i have tried searching for some VIP setup on this car but have not seen any.

judging by the platform im gonna guess its base off an A8


front end looks like the car could use some coffee to wake him up

yes you are absolutely correct. this car is based off the Audi A8L, same engine as well with just a little more HP. Frame design apparently is based off a Bentley.

It is, its basically the poor man's A8 (not that theres anything wrong with it). Apparently Volkswagen might be putting the Phaeton back into production too. Not sure why though since its so expensive.

edit*
2011 Phaeton from Beijing auto show.
Link from autoblog; http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/22/t...on-in-beijing/

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....0464medium.jpg
beautiful interior
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....0463medium.jpg
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....0462medium.jpg

Wonder how much it is price-wise compared to the Audi A8.

^^
The Phaeton never went out of production. They simply stopped selling them in the North American market. Sales are still going strong on the other side of the pond.

something like this would look hot, drop it and throw some big face wheels on there

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/...04b913bc20.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/...db243577fe.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/...c30bff54b6.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/...ea363c5730.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/...cd9649c189.jpg

The car looks G'd up

Phaetons a pretty sick car, I'd say it's a good trade