The V8 puts out a a healthy, if not overwhelming, 33bhp - which moves the car along nicely

The Phaeton is a car that has always intrigued me. I have a lot of respect for VW and how much they have achieved over the years. The company has, by all accounts, been wildly successful in shifting vast numbers of their excellent cars all over the world. Which is why I am so fascinated with the utter failure that their flagship model has been so far. Having never driven the Phaeton before, my curiosity was always piqued when I came across one. Seemingly rarer than a Ferrari Enzo (in this part of the world anyway) my enthusiastic reaction to a sighting of the elusive big VW was often met with puzzled glances from whom ever was in my company at the time.

New for 2008 VW hopes this facelift of their white elephant (ironically the colour of our test car) will invigorate sales to a more respectable level. Having never driven the previous iteration of the Phaeton I am not equipped to compare how much it has been improved, but let me start off by telling you that from my first moments behind the wheel it is clear to me that this is a very good car. I am someone who likes cars that fulfil a certain purpose (none of that cross over mumbo jumbo for me), and if a luxury cars purpose is to be luxurious then the Phaeton ticks all the right boxes.

The first thing that strikes you when you drive off in this car, is just how incredibly hushed it is. Even at highway speeds, wind noise is almost nonexistent and you are oblivious to the world outside. The interior is beautifully appointed with everything in the right place and built to the highest level of quality. That is not a surprise though as this is the case across the whole VW range.

The 4.2-litre V8 that our test car is equipped with puts out a healthy, if not overwhelming, 335bhp which moves the car along quite nicely, with 0-100 taking a respectable 6.9sec. Shifts from the 6-speed auto are imperceptible and un-intrusive. On the handling front, the Phaeton hides its bulk quite well, pushing its nose into mild understeer on corner entry, with the permanent 4WD helping to put the power down on exit with little drama. Through quick bends the car corners relatively flat and changes direction well for a car of this size. The ride is unsurprisingly cosseting and smoothes out most imperfections in the road. One of the few negatives is the feel through the steering wheel is rather numb and there aren't many clues to what's going on beneath you.

While the Phaeton is not what you would call an exciting car it is certainly a very capable one. It is as if the car just shrugs its shoulders and gets on with the job at hand. Funnily enough though, I had a sense of smugness during my time spent with this car. I felt like I was one of the few people that were in the know about what a good car this was. It was as if I had been let in on a secret that very few others knew about. It was almost like I was driving the Impreza of luxury cars. While I was very impressed with the Phaeton I am also under no illusion as to why it has not been more of a sales success for VW. It is competing in a market sector where the buyer wants a perception of drama and prestige. While it is certainly a handsome car the big Passat styling does it no favours in the drama stakes, and the clinical efficiency of its dynamics don't help either. Also the Phaeton is unlikely to ever be viewed as prestigious as long as it wears the badge of 'the people's car' on its nose. It's a shame that these factors will continue to handicap the Phaeton from being the luxury car success it deserves to be.