What's the news?
To all intents and purposes, this is the unexpected follow-up to the Volkswagen Phaeton. It's called the Phideon, once again taking its name from ancient European mythology, but before everyone gets carried away, a note of caution: you'll need to live in China if you want to own one, as that's the only place it is likely to be sold.
Sitting above the Passat (which we know) and the Magotan (which we don't) in the huge Asian market, the Phideon will go on sale in quarter three of 2016 and it's worth noting its front-end styling, as that previews the look of all future premium Volkswagen saloons. It's also the first Volkswagen to be based on the Modular Longitudinal Matrix (MLB).
It's a big old thing, the Phideon. At more than five metres long and 1,870mm wide, it's imposing and boasts a three-metre wheelbase. Lots of strong, bold lines define the front, flanks and rear, making the car appear as crisp as possible.
The interior was designed to accommodate five people and there's enough driver-focused goodness about the dashboard layout to encourage owners to pilot to Volkswagen themselves, although in China most will sit in the capacious rear and enjoy the legroom.
The tech list, inside and out, is impressive. Air suspension, developed from that used by Bentley on the Continental GT and the like, is drafted in and all the doors are soft-close. The MLB underpinnings allow for a wealth of assistance systems, such as head-up display, night-vision cameras, a 360-degree Area View function, Adaptive Cruise Control, Light Assist, Side Assist, Front Assist and Park Assist (that's a lot of assists). Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink for Android phones ensure full connectivity.
Powering the Phideon will be a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol TSI lump, developing 300hp and 440Nm, linked up to 4Motion all-wheel drive. A smaller 2.0 TSI four-pot will be available, with front-wheel drive only, while a plug-in hybrid model is planned for the future.
Anything else?
Klaus Bischoff, head of design for Volkswagen, said: "The new Phideon, with its equally powerful and charismatic front end, its flowing and yet precisely drawn lines and the exceedingly dynamic proportions, exudes highest presence and superiority, while the Phideon's progressive design corresponds to the high level of its technical innovations. Thus this avant-garde model, designed in Europe for our style-conscious Chinese customers, was born."