VW Phaeton

Ferdinand Piech's loss-making vanity project — a properly-engineered S-Class rival sold under VW badges and built in the glass-walled Dresden factory. Shared platform with the Bentley Continental GT and Audi A8 D3, with W12, V8 and the legendary 5.0 V10 TDI on offer. UK got RHD; sales were tiny and 2016 killed it. Used Phaetons are bargain-flagship territory — the V10 TDI is the cult pick (313 bhp / 553 lb·ft) but is mechanically heroic to maintain. Better resolved than an A8 in some ways but VW's resale curse means depreciation is brutal. Honest verdict: only with a fat budget for repairs.