Review of the new Volkswagen Phaeton V6 TDI

If you're successful, refined and know quality when you see it, Volkswagen are targeting you with their latest Phaeton range. If, on the other hand, you have a family tree that doesn't possess too many branches, you may well be able to count the number of Phaetons sold in this country last year on one hand. In order to broaden the car's appeal, Volkswagen have recently introduced a package of changes to boost the appeal of derivatives like this 3.0-litre V6 TDI turbo diesel version. I suspect they may need to do a little more.

Keeping prices to around £45,000 has proved to be a good start. That at least should get a few more people into the showrooms to appreciate a package of recent improvements that run further than you might think from a casual glance. From the exterior, only a revised front grille featuring a three-dimensional Volkswagen roundel really gives the game away.

Inside, revised touchscreen satellite navigation and climate control systems feature as standard as part of a redesigned centre console, alongside a refreshed instrument cluster and multifunction display. A 'Side Scan' blind-spot monitor is now available as an option on the Phaeton for the first time, building on the already extensive list of safety equipment fitted to the vehicle. This technology monitors the area next to the vehicle and acts as a lane changing aid with an audible alert and a small warning lamp in the wing mirrors to warn of the danger of collision.

With the deletion of the awesome old V10 TDI from the Phaeton line-up, this V6 TDI is now the only diesel option for Phaeton buyers, offering 236bhp. With over 330lb/ft of torque on tap from as little as 1,400rpm, this Phaeton packs more muscle mass than a 4.5-litre Porsche Cayenne V8. This makes it particularly swift when undertaking merge and overtake manoeuvres. The 0-60mph time of around 8.6 seconds doesn't seem anything too special, but once underway, this engine shows its clout.

A six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox allows the driver to marshal things when in the mood and leave it to its own devices when wafting about. Fortunately, wafting is something the Phaeton V6 TDI is rather good at. You'll only really hear a slight clatter from the engine at start up and this soon settles into a refined background thrum. Anybody who knows their cars will always be able to tell that this vehicle drinks from the black rather than green pump, but it's a car that revels in its fuel type rather than attempt to mimic the characteristics of a petrol powered car.

"For the money being asked, nothing really gets close..."

Carbon dioxide emissions are pegged at 259 g/km and top speed is listed at 145mph. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Phaeton V6 TDI is the car's impressive range. Averaging almost 600 miles between tank fills, it's an excellent motorway car, the 4Zone climate control and the air suspension making it one of the most comfortable cars money can buy. For the money being asked, nothing really gets close.

The Phaeton is the brainchild of Dr Ferdinand Piech, the former Chairman of the Volkswagen Group who, until his retirement in 2002, seemed intent on expanding the number and scope of the Group's marques beyond all recognition. SEAT, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley all came under the Volkswagen Group banner and models overlapped, ending up with some strange creations. A Volkswagen that looked like a Lamborghini was built, set a series of records and was then killed off. Now we have a Skoda that's bigger and better equipped than some BMW 5 Series models, numerous Volkswagen and Audi models in direct competition and this limousine that shares its badge with a shopping trolley.

Set aside the badge snobbery and the fact that this car does bear a resemblance to the more workaday Passat and the Phaeton starts to make a case for itself. It's certainly refreshing insofar as it remains totally focused on the task of being a luxury car. This may at first sound a little odd, but consider how the sporting pretensions of Audi and BMW have affected their brief as luxury expresses in the often-knobbly low-speed ride of the A8 and the 7 Series. The Phaeton makes no bones about the fact that it's a plutocratic wafter, the chassis raising an unamused eyebrow should you attempt to hurry it through a corner.

The interior will be familiar to most Passat drivers, the layout of many of the controls being similar, but the materials quality is a league removed, the comfort features mind-boggling and the sheer space a distinct revelation. The five-speed automatic transmission's take up is so smooth that it comes almost as a surprise to see the view outside changing, your inner ear not registering the fact that the car has started rolling. The adjustable damper settings vary between 'blancmange in the midday sun' and merely soft, but high speed body control is always kept well in check. The air conditioning is exemplary, most of the airflow being directed through a set of mesh grilles on the top of the dashboard, providing effective temperature control without annoying draughts. There are vents on the fascia itself, and should you require a blast of air, wooden covers slide back automatically to reveal the vents beneath.

Rear seat accommodation is superb, particularly of course with the long wheelbase version. Moreover, the attention to detail is impressive throughout the Phaeton. Revolutionary construction techniques at Volkswagen's astonishing Dresden factory have resulted in panel gaps that are incredibly tight, paint that's as smooth as polished onyx and some interior features that have to be seen to be believed.

Even if the V6 TDI model were to continue to double Phaeton sales, the car would still be the most peripheral of bit part players in this country. The harsh truth seems to be that Volkswagen have found the limits of their badge equity. If you don't care what label your luxury car wears and judge the Phaeton V6 TDI on a purely objective basis, it's a winner virtually all the way. The problem is, you're in a blinkingly tiny minority. Call that a lesson learned.