Volkswagen Phaeton (2002-2016): doomed to fail
Posted on 21-03-2016 to 22:00 by Dizono – 28 Comments”
Last Friday rolled the last Phaeton of the band, time for a dignified farewell from this unsung talent, that already at launch was doomed to fail.
Years of Volkswagen is just one iron in the fire: the Beetle. Together with some derivatives as the Transporter, Karmann Ghia, and later the 1500/1600 was the offer seriously well-organized. Many people will be there at the department of pre-1970 Volkswagen have worked. Since the advent of the Golf, Passat and Polo is the range slowly expanded, to Volkswagen in the late 90’s in practically every segment was not represented. Almost every segment, because the brand focused on the ordinary man and really expensive Volkswagens were not there. A given that of course, even though a bit hidden in the name of the brand. Also had a Volkswagen AG Audi within the ranks and from 1998 also Bentley. A good division of roles, you might say.
Not according to Ferdinand Piëch. The final boss at VAG was, according to tradition, quite pissed at the decision of Mercedes-Benz with A-Class on Wave-field to travel. “If they are going to focus on cars for the common man, then we will go a toplimousine building,” should be the about riveted on Piëchs office. And not only had a competitor for the S-Class to be developed, this had also, according to Mercedes’ slogan is ” Das best oder nichts happen.
To achieve that, suggested Piëch personally a list of ten commandments. Ten points to the future of the Volkswagen, code-named VW611, had to comply with. Insanely high requirements, such as a day long can drive with 300 km/h at 50 degrees Celsius, while the car itself, the indoor temperature nicely at 22 degrees. It is not clear whether the development of the Phaeton at the same time began with that of the Bentley Continental GT, or that the development of the Continental GT until later, but both can be found on VAG’s D1 platform. Different than you might expect, is that a different platform than that of the Audi A8, which the Phaeton, however, many parts of the powertrain shares.
The first thing the public gets to see of project VW611 is the Volkswagen Concept D 1999. With the knowledge of now it is not difficult to get the Phaeton in to see, if the Concept D is still a real hatchback. A hatchback with a 5.0 V10 TDI, for this 313 hp strong block, linked to a Tiptronic-automatic transmission, was the main attraction of the concept car. In the press release that VW was sent, one did not secretive about. The Concept D was the harbinger of a production model and this was also a W12 engine considered, for example, wrote one. We also less exciting V6 messages in the Phaeton would get, there repte one word about. Das best oder four/zechs Zylinder weniger bekt now once not so good.
In 2002, Volkswagen the Phaeton officially in Geneva, and the car of the band will roll in a beautiful and specially for the Phaeton-built glass factory in Dresden. Not only the car was a prestige project, the factory had a glimpse in to the technical superiority of the VAG. Except the Phaeton, rolled in the factory to 2006, the Continental Flying Spur from the band, much to the chagrin of the British upperclass, of course. In the introduction, there is the choice of a 3.2 VR6, 4.2 V8 and 6.0 W12. The 5.0 V10 TDI came remarkably enough, only in 2003 in the showrooms, whereas on the 3.0 V6 TDI for another year, waited longer had to be.
That the Phaeton is no verkooptopper would be, that was for any sane man in advance was all clear. The Phaeton was particularly subdued, but seemed this might also be too much on a slightly larger Passat. Not necessarily conducive to a car of over eighty mille, to a tight two tons for the W12. The car itself, we can not blame you, which is pretty much perfect in all respects. Well, the car was probably a bit on the heavy side, which zescilinders really had to work very hard and not really remaining. Rational review was the Phaeton, especially from the introduction, however, the best choice in its class. Less than a hundred patents were by Volkswagen specifically for this car requested, in terms of technology was the Phaeton in 2002, top of the bill. Add to this a beautifully finished interior, very little sound in the cockpit, and fine details such as the suspension of the tailgate and you have a toplimousine. But also still a Volkswagen.
In America, it was in 2006 and for the Phaeton, even for the small refresher in 2007, and the slightly more significant facelift of 2010. Already in 2008 we see the first news about a successor, and with the years that rumors are becoming more persistent. However, the new Phaeton but it is not, even though China, however, the Phideon. With the departure of the Phaeton is the largest sedan of Volkswagen, but with its MLB platform (pal Audi A6) it’s actually a bit smaller and lower positioned. If there is a real Phaeton successor is? I dare no prediction to do more, but wisely it would not be. In addition, for the lovers of the Phaeton, there is a sufficient supply of affordable copies. That wrote @willeme Saturday in his Autoblog-Advice, because from five mille you score a V6, while for less than double all W12’s can find. Even the most expensive Phaeton on ebay, just run V8 from 2010, costs about less than the allerkaalste Passat. What do you mean, the Phaeton is not a car for the people?
Gallery: Volkswagen Phaeton
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