To appreciate Volkswagen’s $100k+ Phaeton, you need to understand the Autobahn. Well before the Eisenhower Interstates, Germany built multi-lane limited-access highways with no speed limits. Survival on the autobahn means you can floor even the humblest well-maintained German car for, well, as long as you like. The name Phaeton generally refers to an open vehicle, and VW states they wanted to draw upon the “powerful sense” of that tradition. Thanks to reader Jack M. for spotting this high-rolling people’s car in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
Let’s not forget that Ferdinand Porsche designed the original Volkswagen (“People’s Car” in German), though this 415 HP W12 is far from an every-person powerplant. VW already had a narrow-angle VR6, so why not join two into a 48-valve V12? First installed in a supercar body, the W12 set world land speed records before filling the bonnets of cars like the Audi A8, Phaeton, and even the VW Touareg SUV. Thanks to Wikipedia for some details.
Only the VW symbol on the steering wheel and plebian buttons suggest anything less than a high-rolling super-cruiser interior. Buttons on many Volkswagens of this era erode into illegible white nonsense with use, so these have either been delicately handled or differ in their construction.
The rear cabin offers acreage to stretch out or negotiate a business deal. Rear entertainment and climate controls assure rear passengers never suffer second-class treatment. When my family crisscrossed the southeast for various events with my long-legged daughters, I replaced my beloved 300k supercharged Buick Regal with a $10,000 BMW 750Li. The $104k MSRP cruiser made the perfect family vehicle, gobbling up hours and miles in quiet comfort, and this Phaeton could fill a similar purpose.
Volkswagen’s family resemblance may have partially kept the Phaeton from luring buyers across the street from mainstay German luxury brands.
I’d see this view soon after flooring my 750 beside the W12 Phaeton. Even if you don’t recognize a “Phaeton,” the “W12” and “6.0” badges might suggest this is not your neighbor’s Passat. I’d be tempted to de-badge the rear completely with fishing line just as I removed the word “SUPERCHARGED” from my Buick on day one. Check out more pictures and notes on this high-flying 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 here on Craigslist. Would you drop $8750 on this super-sedan or browse the used SUV market where most families shop?
The W12 crankshaft is something to behold.
Nice work, Todd! That’s one of the coolest, and scariest, cars of the last two decades. I’d have to save enough to change out those black wheels with a set of NOS original silver ones, and then get the highest-level CarShield Warranty available…
Thanks, Scotty! I’ve looked at these as a potential buyer. I passed on the A8 because I didn’t want to maintain all the Quattro stuff, passed on the Phaeton and BMW 760 because 60-80 HP doesn’t justify 50% more cylinders, and the S600 because it has 12 pistons AND twin turbos. That left the 06-08 750. 360 / 360 from a NA V8 was a good compromise. After 08 BMW went to turbos. Anyway this car will probably thrill the new owner and give another 100k if well-maintained. I agree completely on the wheels. I only got black wheels for my 750 because one of mine was destroyed and I could only get the black ones in time for a vacation. They actually came with a nickel-plated 9mm that I keep in the glove box. Kidding of course!
Ha, 9mm. My hands are registered as lethal weapons, so I’ve got that going for me (cough).
The black car I just got last fall has black wheels, so what the heck was I thinking when I mentioned that on the Phaeton, sorry about that.
I with you on the wheels Scotty. Coming from the snow belt, if you have black wheels on your car, it means that it’s snow tire season!
The crank throws for cylinders one and twelve are on the very ends of the crank. They just kind of hang out there in the breeze and you wonder how the rods stay attached but it works!
Engine aside it looks alot like Passat especially the interior. Probably why it didn’t take off in the sales realm. Many probably wanted the engine but not in a dressed up Passat.
Where do you bid?
You don’t bid. Click on the Craigslist link in the write up. Press reply in the top left corner and contact the seller. Send us some photos when you buy it.
This car is an automotive oxymoron. An expensively built and powered luxury automobile with a common cheaper nameplate. ” $100k for a Volkswagen? I don’t think so” was a common response when trying to sell these new. Too bad, if it had been reskinned and badged as a Porsche or even an Audi, VW might have had a winner.
I have to believe a rare, extremely complicated, 20 year old Volkswagen with 160,000 miles has the potential to be an absolute nightmare to own. I noticed that the ad mentions nothing about maintenance.
You’ve got that right. $8750 for a $100,000 exotic tells me everything I need to know.
Really cool car,but as said above,could end up
a real nightmare.
I’m also not a fan of black wheels as they look like
they’re coated with brake dust.
Stay away…
It’s also important to understand the reasoning and the overall success of this car. The reasoning is that it was the outgoing VW Group’s CEO swan song. He wanted the company to build a car that could comfortably cruise at 120 mph in 120 degree weather. This car did exactly that. And while it didn’t sell that many units in the US, as a car, the chassis of this car is the underpinning of EVERY Bentley Continental, Bentley Flying Spur and Audi A8. Plus the W12 is offered in each of these cars. So, to VW, the Phaeton was a gynormous success.
So for $9,000 you could have a very remarkable automobile. I suppose the real crux is how long it would last with no significant repairs. At what point does it become “well I got my money out of it” if you have to call the junk man to haul it away? How much per month would have to have paid to to get equal performance and luxury?
Because at some point that’s going to happen. Maybe the current owner knows the alternator is on its last legs and will cost $10,000 (made up number just to make a point) to replace. Or even of the belt(s) to drive it, or the a/c, or…. Can you imagine replacing the hoses?
I think I’d have to look at it that way: what did it cost is it’s worth nothing?
Thanks Carbuzzard. You’ve hit the nail on the head for what happens with cars like this. I mentioned my 2006 BMW 750Li. With all its options including Night Vision it was MSRP $103k and I bought it for $8900 with 124k on the clock. It’s been glorious for another 50,000 miles. I do my own work, but diagnosis can be difficult on a car this complex. One interesting job was replacing a leaky alternator mount. Yes, someone decided to pass oil through the alternator bracket, relying on a captive O-ring style seal that goes brittle over time. It still drives beautifully but water intrusion thanks to poorly designed sunroof drains led to electrical problems, and I can’t get an inspection with ABS, SRS lights, and e-brake warning lights, so it’s been off the road for over a year waiting for some other projects to wrap up. You would think after 100+ years that making a car watertight would be basic blocking and tackling. When it’s road-legal, though, it performs and handles like a much smaller car, and there’s no public road where you can floor it for more than two or three seconds without things getting serious. Thanks for your comment!
The alternator works as should, was replaced 2 years ago. This rig has been well maintained.
Very expensive and complicated to maintain. 4 sensors work together before the engine will turn over. If one has a problem, the engine won’t crank. Underhood temperatures fries many components. Sorry for the new owner who buys this.
415HP?
Is this a normally aspirated version of 1 of my current favorite OP cars that I get to drive? That being an 03 (I think) Bentley Continental GT with twin turbo W12. The Bentley is well over 700hp. It’s fairly heavy, AWD and will do the claimed close to 200mph. Believe me, I’ve driven it fast and I’m confident it could’ve gone the rest of the way to 200.
Thanks for the post and comments. I bought the car at 98K miles with some worries about keeping it running right, but the drive train has been great and the car has never failed to start or abandon me on the road. The VWVortex.com Phaeton board has dozens of experienced owners who have been a great help in self-diagnosing the occasional electronics hiccups along with the near-factory capability Ross Tech VCDS for code and data reads (which I’m including with the car). Yes, this not the car for the person with only a kitchen-drawer tool kit or has a fit over an MIL, but if you like a powerful cruiser with loads of class it’s hard to beat for the outlay.
THANKS a ton to all, I HAD a GTI that was hoot, can only Imagine what THIS BAD ASS WOULD BE LIKE,