Luxury lengths

Volkswagen will try to carve out a niche in the luxury end of the market with its new Phaeton going up against Mercedes and BMW, as ALASTAIR SLOANE writes.

The luxury car segment in New Zealand shifted up a gear with the appearance in 1999 of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and its dazzling mix of gizmos, glamour and superb drivability.

It is expected to go up another notch again on Monday when the updated BMW 7-Series is launched in New Zealand.

BMW calls it the world's most advanced production car. It is as much a communications device as it is transport, with its electronic iDrive command function giving the driver access to a whiz-bang world of technology.

The 7-Series drives well, too, they say. More on that in next week's Midweek Motoring.

But Mercedes-Benz won't let BMW hog the limelight for long. An updated S-Class is due next year, with changes to the interior, new-look front and rear bumpers and refined electronics. There will also be an all-wheel-drive 4Matic model on offer. An all-new S-Class with electronic night vision is due in 2005.

Audi, too, will throw its hat into the top-end ring next year with a new four-paw A8. Analysts in Europe say the all-aluminium saloon will be the most advanced and powerful vehicle in the luxury category, mostly because it will benefit from extra development time over the BMW.

Audi parent Volkswagen is also going to be hot on the heels of Mercedes-Benz and BMW with the Phaeton, its first luxury model. The Phaeton is the production version of the concept D1 and will be officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show next month.

The name Phaeton is Greek for "the shining one" and refers to the illegitimate son of the Sun God Helios. In Greek mythology, the young Phaeton asked his godly father to allow him to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky for a day.

Helios warned Phaeton that it was man's work, but Phaeton insisted. Sure enough, Phaeton couldn't handle the team and the horses bolted and crashed towards the Earth.

The Earth was in danger of burning. So Zeus made Phaeton fall from the chariot to his death to prevent a catastrophe. This isn't expected to happen to VW.

Before the invention of motor vehicles, the Phaeton was a light, open carriage for gentlemen drivers. In the 18th century, this term was used for carriages driven by their owners, rendering a coachman unnecessary.

The name was adapted when car production revved up 100 years ago. In Germany, this body form was also known as an open touring car, and became most popular during the 1920s and 1930s.

It had side curtains and a foldaway top for all weathers. It had a roomy interior and easy access and was favoured for official engagements. Heads of state liked to be seen in a Phaeton.

The latest Phaeton will attract the movers and shakers, too. Base models will be front-wheel-drive; those with more powerful engines will be equipped with VW's 4Motion four-wheel-drive system. The car will come with a new air-suspension system and electronic damper control.

It will be packed with high-tech componentry befitting its rivals. It is an executive heavyweight, a tad over 5m long and 1.9m wide, steel-bodied with aluminium doors, boot lid and bonnet.

VW says the doors, made from diecast aluminium and laser-welded, are the stiffest ever made.

The exterior of the car continues the VW design theme set by the Passat. The company says its rear will be instantly recognisable, especially at night with distinct LED tail-light clusters.

VW is paying more pre-launch attention to the "handcrafted feel" of the car's interior. "All the technical equipment available to the driver and passengers remains logical, understandable and intuitive," it says, adding that the interior sets new standards of room for occupants.

It describes the new 4Corner Climatronic air-condition system as "draught-free, supplying indirect flows of air to different sections of the cabin through vents that open and close automatically".

The car will be launched in Europe in May with the choice of two petrol engines mated to five-speed Tiptronic gearboxes:

* a 3.2-litre V6, producing 177kW (241 bhp) and 315Nm of torque.

* a 6-litre W12, producing 309kW (420 bhp) and 550 Nm.

VW's all-new turbo-diesel, the 5-litre V10 TDI, will follow soon after. VW says it is the most powerful diesel car engine in the world, developing 230kW (313 bhp) and a huge 750Nm of torque. It will be mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission.

A 4-litre W8 is expected to be the fourth engine, and a smaller turbo-diesel the fifth.

New Zealand will get two engines, the 6-litre W12 and 5-litre W10 TDI. A 4-litre W8 might also be available later. The Phaeton is expected to cost between $180,000 and $240,000, the price range reflecting the market in which it will compete.

The carmaker's "W" family of engines is based on combinations of two narrow angle V4 (2 V4s = W8), V6 or V8 engines joined by a common crankshaft.