3:40 "Smoother than two Brazilian waxed, bi-curious, graphic majoring white girls, scissoring in an inflatable kiddie pool filled with peach sherbert outside on a day when the humidity is 80 percent" :D
"How quiet is it? Quieter than a timpani player who's just lost his place in the music." As a non-percussionist who occasionally gets the opportunity to womp on the timpani during church I live this line. I'm usually lost about 50% of the time.
mundotaku I want one of those so. bad. From Toyota themselves, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit."
This is an aspect of RCR that I love. Take a car that nobody gives a shit about and explain why it's important, the circumstances around its birth, and why it's not just another blip on the automotive timeline.
The fact that Mr. Regular considers the cultural space-time that the car occupied both when it was new and where it stands today, on top of looking at a car on its own merits in a vacuum and/or comparing it to contemporary successors/replacements (for better or worse), really gives RCR a unique style. Take reviews of any "fiction hero" cars he's done for instance; things like the AE86 Corolla or A80 Supra.
Something to note; the phateon has a MASSIVE DIY community surrounding it, and they do some pretty impressive things with this car, mostly out of necessity (its either reverse engineer some electrical component to replace a bad capacitor or pay like $3000 for a new one). so don't be too worried about picking one up
Ryukachoo You're right about that one. VW's, Audi's, and BMW's honestly have the most complex and thorough DIY's, active forum members, and parts selection out of any brands I know.
skurtov I know an awesome 240SX mailing list :) Whereas the Audi guys won't give you measurements off a crank holder device for the 32 valve V8 so you have to build your own out of steel stock. Ask me how I know.
@The Underground Man Nah, i knew that you could get the same exact belt from Renault for like $2500 instead, from when they shared the engine for a short time. And you can get aftermarket ones for about $300 now. But it is a fact of the matter that the OEM belt kit is very overpriced on the ES9 engine.
Frankly, I think the Phaeton took the "stealth wealth" concept a bit too far with its styling. It's almost completely indistinguishable from the Passat.
Yup. For me and my '04 V8 Phaeton, that's a feature, not a bug. I don't have to worry about it getting keyed, I don't turn cop's heads, I just glide through like the wind. I'm actually considering putting a Passat badge on the back.
That's why it never took off. Even in Germany people rather driven an S-Class than an oversized Passat. Although if you see a Pheaton in person, it does look like a luxury car, because it is big. But in pictures that doesn't really comes across so well.
Two years ago I purchased a Black 2004 W-12 Phaeton. I bought it from a private owner off E-Bay who lived within a three hour drive from me. When I saw it I contacted the seller and arranged to see it. I got to the guy's house and drove it. Incredible machine. I logged into my E-Bay account from his computer and purchased it through ""Buy-It-Now. I gave him 2,500.00 in earnest money and arranged to pick up the car three days later. I purchased the car for 14,200.00 total. It rides like a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit but with more horsepower. I get about 11 miles per gallon city and 16 highway while in the city. This is not my daily driver. I drive it approx. three times a month. I'm extremely pleased I have it.
mimimurder14 I love the deliberate cheesy image quality and graphics as well as the 'homemade recorded music', remarking that it's all about the message. These guys are awesome.
A Bentley in VW clothes. Wasn't this a pet project for one of the VW execs? Great review. I don't know why here in America we can't recognize a high end car unless its branded from a high end brand. That's the only reason Lexus, Acura, Infiniti were made.
Joseph Rogers It's because a lot of things that have in the previous century been considered exclusively 'Luxury' features in Europe. Large cabin, large engine, large Everything. ..have in the United States been considered 'Tuesday'. ;)
Joseph Rogers It was an attempt at this area of the market. However, it was a massive failure if a beautiful one. My father told me that people looked over the phaeton in favor of the passats, and often people couldn't tell the difference besides size and prize. Chalk one up to people having no idea what a good drive is, but definitely want something that looks good.
***** A Badge does matter in that it contributes to a car's Identity. When you're Volkswagen and your entire history is dominated by 'Cheap and Cheerful' products going all the way back to the original beetle it's understandable that people are gonna go "Wut?" when you break-out the Ultra-Lux.
no1DdC Not to mention his contributions to the quattro, the purchase and arguable saving of Lamborghini, split of Bently from Rolls, Porsche 917. W12 and W16 engines as well as the forever lasting mercedes 5 cylinder D engines. Yet the stupid company still sent him packing a couple months back....
i drove the V8 one of these in Dubai. Unbelievable how the power is delivered so smoothly, plus the rear legroom is not appreciated as much as it should be, i could play a game of football in the legroom. one truly great car.
Been watching the videos for a long time but I rate this one the best I've seen. Very funny, satirical yet factual. Literally hit the spot. Wish we could have seen more of the features and rear set.
After working for vw for 6 years. I've only ever seen one w12 phaeton come into the shop. The owner was super chill. He even offered me to drive it around the block. This and the v10 tdi touareg were awesome in terms of comfortableness. However the v10 tdi was noisy as hell.
Tesla Model S video: "This car has the best driving experience of any car ever." Volkswagen Phaeton video: "This car has a better driving experience than the Tesla Model S." :P
Unfortunately there is not a great market for luxary stealth cars. The Phaeton is one of Europe’s most loss making cars ever with an total estimated loss of close to 2 billion €..
Stealth, It wasn't supposed to make money. It was more of an exercise in design and production possibilities that just happened to be built into a road going automobile. A lot if the tech used in The Phaeton was later introduced into many of their higher production cars. Some of it is still being used today. Many automakers do this, just most of them make it past the prototype, or road mule phase.
@@HandsomeMoose HEy "! yeah it is ! but just to let you know it, it was absolutely planned to make losses. It was VW´s attempt to develop some nice luxury features to bring them to the passat etc afterwards. They only shut it down when the Diesel Crisis came... Thanks Obama
Let's admit it: looking like an overcooked passat but being a bentley on the inside is better than being Arteon - looking gorgeous but being just a passat in the inside I fucking love Phaeton. It was so ahead of time in 04
This car came out when Gerhard Schröder (former minister of Niedersachsen) was Germanys chancellor. As the minister of Niedersachsen he was also member of the supervisory board of VW so there are rumours that VW only created the Phaeton because a chancellor from Niedersachen shouldn't drive an Audi, BMW or Mercedes.
Yes, but Audi is from Bavaria, Porsche is from Baden-Württemberg, and the other 3 aren't even German brands. It is about Niedersachsen because VW is from Wolfsburg in Niedersachsen. Of course the rumour is most probably complete nonsense, but it's still fun to think about it.
elwulfo666 I just lived in Niedersachsen for a year, not far from both Hannover and Wolfsburg, and yeah. VW might own those other companies, but if you want to represent, you've gotta drive a VW. And Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti are not only not German, but are waaaayyy to ostentatious for a chancellor.
no you don't get it its like the japanese ministers or huge japanese chairman they cant be seen to ride on a foreign build car or a luxury branded car that just won't look good for there job but they still want a good luxury car that why maker like toyota and nissan makes the famous toyota crown or nissan president with the big v12 engine and luxury that will make an s class blush yet they can still look as if there riding on a toyota or a nissan i think its similar to this phaeton want the luxury of a bentley but need to be seen with a vw badge
That's the initial test. Designer said it had to do 155mph on the track (Lemas or Nürburgring... I don't remember which), for 24hrs. straight. Not even overheating was acceptable
@@floyd27860 those kinds of tests are usually done at nardo but this one was probably done on a dyno, the test was 300kmh/186mph(despite the car being electronically limited to 250kmh/155mph) for 24 hours with an interior temperature never exceeding 22°c under an exterior temperature of 50°c, they knew the engine wouldn't overheat because the W12 nardo concept had already done the same thing at 322kmh(200mph) in 2002
Nice! I've actually had the pleasure of driving both the V8 and the W12 Phaeton. The amount of attention to luxury detail on that car was nuts for the price and the acceleration in the W12 model was smooth as silk!
Richard R The W12 is a marvelous engine from an engineering point of view, but in the end of the day the V8 was a better choice in the Phaeton. Less complicated, a lot cheaper to maintain and with just the right amount of power you would need in this car.
+storck08 Don't forget eternal. The Audi 4.2 V8 is an engine that puts other powerful V8's to shame. It makes it to 300,000 KM with ease. Rebuild it then, drive it another 300K, and by that point just buy a new car. The W12 is, as you said, a masterpiece of engineering. But the real star of the engine range is the 4.2. Anywhere from 290 to 360 horsepower, providing one of the best specific outputs for a naturally aspirated V8 even by today's standards. A Corvette Stingray's engine makes just under 75 horsepower per liter. The Audi 4.2 V8 in the Audi S8 makes just under 86, and that was 15 years prior to the Stingray.
Joe Barbaro Which engine? The Audi 4.2 V8? I know that, it's just that in it's earliest forms, it still performed amazingly. Or the Stingray engine? I was talking about specific output. Yeah, the Stingray makes more power, but it's engine is nearly 50% bigger than the Audi 4.2 V8, so it's specific output is lower (specific output being horsepower per liter.)
This car was my fave ever since Jeremy Clarkson managed to boil a kettle on the inside of the car and he didn't even get it misty. *Written as Roman raps the intro*
Psychic9008 The Million mile Lexus joke is so overused that even comments criticizing it have become overused and almost as unoriginal. (I'm setting the standard here for the next thing to be overused: comments criticizing comments that criticize the Matt Farah Lexus jokes)
Jip W What if they wire the odometer in Matt Farah's Lexus when it hits a million miles to reverse. We then watch it drive down to becoming a new car with factory perfect restoration and Mr Regular slowly grows into an old man who wears white golf pants sipping on old fashioneds.
At 1:20, your reference to "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" makes me wonder if you're Canadian. You're quite right: the VW Phaeton epitomizes the stealth-wealth and makes for the perfect in cognito luxurycar -- but the problem is that most luxurycarowners love to show off their wealth ostentatiously, which means that VW simply won't do. But I appreciate VW's simple, unobtrusive styling because it reminds me of the 2nd- and 3rd-generation S-Class, and this car offers such a quiet ride. The other thing which I like about this car is its instrument cluster: it actually includes separate gauges for the oil and battery, which are, ironically, eminently useful and practical and not at all elective or frivolous. Every car should tell the driver that information.
Most underrated VW today :) This shows what a company boss can make happen if he just wants to. They wouldnt do such an expensive luxury car experiment today, altough rumors go around that a new Pheaton gets developed right now. This car is for all rthe people that want cheap but quality german luxury but dont want to stick out. For americans it might sound odd to not have a flashy luxury car, but in other countrys understatement gets you much further than a three pointed star on the hood... Very nice video, there are more cars that do the "Stealth-Wealth"- thing, but the Pheaton pulls it of best :)
Rockport1911 I think it was also the reason why VW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder found himself giving up his chairmanship. The Phaeton was one of his pet projects. It was one of the cars meant to push VW upmarket, the other major one being the first-generation Touareg.
TypeVertigo I love the irony in that, since this car and the fifth gen Golf and Jetta that immediately followed it (2005/6-2010) VW has tried to undo what this did and take themselves downmarket with the new jetta.
They are out only in the uk though they stop making them america right after these. But over seas they kept going and they are badd ass and vw just left us Bentley
essentially the Phaeton atm is a spec up, long wheel base passat for Chinesse market, dont get me wrong, the interiors are top notch, but we are no longer their market, 2008 changed that a long way
I must get this out there. At first your reviews with the strange comments en weird music are kinda, hard to place. But then when you listen to it all. Ik makes so much sense. Great work.
RegularCars Ha! Nothing... everything else is perfect. Edit: RCR is your job now right? Untuned guitar is amateur hour. Amateur is sort of what your channel is about in that it's about regular cars but the content and the thoughts you are putting into the cars is not amateur and doing lazy stuff like not tuning a guitar just brings it down. If you play an instrument you should understand.
I had this review playing in my room and my brother who isn't a car guy overheard it, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Your reviews are like top gear in a way that car guys love them, but they're also just plain entertaining on their own to everyday people. Regular people.
***** A very interesting car. It's based on the long-wheelbase Chinese version of the VW Passat. I'd call it the thinking man's luxury car. Excellent value for money, lots of space and comfort and an interior that's above and beyond even significantly more expensive cars. Like the Phaeton, nobody will ever notice it.
no1DdC Yup, that thing's basically just another generic car on the road, which is great considering it (a mahogany station wagon) can out drag pretty much any wanker in their Commodore or Falcon.
that not stealth wealth that's lack of wealth stealth wealth are car like the w12 phaeton v12 toyota crown v8 toyota land cruiser nissan v12 president car that cost as much or more then a top of the line luxury cars giving no compromise in terms of performance or luxury to its well known rivals but not so flashy
I always had a soft spot for the Phaeton. I used to work at VW Springfield and drove quite a few. One of which belonged to the owners wife. The white exterior really stood out as opposed to black. I washed it at least once every week. Someone from the finance department had an Audi A8L (which I also washed often). It was cool to see and compare them side by side!
This was a very good video, once again. I'm not sure what it's like over in America, but here in England the Phaeton is known for loosing it's value, you could pick up a fully speced 2005 model for under £6,000 right now (heck there are some going for £4,500 on autotrader right now. Six, thousand pounds, that is ridiculous. Obviously running costs are a lot but it's incredible how much the car depreciated over time, like this thing listerally costs under a 1/3 of a brand new Ford Mondeo or even a new Passat, and you'd have all the left over cash to cover runnig costs for years. IT BOGGLES MY MIND how this car lost so much value, so quickly. also p.s the shot at 7:46 where it pans up was gorgeous you should do it more often
Mehow DF Well it's still an executive car, S-class Mercs depreciate about that fast too. But that's the beauty of it, IMO. I would LOVE to buy a second hand Phaeton. In fact, one day I will.
Good time to buy. I dont think the diesel will go much lower and their costs arent too bad (bar repairs i imagine).. I actually see one everyday and it looks great
iiBetrayforAR Bullshit. the clean low mileage ones are still fetching $20-30k, the 200k mile cars that have 50 CEL codes are fetching $10k with a salvaged title...
This review is spot on. My uncle used to have one exactly like this, and it was just the nicest thing I have ever been driven in. I'm attracted to the total stealth of these things, the idea that only people in the know will have any idea what it is. I WILL own one of these. Someday....
This is by far best Phaeton review. I'm so glad you reviewed it before all these new "famous" youtubers review it and started ruining its position in car universe by presenting it as a cheap luxury car.
Being in percussion in my school's band, I love all the hilariously relatable references to playing percussion. (timpani player who lost his place lololol)
I can see why this car didn't sell. If you want a comfortable car that doesn't attract attention, a Camry or a Buick will do just fine. So why spend $80K or even $100K+? My guess is Phaeton drivers want to show evidence of their wealth, but still be perceived as humble - which is kind of the douchiest way to show off, if you think about it.
a camry or buick you will hear road noise engine noise when you mat it you wont get propelled and launched back if youre tall like me youre knees will annoy the shit outta the front passenger when they sit back the shifts will be apparent and it will feel cheap
Built quality and reliability varies drastically... There are some terrible cars (like VW's with the older TSI-engines and dry-clutch DSG-gearboxes) and some supreme cars like the Mercedes 212 E-Class.
I always appreciated the Phaeton, there were a few around town that I'd always drool over slightly when I saw them. I thought about buying one used recently, but the special service requirements and scarcity pushed me away.
I almost purchased a W 12 about 10 years ago. I remember test driving it. I’ve never felt a car drive the way that thing did. The acceleration was so strange.
There is no better car to drive today, specially since driving anything equivalent in style and luxury usually means jumping into hood ornate brands (RR, Bentley, Mercedes, Maybach, etc) and people love to make you suffer in the road because they feel revenge, as if you were the cause of their problems, My uncle owned a Corniche not long ago, he got a stroke and can't drive anymore, so I take the car and take him for a spin, its amazing how people really like to block you and make you feel miserable, because they feel that making a "rich" guy miserable will make them better...
They may stabilize, but probably not appreciate (since they make them new overseas). I traded mine in a few yrs back I pretty much got $50 & a box of tic tacs. it was a challenge to service (one time was in the shop for a month waiting on parts). but I did love the car. I personally liked the styling. it was super smooth, super quiet. just like the guy said......under the radar luxury. you just have to be willing to take it in the ace in depreciation pay a lot for parts (if that air suspension or Tranny goes, you're basically paying more than the car is worth to fix. 2 fold.
the w12 maybe...but still, not anytime soon the oldest models are still quite some years removed from even being 20 years old, not to mention the oldest models have been totally owned by the newer generations in literally every way, since the interior pretty much stayed almost exactly the same. I see them appreciate, but not before an other decade passed.
I may not have seen all of his reviews, but I think this is the first time when he flat out says a car was fantastic 7:23-7:30 This car is so odd and I love it. The development of the car led to over 100 new patents for VW, it has 4-zone climate control, massaging seats, an electric rear sun shade, electric headrests, a dehumidifier, and the W12 supposedly could hit 200mph without the limiter, all in 2004! It really is just a Bentley in Passat's clothing.
I've watched man of his reviews from uber snack or quality....this has the best commentary, sociological review and understanding of a car unknown by 99.8% of the population.
The first time that I have realised that this car is not a passat, I kepp staring every tie I see, and fell the urge to cry because they are all owned by fat man with bad hygiene and not enough care, or money to love them - Eastern Europe for the win
The rector of my first uni is driven in one. He is fat, and there was a sketchy corruption scandal in the uni, when he was already the rector, but at least the phaeton seems in good shape and maintained with care. He won't be able to buy another car of that class and park it right in front of the gates every student goes through. Eastern Europe too.
Can't be sure if its just because I've had buying one of these cars on my bucket list for ages now but this is easily one of your best videos yet! Well done keep them coming!
It's ok, High School is meaningless really in the grand scheme of your life. If you remain like the Phaeton then you'll keep steadily rising to the top in the real world, where it matters, and one day people will look back and wonder where you came from, and how you got your stature. And then, then you can be smug. So really, there is nothing to worry about.
I work at a summer camp, and my camper's grandma was astonished to see a 17 year old boy taking pictures of her 2005 V8 phaeton.
3:40 "Smoother than two Brazilian waxed, bi-curious, graphic majoring white girls, scissoring in an inflatable kiddie pool filled with peach sherbert outside on a day when the humidity is 80 percent" :D
nice.
That's probably the smoothest shifting gearbox in the time-space continuum.
Scissor Me Timbers !
I think this is my favorite RCR line ever.
I spat coffee all over my pc after that line!!!!!!!!!!
Those front seats are comfortable to look at.
Rotflmao
Go green.
Quality comment. 👍
Geaux Blue!!!
"How quiet is it? Quieter than a timpani player who's just lost his place in the music."
As a non-percussionist who occasionally gets the opportunity to womp on the timpani during church I live this line. I'm usually lost about 50% of the time.
Fleetwing1627 The great thing about playing timpani is half the time you play quiet with the fuzzy mallets so... you can fake it.
RegularCars Percussionist here that used to be in pit. Can confirm.
+Fleetwing1627 Bassist who ALSO played in a pit. Can confirm.
***** Road douches givin' us da bidness...
+Dick Fageroni Chuck Furch 2016
The Phaeton is the reason the Toyota Century will always be a Japan only thing.
mundotaku I hadn't thought of that until now, but you're probably on point there.
mundotaku I want one of those
so. bad.
From Toyota themselves, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit."
mundotaku I wish they brought the Crown here.
TheNGplus Yeah, although it's pretty much just a GS400. The interior is a little nicer and the styling is much better
that could apply to any 90's Japanese luxury car really
This is an aspect of RCR that I love. Take a car that nobody gives a shit about and explain why it's important, the circumstances around its birth, and why it's not just another blip on the automotive timeline.
The fact that Mr. Regular considers the cultural space-time that the car occupied both when it was new and where it stands today, on top of looking at a car on its own merits in a vacuum and/or comparing it to contemporary successors/replacements (for better or worse), really gives RCR a unique style.
Take reviews of any "fiction hero" cars he's done for instance; things like the AE86 Corolla or A80 Supra.
Something to note;
the phateon has a MASSIVE DIY community surrounding it, and they do some pretty impressive things with this car, mostly out of necessity (its either reverse engineer some electrical component to replace a bad capacitor or pay like $3000 for a new one).
so don't be too worried about picking one up
Ryukachoo A lot of VW's do. I have a tdi and holy shit the following this car has.
Tyler Ingram forums, brah
i think there was even one guy who retrofitted the entire keyless access push button start system, and it was an adventure
Ryukachoo You're right about that one. VW's, Audi's, and BMW's honestly have the most complex and thorough DIY's, active forum members, and parts selection out of any brands I know.
skurtov I know an awesome 240SX mailing list :) Whereas the Audi guys won't give you measurements off a crank holder device for the 32 valve V8 so you have to build your own out of steel stock. Ask me how I know.
Ryukachoo There definitely was. Step-by-step too, so even I'll be able to do it when I get the parts. I believe you can put a fridge in the back too.
Man, Stealth Wealth sounds like one hell of a cozy, confident way to live. Sounds like somebody who really knows themselves and their situation.
Gonna need that stealth wealth when you change that timing belt, lol
How much is it? 1997 Peugeot 406 V6, an interference engine, and a $7000 belt. Not including the effort to put it in.
@The Underground Man Nah, i knew that you could get the same exact belt from Renault for like $2500 instead, from when they shared the engine for a short time. And you can get aftermarket ones for about $300 now. But it is a fact of the matter that the OEM belt kit is very overpriced on the ES9 engine.
Frankly, I think the Phaeton took the "stealth wealth" concept a bit too far with its styling. It's almost completely indistinguishable from the Passat.
That's the point. You can drive something incredibly luxurious and not stand out at all.
Yup. For me and my '04 V8 Phaeton, that's a feature, not a bug. I don't have to worry about it getting keyed, I don't turn cop's heads, I just glide through like the wind. I'm actually considering putting a Passat badge on the back.
@bad Good Most people wouldn't notice or care...
@bad Good yeah but until you park next to a passat no one will be able to tell.
That's why it never took off. Even in Germany people rather driven an S-Class than an oversized Passat. Although if you see a Pheaton in person, it does look like a luxury car, because it is big. But in pictures that doesn't really comes across so well.
Two years ago I purchased a Black 2004 W-12 Phaeton. I bought it from a private owner off E-Bay who lived within a three hour drive from me. When I saw it I contacted the seller and arranged to see it. I got to the guy's house and drove it. Incredible machine. I logged into my E-Bay account from his computer and purchased it through ""Buy-It-Now. I gave him 2,500.00 in earnest money and arranged to pick up the car three days later. I purchased the car for 14,200.00 total.
It rides like a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit but with more horsepower. I get about 11 miles per gallon city and 16 highway while in the city. This is not my daily driver. I drive it approx. three times a month. I'm extremely pleased I have it.
Do you have a more current update to give? Has anything significant broken? Has the servicing been expensive?
@@kilppa I think the guy went to cleaners with that thing. I have seen many do.
..i want one, i want to be rich enough to fix one.
S.T T. Seen a few available in my area for under $3k. You don’t buy a luxury car as an investment lol.
Admit it though. It was a bit of a turd.
man I'm so addicted to these videos. they're in my opinion really underrated. keep up the great work.
mimimurder14 I love the deliberate cheesy image quality and graphics as well as the 'homemade recorded music', remarking that it's all about the message. These guys are awesome.
A Bentley in VW clothes. Wasn't this a pet project for one of the VW execs? Great review. I don't know why here in America we can't recognize a high end car unless its branded from a high end brand. That's the only reason Lexus, Acura, Infiniti were made.
Joseph Rogers It's because a lot of things that have in the previous century been considered exclusively 'Luxury' features in Europe. Large cabin, large engine, large Everything. ..have in the United States been considered 'Tuesday'. ;)
Joseph Rogers It was an attempt at this area of the market. However, it was a massive failure if a beautiful one. My father told me that people looked over the phaeton in favor of the passats, and often people couldn't tell the difference besides size and prize.
Chalk one up to people having no idea what a good drive is, but definitely want something that looks good.
***** One of Piech's pet projects. The other well-known one is the Bugatti Veyron.
*****
A Badge does matter in that it contributes to a car's Identity. When you're Volkswagen and your entire history is dominated by 'Cheap and Cheerful' products going all the way back to the original beetle it's understandable that people are gonna go "Wut?" when you break-out the Ultra-Lux.
no1DdC Not to mention his contributions to the quattro, the purchase and arguable saving of Lamborghini, split of Bently from Rolls, Porsche 917. W12 and W16 engines as well as the forever lasting mercedes 5 cylinder D engines.
Yet the stupid company still sent him packing a couple months back....
Speaking as a guy with very little knowledge of cars, this channel is both hilarious and informative, great stuff guys!
One of your best videos...I clapped at the end
I totally agree
***** Hope you're not serious..
Moe Lester bad
Tbh I thought the rx7 review was his best but this was pretty good
+Leon Plumb paaaah-lease, the miata is best by far :)
i drove the V8 one of these in Dubai. Unbelievable how the power is delivered so smoothly, plus the rear legroom is not appreciated as much as it should be, i could play a game of football in the legroom. one truly great car.
This is Ferdinand piech personified in a machine, he is a man who's truck hinges are that nice
Been watching the videos for a long time but I rate this one the best I've seen. Very funny, satirical yet factual. Literally hit the spot. Wish we could have seen more of the features and rear set.
After working for vw for 6 years. I've only ever seen one w12 phaeton come into the shop. The owner was super chill. He even offered me to drive it around the block. This and the v10 tdi touareg were awesome in terms of comfortableness. However the v10 tdi was noisy as hell.
the rants on this one and the freestyle in the begginning make this such an on point RCR vid!
Tesla Model S video: "This car has the best driving experience of any car ever."
Volkswagen Phaeton video: "This car has a better driving experience than the Tesla Model S." :P
He did say in the Tesla vid that only car that was better had a VW badge
Jermaine Riley Aw shoot, you're right. I totally remember that, too. Now I look like a jerk.
A car with fantastic specs but the looks of an overcooked Passat.
That's the whole point, it's a luxury stealth car.
Unfortunately there is not a great market for luxary stealth cars. The Phaeton is one of Europe’s most loss making cars ever with an total estimated loss of close to 2 billion €..
Stealth, It wasn't supposed to make money. It was more of an exercise in design and production possibilities that just happened to be built into a road going automobile. A lot if the tech used in The Phaeton was later introduced into many of their higher production cars. Some of it is still being used today. Many automakers do this, just most of them make it past the prototype, or road mule phase.
@@HandsomeMoose HEy "! yeah it is ! but just to let you know it, it was absolutely planned to make losses. It was VW´s attempt to develop some nice luxury features to bring them to the passat etc afterwards. They only shut it down when the Diesel Crisis came... Thanks Obama
Let's admit it: looking like an overcooked passat but being a bentley on the inside is better than being Arteon - looking gorgeous but being just a passat in the inside
I fucking love Phaeton. It was so ahead of time in 04
This car came out when Gerhard Schröder (former minister of Niedersachsen) was Germanys chancellor. As the minister of Niedersachsen he was also member of the supervisory board of VW so there are rumours that VW only created the Phaeton because a chancellor from Niedersachen shouldn't drive an Audi, BMW or Mercedes.
elwulfo666 But VW owns Audi, Bentley, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bugatti, so he should've had a very wide range to pick from
Yes, but Audi is from Bavaria, Porsche is from Baden-Württemberg, and the other 3 aren't even German brands. It is about Niedersachsen because VW is from Wolfsburg in Niedersachsen.
Of course the rumour is most probably complete nonsense, but it's still fun to think about it.
elwulfo666
I just lived in Niedersachsen for a year, not far from both Hannover and Wolfsburg, and yeah. VW might own those other companies, but if you want to represent, you've gotta drive a VW.
And Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti are not only not German, but are waaaayyy to ostentatious for a chancellor.
Caml3 Especially for an SPD Chancellor.
no you don't get it its like the japanese ministers or huge japanese chairman they cant be seen to ride on a foreign build car or a luxury branded car that just won't look good for there job but they still want a good luxury car that why maker like toyota and nissan makes the famous toyota crown or nissan president with the big v12 engine and luxury that will make an s class blush yet they can still look as if there riding on a toyota or a nissan i think its similar to this phaeton want the luxury of a bentley but need to be seen with a vw badge
Big round of applause for The Roman. The Hopsin of the car review.
The Examined Life (of Gaming) this is the most accurate thing I've read in the last 6 years
Hopsin, now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
Would love the W12 version of this, if you took the limiter off it would hit 200 mph and you still wouldn't hear the engine.
That's the initial test. Designer said it had to do 155mph on the track (Lemas or Nürburgring... I don't remember which), for 24hrs. straight. Not even overheating was acceptable
@@floyd27860 it was 200 mph for 24 hours with an outside temperature of 122 degrees and an internal temperature of 72 degrees
@@floyd27860 those kinds of tests are usually done at nardo but this one was probably done on a dyno, the test was 300kmh/186mph(despite the car being electronically limited to 250kmh/155mph) for 24 hours with an interior temperature never exceeding 22°c under an exterior temperature of 50°c, they knew the engine wouldn't overheat because the W12 nardo concept had already done the same thing at 322kmh(200mph) in 2002
That smooth huh?, wow.
Actually a little smoother than that.
ᴺᶦᶜᵉ
Nice! I've actually had the pleasure of driving both the V8 and the W12 Phaeton. The amount of attention to luxury detail on that car was nuts for the price and the acceleration in the W12 model was smooth as silk!
4:36 "Where college students were sustained by the dream of a second one-term bush"
God what a line
Hell yeah! It's a phaeton. But not a W12...
Richard R The W12 is a marvelous engine from an engineering point of view, but in the end of the day the V8 was a better choice in the Phaeton. Less complicated, a lot cheaper to maintain and with just the right amount of power you would need in this car.
***** I have lost count how many VAG cars have the Audi 4.2 V8
+storck08 Don't forget eternal. The Audi 4.2 V8 is an engine that puts other powerful V8's to shame. It makes it to 300,000 KM with ease. Rebuild it then, drive it another 300K, and by that point just buy a new car. The W12 is, as you said, a masterpiece of engineering. But the real star of the engine range is the 4.2. Anywhere from 290 to 360 horsepower, providing one of the best specific outputs for a naturally aspirated V8 even by today's standards. A Corvette Stingray's engine makes just under 75 horsepower per liter. The Audi 4.2 V8 in the Audi S8 makes just under 86, and that was 15 years prior to the Stingray.
Newgenerationisbg hold up fam those engines can handle over 500hp
Joe Barbaro Which engine? The Audi 4.2 V8? I know that, it's just that in it's earliest forms, it still performed amazingly.
Or the Stingray engine? I was talking about specific output. Yeah, the Stingray makes more power, but it's engine is nearly 50% bigger than the Audi 4.2 V8, so it's specific output is lower (specific output being horsepower per liter.)
This car was my fave ever since Jeremy Clarkson managed to boil a kettle on the inside of the car and he didn't even get it misty.
*Written as Roman raps the intro*
That's for mentioning Lindsey Lohan at her peak. My god, she was PERFECT in Mean Girls.
All right, enough of creepy commenting for this week.
Lol, she was barely 17 at the time you creeps
TrollBuster The legal age of consent in most US states is 16 😏
Jagh Haringenamn you fuck
Lohan is a man, so there's that
@@thehouseofcrumblingidols2694 ok buddy
This is one of the most beautiful cars ever in my opinion
is this matt farah's million times overused joke?
No it is vw passat
Psychic9008 The Million mile Lexus joke is so overused that even comments criticizing it have become overused and almost as unoriginal. (I'm setting the standard here for the next thing to be overused: comments criticizing comments that criticize the Matt Farah Lexus jokes)
it has happened already? shit!
Jip W What if they wire the odometer in Matt Farah's Lexus when it hits a million miles to reverse. We then watch it drive down to becoming a new car with factory perfect restoration and Mr Regular slowly grows into an old man who wears white golf pants sipping on old fashioneds.
At 1:20, your reference to "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" makes me wonder if you're Canadian.
You're quite right: the VW Phaeton epitomizes the stealth-wealth and makes for the perfect in cognito luxurycar -- but the problem is that most luxurycarowners love to show off their wealth ostentatiously, which means that VW simply won't do.
But I appreciate VW's simple, unobtrusive styling because it reminds me of the 2nd- and 3rd-generation S-Class, and this car offers such a quiet ride.
The other thing which I like about this car is its instrument cluster: it actually includes separate gauges for the oil and battery, which are, ironically, eminently useful and practical and not at all elective or frivolous. Every car should tell the driver that information.
Most underrated VW today :) This shows what a company boss can make happen if he just wants to. They wouldnt do such an expensive luxury car experiment today, altough rumors go around that a new Pheaton gets developed right now.
This car is for all rthe people that want cheap but quality german luxury but dont want to stick out. For americans it might sound odd to not have a flashy luxury car, but in other countrys understatement gets you much further than a three pointed star on the hood...
Very nice video, there are more cars that do the "Stealth-Wealth"- thing, but the Pheaton pulls it of best :)
Rockport1911 I think it was also the reason why VW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder found himself giving up his chairmanship. The Phaeton was one of his pet projects. It was one of the cars meant to push VW upmarket, the other major one being the first-generation Touareg.
TypeVertigo I love the irony in that, since this car and the fifth gen Golf and Jetta that immediately followed it (2005/6-2010) VW has tried to undo what this did and take themselves downmarket with the new jetta.
+TypeVertigo You mean Ferdinand Piech not Pietschesrieder.
They are out only in the uk though they stop making them america right after these. But over seas they kept going and they are badd ass and vw just left us Bentley
essentially the Phaeton atm is a spec up, long wheel base passat for Chinesse market, dont get me wrong, the interiors are top notch, but we are no longer their market, 2008 changed that a long way
ive driven a phaeton v8, and yep, its pretty much everything you said...its amazing i love it
I must get this out there. At first your reviews with the strange comments en weird music are kinda, hard to place. But then when you listen to it all. Ik makes so much sense. Great work.
God damn it why will that guy never tune his guitar? I'll keep bringing it up over and over again...
Ra0king If he does, what will you complain about next?
RegularCars Ha! Nothing... everything else is perfect.
Edit: RCR is your job now right? Untuned guitar is amateur hour. Amateur is sort of what your channel is about in that it's about regular cars but the content and the thoughts you are putting into the cars is not amateur and doing lazy stuff like not tuning a guitar just brings it down. If you play an instrument you should understand.
I can't tell if you're saying I know his musical skill is shit or I know his musical skill is a hit!
Don't tell successful people how to succeed while they're busy doing it.
is this matt farahs million mile lexus
No
cottonto5 it's a volkswagen passat, right?
Are you trying to be funny?
firebird188 it's a jetta m8
JdmFlushMango Stronger.
I had this review playing in my room and my brother who isn't a car guy overheard it, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Your reviews are like top gear in a way that car guys love them, but they're also just plain entertaining on their own to everyday people. Regular people.
Heh, my dad has another great example of stealth wealth from VW Audi Group, a Skoda Superb V6 wagon. And I love it.
***** A very interesting car. It's based on the long-wheelbase Chinese version of the VW Passat. I'd call it the thinking man's luxury car. Excellent value for money, lots of space and comfort and an interior that's above and beyond even significantly more expensive cars. Like the Phaeton, nobody will ever notice it.
no1DdC Yup, that thing's basically just another generic car on the road, which is great considering it (a mahogany station wagon) can out drag pretty much any wanker in their Commodore or Falcon.
***** It is not sthealth wealth because it is relatively cheap xD.
that not stealth wealth that's lack of wealth stealth wealth are car like the w12 phaeton v12 toyota crown v8 toyota land cruiser nissan v12 president car that cost as much or more then a top of the line luxury cars giving no compromise in terms of performance or luxury to its well known rivals but not so flashy
I always had a soft spot for the Phaeton. I used to work at VW Springfield and drove quite a few. One of which belonged to the owners wife. The white exterior really stood out as opposed to black. I washed it at least once every week. Someone from the finance department had an Audi A8L (which I also washed often). It was cool to see and compare them side by side!
This was a very good video, once again.
I'm not sure what it's like over in America, but here in England the Phaeton is known for loosing it's value, you could pick up a fully speced 2005 model for under £6,000 right now (heck there are some going for £4,500 on autotrader right now. Six, thousand pounds, that is ridiculous. Obviously running costs are a lot but it's incredible how much the car depreciated over time, like this thing listerally costs under a 1/3 of a brand new Ford Mondeo or even a new Passat, and you'd have all the left over cash to cover runnig costs for years. IT BOGGLES MY MIND how this car lost so much value, so quickly.
also p.s the shot at 7:46 where it pans up was gorgeous you should do it more often
Mehow DF Well it's still an executive car, S-class Mercs depreciate about that fast too. But that's the beauty of it, IMO. I would LOVE to buy a second hand Phaeton. In fact, one day I will.
Good time to buy. I dont think the diesel will go much lower and their costs arent too bad (bar repairs i imagine).. I actually see one everyday and it looks great
Mehow DF The only issue is that petrol is currently £1.16 a litre.
Mehow DF It's the same way in the U.S., they have depreciated a lot. You can get a V8 for sub $10,000, W12 is more like sub $20,000 though.
iiBetrayforAR Bullshit. the clean low mileage ones are still fetching $20-30k, the 200k mile cars that have 50 CEL codes are fetching $10k with a salvaged title...
90s reference overload, and every single one spoke directly to me. Wow.
3:46 - How I will reply when someone asks "How smooth is it?".
these videos are the best car review and comedy channel on youtube hands down
"You gon get this work!" Love the Loaded Lux reference. Still only at 0:45 second mark
This review is spot on. My uncle used to have one exactly like this, and it was just the nicest thing I have ever been driven in. I'm attracted to the total stealth of these things, the idea that only people in the know will have any idea what it is. I WILL own one of these. Someday....
Reminds me of my '04 V8 Touareg. This was a kick ass and very true review. Good job comrade
Vivid comparisons, you describe a driving experience like I've never heard before, damn I'm glad I found this channel good work guys :)
The best RCR yet.
thefranchise237 :D
thefranchise237 i partially agree)
I saw one of these just last week - and "stealth wealth" is precisely the phrase that came to mind.
this is a product of intellectual humour and it is fucking great
This is by far best Phaeton review. I'm so glad you reviewed it before all these new "famous" youtubers review it and started ruining its position in car universe by presenting it as a cheap luxury car.
I'm actually watching this sober this morning- wait no, it just kicked in. fuck.
Urashrimpimapimp I know the feel I find myself watching RCR twice once not so sober and then again sober in the morning
Urashrimpimapimp II
These may be the funniest, well constructed car reviews i've seen in a long time
This dude can flat out write. Lovely.
The intro, video, and ending were all 10\10. This is my favorite regular vid now. Good work
Filmed in fairfax??
Kelly Adams Yep
Kelly Adams that did look like the dmv area
RegularCars Burke Lake Park?
Taylor Smith YES! looks like it
***** Aw! That's gotta _hurt!_ I wish RegCars would come to SoCal?
I saw one in the showroom at Bob Lewis VW on Capitol Expressway auto mall in San Jose California. It was beautiful. I leased a Jetta.
Being in percussion in my school's band, I love all the hilariously relatable references to playing percussion. (timpani player who lost his place lololol)
I think I caught the roman in the rear view at 7:05, why are you hiding your paper companion from us Mr. Regular?
7:51 Mr. Regular, I've found that you have mentioned teachers of some sort in some of your videos and the crush is quite prevalent
This video is the shyt! One of the best "car video" I have seen in a long time! Great style keep that up!
Roman. You're my hero.
Roman, reply to this comment.
roman, teach me your ways
By far the most epic car, and by miles the most epic video on of a Phaeton UA-cam ever!
This is my favourite review, perfect analogies and a great tribute to a great car that has fallen victim of Americas urge to show off.
I can see why this car didn't sell. If you want a comfortable car that doesn't attract attention, a Camry or a Buick will do just fine. So why spend $80K or even $100K+? My guess is Phaeton drivers want to show evidence of their wealth, but still be perceived as humble - which is kind of the douchiest way to show off, if you think about it.
Two words; Build. Quality.
ChayD vw's along with most European cars aren't built the best nowadays
a camry or buick you will hear road noise engine noise when you mat it you wont get propelled and launched back if youre tall like me youre knees will annoy the shit outta the front passenger when they sit back the shifts will be apparent and it will feel cheap
Ross Plavsic ...what...
Built quality and reliability varies drastically... There are some terrible cars (like VW's with the older TSI-engines and dry-clutch DSG-gearboxes) and some supreme cars like the Mercedes 212 E-Class.
The whole engineers building the car thing sounds like a Jimmy Johns commercial.
Them battle rap bars at the beginning 🔥‼️
"its the popes daily.." regular wins everybody.
6:44, darn thing has more leg room than my living room. Pretty gorgeous car btw.
Dude... That credits song was legitimately great!
Perfect, just perfect, I love how you do these reviews man, keep it up!
That's a beautiful interior for a 2004 car. I've seen 2013 cars with this internal color in awful conditions.
I always appreciated the Phaeton, there were a few around town that I'd always drool over slightly when I saw them. I thought about buying one used recently, but the special service requirements and scarcity pushed me away.
The intro rap 😂😎 was dope
I almost purchased a W 12 about 10 years ago. I remember test driving it. I’ve never felt a car drive the way that thing did. The acceleration was so strange.
There is no better car to drive today, specially since driving anything equivalent in style and luxury usually means jumping into hood ornate brands (RR, Bentley, Mercedes, Maybach, etc) and people love to make you suffer in the road because they feel revenge, as if you were the cause of their problems, My uncle owned a Corniche not long ago, he got a stroke and can't drive anymore, so I take the car and take him for a spin, its amazing how people really like to block you and make you feel miserable, because they feel that making a "rich" guy miserable will make them better...
The first time I watched one of this guy's reviews...you have earned a subscriber
I feel like the pheaton will appreciate
They may stabilize, but probably not appreciate (since they make them new overseas). I traded mine in a few yrs back I pretty much got $50 & a box of tic tacs. it was a challenge to service (one time was in the shop for a month waiting on parts). but I did love the car. I personally liked the styling. it was super smooth, super quiet. just like the guy said......under the radar luxury. you just have to be willing to take it in the ace in depreciation pay a lot for parts (if that air suspension or Tranny goes, you're basically paying more than the car is worth to fix. 2 fold.
the w12 maybe...but still, not anytime soon
the oldest models are still quite some years removed from even being 20 years old, not to mention the oldest models have been totally owned by the newer generations in literally every way, since the interior pretty much stayed almost exactly the same.
I see them appreciate, but not before an other decade passed.
Seen a 2004 for $6,000... I need it.
Damn Roman that opening was clever as fuck.
I may not have seen all of his reviews, but I think this is the first time when he flat out says a car was fantastic 7:23-7:30 This car is so odd and I love it. The development of the car led to over 100 new patents for VW, it has 4-zone climate control, massaging seats, an electric rear sun shade, electric headrests, a dehumidifier, and the W12 supposedly could hit 200mph without the limiter, all in 2004! It really is just a Bentley in Passat's clothing.
dude your videos are art
outro song killed it would buy on itunes 10/10
I've watched man of his reviews from uber snack or quality....this has the best commentary, sociological review and understanding of a car unknown by 99.8% of the population.
The first time that I have realised that this car is not a passat, I kepp staring every tie I see, and fell the urge to cry because they are all owned by fat man with bad hygiene and not enough care, or money to love them - Eastern Europe for the win
The rector of my first uni is driven in one. He is fat, and there was a sketchy corruption scandal in the uni, when he was already the rector, but at least the phaeton seems in good shape and maintained with care. He won't be able to buy another car of that class and park it right in front of the gates every student goes through. Eastern Europe too.
I really want you to weave all your lead-in stories together into a dark comedy that I can binge watch on Netflix. 😂
Just found a phaeton v8 just like this for $5000 on Craigslist. Should I buy it?
Don`t.
Considering I bought a 16 Passat with 12k on it 2 years ago for 8200 I probably wouldn't
Did you buy it tho
Noooo
Still the best intro freestyle ever. Please bring this back for 99 and the 2020
loaded lux line was sick
Didn't even know he knew who loaded lux was
Can't be sure if its just because I've had buying one of these cars on my bucket list for ages now but this is easily one of your best videos yet! Well done keep them coming!
Ok, I had to pause right here and say that "Beautiful on the inside, like Caitlin Jenner" out of the blue, is the funniest thing I have heard today.
"And you wonder how she managed to hide them buns all this time." best. line. ever.
I lost it at the "nice" at 3:57 hahah
Please may I like this a second, third, fourth time? What a brilliant machine. Thank you "Regular Car Guy (and Sir Roman)" for this lovely review.
nice video. well done. I've got a black 04. v8. tan interior
Roman that Phaeton version of Coffee at the end made me smile way more than it should have...
Fuck I"m just like the phaeton and I'm in senior year
It's ok, High School is meaningless really in the grand scheme of your life. If you remain like the Phaeton then you'll keep steadily rising to the top in the real world, where it matters, and one day people will look back and wonder where you came from, and how you got your stature. And then, then you can be smug. So really, there is nothing to worry about.
Roman, your songs were on fucking POINT for this review! The outtro was really nice to listen to.