Remember the Phaeton? In many markets, Volkswagen's big, ultra-luxe flagship sedan is still sold — but sales in the US ended years ago. Now, there's a Phaeton successor, sort of. Except you can't have it, unless you happen to be in China.
Meet the Phideon, which will be built in China through VW's local partner, SAIC. It's described as a four-door coupe — a paradoxical term used to describe an ever-growing number of cars like the Mercedes CLS, BMW 4 Series and 6 Series Gran Coupes, and the Audi A7. Basically, that just means it's a sedan with a slightly swoopier look than your typical four-door.
Like many higher-end cars designed for the Chinese market, the Phideon is designed with chauffeurs in mind — people like to be driven around there — and the car features a dedicated "chauffeur mode" where back-seaters can control the car's infotainment system. It's also the first VW to be equipped with a night vision system, making it a little more fun for drivers, too.
This'll be Volkswagen's highest-end car in China when it goes on sale later this year. We may not see it anywhere else, but then again, we don't see very many Phaetons, either. Every automaker needs a unicorn or two.
