Having left the U.S. market years ago, the Volkswagen’s flagship Phaeton sedan is (rather impressively) still in its first generation. Volkswagen has reportedly been developing a successor to debut as a 2017 model year vehicle, and GTSpirit got word that it will also feature some advanced technology.
For starters, the second-gen VW Phaeton will reportedly introduce autonomous driving technology that will be capable of autonomously driving the second-generation VW Phaeton at speeds of up to 60 km/h, or roughly 37 mph, and include an advanced overtaking function for highway driving. In addition, the full-size sedan will reportedly feature an air suspension similar to the Magic Body Control tech seen on the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which utilizes cameras and sensors to scan the road ahead for imperfections, and adjust the air suspension accordingly.
The 2017 Phaeton is also expected to offer a barrage of powertrains, starting with a V6 gasoline plug-in hybrid system making 400 horsepower, a turbo-diesel V8 delivering somewhere in the ballpark of 450 horsepower, and the mighty W12 engine supposedly returning for the top echelon of the full-size luxury sedan.
As for the rest of the car, details remain few and far between. What we do know is that it will ride on VW Group’s Audi-developed MLB Evo architecture and utilize lightweight aluminum to combat weight for a more lively driving experience and higher fuel economy. We’ve also heard that the next-gen VW Phaeton will move even further up-market to become be an even more exclusive (and expensive) vehicle, while a rumored VW rival to the BMW 5 Series helps bridge the gap created by the Phaeton’s repositioning. It’s unknown whether or not the second-gen Phaeton or VW’s BMW 5er rival will make it to North America.
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