Geneva 2016: Volkswagen Phideon – The New Flagship For China

Now that the Volkswagen Phaeton is being phased out with no replacement in sight yet, this Phideon, the result of a joint development between Volkswagen AG and its Chinese partner SAIC Volkswagen, will take over the mantle as Volkswagen’s flagship product in China, the company’s single largest market in the world.

Positioned above the Chinese market Passat (US market Passat) and Magotan (a long wheelbase version of European market Passat), the Phideon measures 5.05 metres long, 1.87 metres wide and 1.48 metres high. That’s over 280 mm longer than our standard wheelbase (European market) Passat B7!

Volkswagen also confirmed that the Phideon is a production version of the C Coupe Concept (below) that was previewed at the 2015 Auto Shanghai motor show.

Initially, there will be two engine options available – a 3.0-litre TSI turbocharged V6 paired driving all four wheels via Volkswagen’s 4MOTION or a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged four cylinder that drives the front wheels.

A plug-in hybrid model will also join the model line-up at a later stage.

The Phideon is the first Volkswagen model to be built based on the company’s modular MLB platform for longitudinal engines.

Comfort is further enhanced with the adoption of an air suspension system borrowed Volkswagen’s sister-company Bentley.

A ‘Soft Close’ electric soft-closing system for the doors raises the car’s level of refinement.

The Phideon will go on sale in China in the third quarter of this year.