Volkswagen Phaeton
Price: From £43,410
For: Obscure, if not exclusive; quality cabin; a fine drive.
Against:Volkswagen badge; dull styling; dreadful residuals.
No, don't snigger: the Volkswagen Phaeton really is a good car. Luxury car buyers may not have been convinced that Volkswagen could deliver the goods in this class - to say that sales of the Phaeton have been disappointing would be understatement of the year - but this car (built by hand in a showcase glass-walled factory) deserved better. Shame it just looks so conservative - distinctive circular tail-lights apart - and like an overgrown old Passat.
Though the list price looks daunting for a Volkswagen, try haggling - dealers are desperate to offload these things. Better still, buy second-hand - crashing depreciation (loss in value) makes a lightly-used Phaeton a real luxury car bargain. The 5.0-litre V10 TDI diesel is a wonderful powerplant, if a bit bonkers, and the W12 petrol's for nutters only: best stick with the V6 TDI, the only engine to approach rationality.
