Forbidden Fruit: Volkswagen Phideon Debuts In Geneva, but Headed Only to China

volkswagen phideon vw luxury flagship sedan
Volkswagen Phideon luxury sedan (Chinese market)

There is a trend a brewing. Many automakers are building luxurious and sporty large sedans to compete on the global stage. The Phideon is Volkswagen’s take on this trend. This week is the sedan’s global debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. If you are excited about it for the American market – don’t be. It’s slated only for the Chinese market.


The Phideon is entering the premium sedan (or saloon) segment in China to compete against the likes of the 2016 Cadillac CT6, the 2016 Lincoln Continental, and many others. However, there is one major difference in strategy and execution. The Phideon is a China-only car, while the Cadillac and the Lincoln will be available on multiple continents, including the United States. Volkswagen is focusing this car on China specifically.

Interestingly, the design and positioning of the car is similar. It’s a large and luxurious sedan with turbocharged V6 power and all-wheel-drive. Volkswagen’s new flagship for China is company’s first car built on the Modular Longitudinal Matrix (MLB) platform. [Side note: the platform has nothing to do with Major League Baseball.] The name, Phideon, is inspired by the Roman goddess of fidelity – Fides.

vw-phideon-grille

The car was developed and designed in Germany, and it highlights the company’s dedication to the growing market in China.

Although, the Phideon may remind you of the previous generation Phaeton, Volkswagen says the Phideon will “never ever come to the United States.” Still, a sedan similar to it could be possible, since it is using a modular and flexible platform and chassis.

The Phideon will be offered in two variations. The base model will have a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is combined with front-wheel-drive. The upgrade will consist of a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with 300 PS and 347 lb-ft of torque. This engine will be hooked up to the company’s 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system. An electric hybrid model is expected in the future. These options are very similar to the way the Cadillac CT6 can be configured, although the Caddy V6 produces 404 horsepower.

vw-phideon-wheels

Volkswagen did not provide any interior images as of this writing, but the Phideon’s interior is designed and executed with two purposes in mind. The company says that this saloon can accommodate an engaged driver or a chauffeur-driven passenger. The car does have five seating positions, not four.

The Phideon comes with the latest generation of the air suspension, and loaded up with features, such as: heads up display, night vision camera system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, MirrorLink, adaptive cruise control. park assist, lane-keep assist, and more.

Should Volkswagen bring a flagship sedan above the Passat to the United States? Let us know what you think in the comments.

In the meantime, here is our first drive review of the 2016 VW Passat.