headlight washers pop up alternately, one at a time, so that one headlight or the other is always at full brightness and not affected by the washer spray.
- When you turn on the A/C, little motorized doors open on the dash to expose <i>only </i>those vents that have been selected as active outlets. For example, if the driver wants air in his face but the passenger wants air only at their feet, the covers on the driver's side open but those on the passenger's side remain covered by the wood-trimmed doors!
...and the list goes on.
<b>Driving Impressions:</b>
The W12 is sweet, very sweet. It's unbelievably quiet, smooth, and strong. While it doesn't launch this 5400 lb. beast like a rocket from a stop, it pulls seamlessly and without hesitation. My only complaint with the engine is its lack of aural stimulation. It's just too damn quiet! The exhaust is tuned to be Lexus-like, that is, nearly completely inaudible. All you really ever hear is a "whirr" from the engine. Personally, I like to hear a bit of growl when I stand on the pedal.
At first I found the ride to be too soft. It was a bit floaty and completely lacked anything close to a sporty feel. Then I found the 4-position adjustment for the air suspension and was able to make all well. I dialed it up from its # 2 setting (2nd softest) to # 3 and then # 4. All of a sudden the suspension was as perfect as any I've ever experienced.
The steering, however, wasn't so easily fixed. It's tight and all that, but it requires next to zero effort even at speed. My recollection is that it required even less effort than did my 2000 2.8 with the 605 relay intact. When I mentioned this during my post-drive debriefing, the VW rep said that many testers have come back with the same feedback.
Brakes were what I expected - very strong with a slightly mushy pedal with just a bit more travel than I prefer. I could definitely live with them, though.
The features I was able to try were admittedly cool. The nav system (CD-ROM-based) worked beautifully and I'll probably never again buy a car without one. The audio system sounded great. Its CD changer resides in the glove box but there is no cassette player. The F+R parking assist is another fantastic feature that I want in my next car. I'm not sure how Audi's works but in the Phaeton it uses a system of green, yellow, and red lights in the front corners of the dash and above the rear window (visible in the rear view mirror) to alert the driver to obstacles. It worked beautifully.
The overall feel of the car was one of high quality luxury. Fit, finish, feel of controls, and choice of materials were first-rate. I tend to judge a lot by a car's interior and in the case of the Phaeton the interior is very impressive. The instruments (a complete set, with real numbers on them!) light up in white and the control graphics are in red (much like our Audis). Also like our Audis, the recesses behind the inside door pulls light up in red and the front console area is bathed in red light from overhead LEDs (though on the Phaeton they're mounted on the underside of the inside mirror).
<b>What's not to like?</b>
Not much. There are a few things, though.
- I personally don't care for having to navigate through screens of info to control HVAC functions. Admittedly, the system in the Phaeton is easy to learn and it works well. I still prefer a dedicated dash-mounted button for these things, though.
- I was underwhelmed by off-the-line acceleration. More accurately, I was underwhelmed by how it <i>felt. </i>Once it got going, though, it felt great.
- The car is too quiet for me. I want to hear the exhaust!
- No rear fog lamp!
- Steering requires too little effort.
- Exterior styling could be described as "stealth" or unassuming; to my eye it's bland (though not at all offensive).
<b>Conclusion:</b>
I think VW has done a great job with the Phaeton. If I was in the market for a German <i>luxury </i>sedan like a 7 Series or S Class, I'd lean toward the Phaeton. Granted, I've not driven current versions of the others, but in the case of the BMW I wouldn't have to because I hate its styling. As for the Benz, I'd have to drive it before deciding but my gut tells me that I'd give the nod to the Phaeton based on features, interior, and exclusivity.
The problem is that, even if I could afford one, I'll never likely be in the market for these cars. The Phaeton, like the 745Li and S500, is first and foremost a <i>luxury car</i>. None has much in the way of sportiness. Therein lies the disconnect for me. I have no yen for a machine that's quite as smooth and quiet and pampering as the Phaeton; in that sense, it's an expensive competitor to the LS430. They need to build a VW equivalent to the E55 AMG to get my interest. Of course, if they do there's no way most of us could afford it; hell, the current W12 bases at $94,700.
One thing that came out of this is that I'm now very curious to drive a new A8 L and see how it compares. That'll be my next adventure. In the meantime, though, it's pretty cool coming off a 24 hour test of a $100K car and being happy to come home to my A6.
<b>The Pick-up</b>
My lady and I picked up the car at the W Hotel in San Francisco. It was ready and waiting at the hotel valet station, freshly washed and with a full tank of premium unleaded. We got a black W12 with beige leather interior. The pick-up process was pretty impressive; they had a person waiting for us at the valet station who greeted us by name and led us to the registration area inside the hotel. There they scanned my driver's license, gave us a copy of the Phaeton brochure (it's a good 1/4" thick), and gave us a couple of bottles of water. From there we went back down to the car where we got a great in-person orientation to most of its key features. The whole check-in/orientation process lasted about a half hour. The demeanors of the VW staff were very impressive - I felt like royalty.
<b>Off to the photo shoot:</b>
We'd made arrangements to meet our forum buddy LMGotts and his beautiful bride Heather in downtown San Francisco; the meeting served as a photo op for Larry and as a chance to meet one of our fellow Audi enthusiasts in person. The 4 of us hung out for an hour or so before heading off separately for our evening plans. It was my first face-to-face with Larry and Heather and I was reminded of the fact that a lot of really great people hang out here. Larry and Heather are the kind of folks anyone would like to have as next door neighbors; I hope we get together again.
<b>First impressions of the Phaeton:</b>
This thing is BIG! With an overall length of 203.7 inches, it's as long as an A8 L and a 760 Li; it's a half inch longer than an S Class and 5.7 inches longer than a 745i. I found its enormous size to make it a little cumbersome to maneuver in parking garages, but otherwise it wasn't a problem.
Another thing that jumps out pretty quickly is the car's complexity in terms of features and controls. The engineers have given the Phaeton a ton of stuff that I for one wouldn't have even thought of. This became evident during the orientation. The car is so loaded with "stuff" that in some ways it crosses a line from "technologically advanced" to "gimicky". A few examples:
- When you start the engine you don't just turn the key and release it after the engine starts. Instead, you just turn the key to the "start" position and immediately let go. The computer takes over and manages a sequence that effectively starts the car for you. Cleaver? Sure. I'm not sure what the value is in it, though.
- I've never understood the benefits of megabuck seats that have 18 zillion different adjustments. The W12 has an 18-way adjustable driver's seat and 16-way passenger seat. They're not only heated (and they get a lot hotter than ours in the A6), but they're air conditioned and have a "massage" function. Puhleeze! Even the rear seats are available with optional 10-way power adjustments.
- The trunk lid is power-operated in both directions. Ingenious, no? You never have to actually touch the lid.
- Not only do the head and taillights stay on after shutting off the engine, but you tell the car <i>how long </i>you want them to stay on.
- When you put the car into reverse, the climate control automatically goes into "recirculate" mode to prevent exhaust gasses from entering the car.
- The windsheild wipers periodically adjust their "at rest" position to reduce the amount of stress on the wiper blades.
- The headlight washers pop up alternately, one at a time, so that one headlight or the other is always at full brightness and not affected by the washer spray.
- When you turn on the A/C, little motorized doors open on the dash to expose <i>only </i>those vents that have been selected as active outlets. For example, if the driver wants air in his face but the passenger wants air only at their feet, the covers on the driver's side open but those on the passenger's side remain covered by the wood-trimmed doors!
...and the list goes on.
<b>Driving Impressions:</b>
The W12 is sweet, very sweet. It's unbelievably quiet, smooth, and strong. While it doesn't launch this 5400 lb. beast like a rocket from a stop, it pulls seamlessly and without hesitation. My only complaint with the engine is its lack of aural stimulation. It's just too damn quiet! The exhaust is tuned to be Lexus-like, that is, nearly completely inaudible. All you really ever hear is a "whirr" from the engine. Personally, I like to hear a bit of growl when I stand on the pedal.
At first I found the ride to be too soft. It was a bit floaty and completely lacked anything close to a sporty feel. Then I found the 4-position adjustment for the air suspension and was able to make all well. I dialed it up from its # 2 setting (2nd softest) to # 3 and then # 4. All of a sudden the suspension was as perfect as any I've ever experienced.
The steering, however, wasn't so easily fixed. It's tight and all that, but it requires next to zero effort even at speed. My recollection is that it required even less effort than did my 2000 2.8 with the 605 relay intact. When I mentioned this during my post-drive debriefing, the VW rep said that many testers have come back with the same feedback.
Brakes were what I expected - very strong with a slightly mushy pedal with just a bit more travel than I prefer. I could definitely live with them, though.
The features I was able to try were admittedly cool. The nav system (CD-ROM-based) worked beautifully and I'll probably never again buy a car without one. The audio system sounded great. Its CD changer resides in the glove box but there is no cassette player. The F+R parking assist is another fantastic feature that I want in my next car. I'm not sure how Audi's works but in the Phaeton it uses a system of green, yellow, and red lights in the front corners of the dash and above the rear window (visible in the rear view mirror) to alert the driver to obstacles. It worked beautifully.
The overall feel of the car was one of high quality luxury. Fit, finish, feel of controls, and choice of materials were first-rate. I tend to judge a lot by a car's interior and in the case of the Phaeton the interior is very impressive. The instruments (a complete set, with real numbers on them!) light up in white and the control graphics are in red (much like our Audis). Also like our Audis, the recesses behind the inside door pulls light up in red and the front console area is bathed in red light from overhead LEDs (though on the Phaeton they're mounted on the underside of the inside mirror).
<b>What's not to like?</b>
Not much. There are a few things, though.
- I personally don't care for having to navigate through screens of info to control HVAC functions. Admittedly, the system in the Phaeton is easy to learn and it works well. I still prefer a dedicated dash-mounted button for these things, though.
- I was underwhelmed by off-the-line acceleration. More accurately, I was underwhelmed by how it <i>felt. </i>Once it got going, though, it felt great.
- The car is too quiet for me. I want to hear the exhaust!
- No rear fog lamp!
- Steering requires too little effort.
- Exterior styling could be described as "stealth" or unassuming; to my eye it's bland (though not at all offensive).
<b>Conclusion:</b>
I think VW has done a great job with the Phaeton. If I was in the market for a German <i>luxury </i>sedan like a 7 Series or S Class, I'd lean toward the Phaeton. Granted, I've not driven current versions of the others, but in the case of the BMW I wouldn't have to because I hate its styling. As for the Benz, I'd have to drive it before deciding but my gut tells me that I'd give the nod to the Phaeton based on features, interior, and exclusivity.
The problem is that, even if I could afford one, I'll never likely be in the market for these cars. The Phaeton, like the 745Li and S500, is first and foremost a <i>luxury car</i>. None has much in the way of sportiness. Therein lies the disconnect for me. I have no yen for a machine that's quite as smooth and quiet and pampering as the Phaeton; in that sense, it's an expensive competitor to the LS430. They need to build a VW equivalent to the E55 AMG to get my interest. Of course, if they do there's no way most of us could afford it; hell, the current W12 bases at $94,700.
One thing that came out of this is that I'm now very curious to drive a new A8 L and see how it compares. That'll be my next adventure. In the meantime, though, it's pretty cool coming off a 24 hour test of a $100K car and being happy to come home to my A6.
02-02-2004, 01:44 PM
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Interesting read, I just have to wonder
IF you were actually in the market, when it came time to do the deal, would you really favor the VW? I think that I personally would move in the other direction. And that's not solely image based (although there still is something morethan just a little unsettling about dropping that amount of money on any VW!) but also has to do with things like resale and prior experience. Somebody's always got to blaze the new trail though I guess.
02-02-2004, 02:14 PM
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It would be nice to have some pictures with that post!!
Major camera faux pas requires that I spend more time than usual to find some usable images...but I have a plan.
Look for an addendum to the post before I go to sleep tonight (could be 1-2 AM).
Look for an addendum to the post before I go to sleep tonight (could be 1-2 AM).
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02-02-2004, 02:40 PM
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Yeah, I'd probably go with the VW over the Benz, definitely over the 7.
The only other one I'd consider is the A8, which since I'm an Audi guy would probably win over everything. I'm of the belief, though, that the A8 L has a sportier feel to it than any of the others; if so, that puts it into a very different league than the soft, quiet, pampering one of non-AMG Benzes and Lexi.
Given its mission, I really like the Phaeton. It's beautifully done and there will never be a ton of them on the road. (Here in NorCal, s Classes and 7 Series are a dime dozen.) It's just a little too "old" for me, if you get my drift. The same goes for the S430, S500, and S600. Give me an S55 AMG, though, and everything changes!
Given its mission, I really like the Phaeton. It's beautifully done and there will never be a ton of them on the road. (Here in NorCal, s Classes and 7 Series are a dime dozen.) It's just a little too "old" for me, if you get my drift. The same goes for the S430, S500, and S600. Give me an S55 AMG, though, and everything changes!
02-02-2004, 02:42 PM
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I think you should parlay the VW test drive into an extended test of the A8.
You might be able to arrange such a drive if you tell them that you had the day with the VW...and we would benefit from having had someone with an extended period in both cars. Great write-up, enjoyed it very much.
Call Rector!!
Call Rector!!