VW Phideon, the Brand’s New Flagship Sedan, Debuts

Volkswagen Phideon (Credit: © Volkswagen)

There has been a lot of chatter about a possible new-generation Phaeton from Volkswagen, but that has yet to happen. Today, however, the brand has unveiled a brand-new flagship sedan known as the Phideon. Uber-luxury car buyers rejoice as the Phaeton’s successor is here! Right? Well, if you live in China, sure!

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Yes, Volkswagen has a new flagship luxury sedan in the works and yes, it is essentially a new Phaeton. Sadly, this luxury barge is a China-only model. To further squash any possibilities of a U.S. arrival, a VW spokesperson told Autoblog.com that “This car is for China only and will not be coming to the U.S.” At least we can dream, right?

The new Phideon rolls in measuring 5.05 meters (198.8 inches) long, 1.87 meters (73.6 inches) wide, and 1.48 meters (58.3 inches) tall. These dimensions make it 4.9 inches shorter in length, 1.3 inches thinner, and 1.2 inches taller than the last-generation Phaeton here in the U.S.

In terms of styling, the Phideon is quite the looker—more so than the Phaeton was—as it features the brand’s new nose that features a wider grille and LED headlights, and a Passat-like rear end. Close examination reveals an elongated hood that gives it a sporty, yet luxurious, look and feel.

Volkswagen Phideon (Credit: © Volkswagen)

Volkswagen was hush-hush on the interior details but did give us a few bits of info. The Phideon will have room for five people and has enough rear legroom for use as a limousine. Additionally, premium materials and wraparound ambient lighting make everyone comfortable riding in this big sedan.

Being a China-bound model, it is no surprise that this big, luxurious sedan has relatively small engines as the country imposes variable taxes based on the car’s engine displacement. The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit that mates to a front-wheel-drive system—output is not yet available. Topping the Phideon range is a 3.0-liter TSI turbo V-6 engine that produces 295 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. This engine matches up with VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid powertrain is also in the works, but details will roll out at a later date.

Being based on the Modular Longitudinal Matrix (MLB) architecture—the same that underpins multiple Audis and the Porsche Macan—the upcoming Phideon will also gain access to all of VW’s latest and greatest safety features. These include a heads-up display, a camera-based night-vision system, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, park assist, auto high beams, lane-change assist, and more.

The Phideon will hit Chinese dealers in the third quarter of 2016. Pricing will come at a later date.