We say A heroic, if utterly doomed, attempt from VW at a luxury saloon. Look elsewhere.Performance The smallest engines are the 3.0-litre 222bhp V6 TDI and the 3.2-litre 238bhp V6. The former has bags of torque. But it’s the larger engines that will attract the majority of customers willing to shell out on the Phaeton. The flagship model is a 443bhp 6.0-ltre W12 unit that clears 60mph in 5.9 seconds, hits a top speed of 155mph and develops 413lb-ft of torque.Emissions The whopping 6.0-litre W12 returns a paltry 19mpg and emits an enormous 348g/km in CO2. It doesn’t get much better further down the range with the smallest engine in the range, the 3.0-litre TDI returning 29mpg and emitting 259g/km in CO2.Driving Air suspension smooths out every bump and there’s lots of grip and control too. There is some slight bodyroll but generally it performs how you’d expect a large heavy limousine to.Feel Incredibly quiet, smooth and refined in every way, as you’d hope. The manageable air suspension system also allows you to tailor the ride to suit your drive. It makes for an excellent motorway cruiser.Space The Phaeton is huge and there’s lots of legroom for all passengers to stretch out and get comfortable. At the back, there’s a 500-litre boot as well.Equipment Every gadget known to man is packed into the Phaeton. Some models have a long wheelbase.Price Let's be honest, this will cost you an absolute arm and a leg to buy, run and sell on. The Phaeton's value will drop like a stone after three years which is worrying when you bear in mind that you’ll have to fork out at least £50,000 to get behind the wheel of one.Quality The Phaeton’s finished to a high quality and that’s noticeable in the interior more than on any other Volkswagen. There is lots of high quality materials throughout including soft touch surfaces and a unique cabin design. Unfortunately it’s a bit too busy and has far too much going on to ever be a comfortable and relaxing place to sit.Safety Loads of airbags and loads of active safety programmes.Pros The Phaeton is a luxury cruiser and a reliable one at that. There’s an impressive range of huge engines under the bonnet that allow for excellent performance figures regardless of its size and there’s lots of space for all passengers to recline.Cons The Phaeton is expensive to buy, run and own whilst the interior is also complicated and difficult to get used to.Alternatives Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class, Jaguar XJ
