Rebirth of the big-body Vee-dub: details emerge on 2018 Volkswagen Phaeton

By Ronan Glon Published September 26, 2014

Volkswagen is busily developing the second generation of the range-topping Phaeton sedan, and a new report give us a better idea of what to expect from it when it lands.

The next Phaeton will reportedly be available with a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain consisting of a V6 engine and a compact electric motor connected to a lithium-ion battery pack. The motor will be able to power the sedan on its own for short distances; when electricity runs out, the V6 will kick in and work with the motor to send over 400 horsepower to the drive wheels.

Buyers in Europe will have access to a 450-horsepower TDI turbodiesel V8 engine and a potent W12 mill, though trade journal Automotive News reports that neither engine has been confirmed for the United States.

Related: 400-horsepower Golf R

Volkswagen executives have previously hinted the second-gen Phaeton will ride on the MLB platform that will also be found under the replacements for the Audi A8, the Audi Q7 and the Volkswagen Touareg, among others. The Phaeton will be built using lightweight materials such as aluminum in order to drop as much weight as possible.

The current Phaeton (pictured in facelifted form) was axed in the United States after a little over 3,300 examples were sold during a three-year period, casting doubts over the nameplate’s future on our shores. Volkswagen has confirmed the second-gen model will be sold here but it is not expected to arrive until the 2018 model year at the very earliest.

When it lands, the next Volkswagen Phaeton will carry a base price of approximately $70,000.

Topics

Photo Galleries

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Cars

Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work

Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Cars

Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?

Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Cars

EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says

ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.