2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift in depth

Six weeks after its official announcement at the Beijing auto show, full details are finally being released about the 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton facelift. The Dresden-produced Volkswagen flagship saloon is available with either two individual rear seats or a bench, and can be purchased with a long wheelbase.

Changes to the car include a completely remodeled front end that incorporates LED cornering lights, and bi-xenon headlights that touch either side of the chrome grille. The rear light cluster is also comprised of LEDs behind smoked lenses. In keeping with Volkswagen’s current design language, “horizontal lines dominate the geometry,” according to a press release.

Inside, the driver can get the benefit of items from the Volkswagen Exclusive line, including Alcantara, leather and wood. 18-way seating is also featured on the front seats, while the optional individual rear seats are electronically adjustable. Four-zone climate control can also be found to keep things comfortable, while the driver has access to a new braking system, Dynamic Light Assist, sat-nav and an infotainment unit. Conveniently, the infotainment system can update itself through a mobile UMTS connection when connnected to a mobile phone.

The facelifted Phaeton has one turbodiesel and three petrol engines available. The V6 TDI kicks out 237 bhp (174 kW / 240 PS) with a 5.6 percent improvement in fuel consumption. It now uses 8.5 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers, or 27.7 mpg, while producing 224 grams of CO2 per km. A direct-injection petrol V6 that produces 276 hp (206 kW / 280 PS) is new to the Phaeton. Still available are the four-year-old 330 bhp (246 kW / 335 PS) V8, and the range-leading W12 engine generating 444 bhp (331 kW / 450 PS). Both could probably be tuned to be both more robust and more fuel efficient.

Pricing on the 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton was not yet revealed, even though the car will hit the European market later this month. The car will be sold in China beginning in August.