Volkswagen unveils the 2011 Phaeton at Beijing Motor Show

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

Volkswagen’s flagship sedan the Phaeton was introduced to compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class and BMW’s 7-Series back in 2003 but never set the sales charts soaring.

After a facelift in 2009 the Phaeton has again been upgraded for the 2011 model year. This new model made its debut at the ongoing 2010 Beijing Motor Show and features an evolved exterior and interior along with revised powertrain options.

The exterior has been tweaked to look more contemporary and in sync with the company’s new design language. The 2011 Phaeton bears a new four slat chrome grille, LED Bi-Xenon head lights, revised front bumper and fog lamp inserts which give it a fresh look upfront. New LED tail lights are the primary change at the rear.

2011 Volkswagen Phaeton

The new Phaeton will be available with three petrol engine options as before but now features a new 3.6 litre base V6 engine with 280bhp. The other engines on offer include the 335bhp 4.2-litre V8 and the 450bhp 6.0-litre W12.

Buyers will also be able to choose between standard and long-wheelbase versions as well as between four and five seat configuration. The new car also ups the technology game with a new Google Maps enabled navigation system, variable headlights, road sign recognition and a four-zone climate control system.