20 years of Phaeton: This is what the "Phaeton D2" should look like!

Jozef Kabaň, Head of Volkswagen Design, today looks respectfully at the Volkswagen Phaeton D2 (development code VW621), which was never mass-produced: "The car still looks very attractive, has beautiful proportions and a tangible value and quality that impresses." Together with With his colleagues Marco Pavone, Head of Exterior Design, and Tomasz Bachorski, Head of Interior Design, Kabaň is currently designing the future Volkswagen models. Attributes such as quality and value, which characterized the Phaeton right from the start and underpinned its premium claim, still play an important role at Volkswagen today.

The drivable one-off Phaeton D2 was preceded by an internal selection of four different concepts: the design by Pavone and Bachorski won the contract, which impressed with its deliberately sporty, flat lines and its high-quality interior design. The near-series concept vehicle, which was based on the modular longitudinal matrix (MLB), was then set up for decision-making by the supervisory board. But since all forces were bundled to align the Volkswagen brand with electromobility, the decision was ultimately made against the luxury sedan

Even if the planned successor model remained unrealized, the first Phaeton, with its luxurious comfort, innovative drives and groundbreaking processing quality, demonstrated what Volkswagen was capable of 20 years ago. In doing so, he achieved a positive impact on the entire brand, which has echoed in many models to date. Tomasz Bachorski, who was responsible for the interior of the premium model at the time: "The fact that the Phaeton D2 was ahead of its time can be seen today in features such as the 'Curved Display', which was intended for the Phaeton successor and in 2018 in the 'Innovision Cockpit ' of the Touareg came onto the market."

A look back at 20 years of the Phaeton – moving into the luxury class. It was an ambitious project right from the start, which the then Volkswagen CEO Ferdinand Piëch launched in the late XNUMXs. He wanted to open up a new market segment for Volkswagen with a luxury sedan and at the same time raise the entire brand to a new level.

5,06 meters long, 1,90 meters wide, 1,45 meters high – these dimensions alone put the Phaeton between its competitors in the luxury segment. Despite its size, it was visually unobtrusive: Its flowing design with the slightly curved roof dome seemed timelessly subtle, only at the rear round taillights under square cover glasses set eye-catching accents.

Elegance and the highest quality materials. An interior of stylish elegance was hidden under the calmly drawn body. Chrome, wood veneer made from up to thirty layers of material and leather – this triad was concentrated on the automatic gear selector, which looked as massive and powerful as the thrust lever of a motor yacht. Wood panels covered the air vents; Depending on the setting of the automatic air conditioning and the amount of sunshine, they opened electrically and silently if required. Even at full power, the ventilation worked almost draft-free.

lounge on wheels. The interior of the Phaeton was a rolling lounge in which uncompromising quality standards and fine materials met lovingly arranged technical details. Doors that slam shut and thick panes of glass isolated the passengers from the outside world, the gaps between the components were extremely narrow and strictly parallel. The optional Dynaudio sound system spoiled even the most discerning hi-fi connoisseur.

The Phaeton showed great form on long-distance journeys. Its standard air suspension including adaptive damping let it glide smoothly and softly over the autobahn. Thanks to its extremely high torsional rigidity, the body knew no rattling or creaking. The hood, doors and trunk lid were made of aluminum. As a chauffeur limousine, there was a Phaeton version that was 120 millimeters longer and offered plenty of space in the rear. As in the normal version, individual seats with massage and ventilation were available as an option.

The name Phaeton also symbolized the exclusive status of the large sedan. It not only ties in with Greek mythology, but also with the classic Horch and Škoda models of the same name.

The Transparent Factory.

• At the start of production in Dresden in December 2001, Ferdinand Piëch put it in a nutshell: “We will be manufacturing the top vehicle in Volkswagen's luxury class at this location. Here, the finest craftsmanship and the latest technology can be seen and felt.”
• Only the very best was good enough for the new flagship – this also applied to the production. The Transparent Factory, an industrial building of high architectural quality, was built on the outskirts of Dresden City. The Phaeton was assembled almost entirely by hand in its light-flooded halls. The workers were dressed in white and many wore gloves. And the hall floors were covered with light Canadian sycamore and dark German bog oak.

Two petrol engines and a TDI.

• The range of engines rounded off the exclusive character of the sedan. Early Phaeton customers could choose between two naturally aspirated petrol engines and a TDI. The entry-level engine was the compact 3.2 V6, whose cylinder banks were at a narrow angle of 15 degrees to each other; it delivered 177 kW (241 hp). The second petrol engine, the W12, was also unusually short - it was composed of two V six-cylinders in the form of a "W". It developed 6 kW (309 hp) from a displacement of 420 liters.

V10 TDI with 750 Nm.

• The most unusual unit was the V10 TDI: with a displacement of 5 liters, two turbochargers with adjustable turbine geometry, an output of 230 kW (313 hp) and 750 Nm of torque, the engine made the Phaeton the most powerful diesel sedan in the world at the time. As with the W12, the drive power was transmitted to all four wheels via an automatic transmission and the 4MOTION all-wheel drive; the 3.2 V6 had front-wheel drive as standard.
• During the 15-year construction period, the range of engines continued to develop. In 2003, a 4,2-liter V8 moved into the luxury sedan, followed a year later by the 3.0 V6 TDI. It quickly became the best-selling engine, and in its last expansion stage it had 180 kW (245 hp). The ten-cylinder diesel was eliminated in 2006, the W12 five years later. And the 3.2 V6 gave way to a 3,6-liter and a 3,0-liter.

Intensive care.

• Four facelift measures that took place between 2007 and 2014 kept the Phaeton up to date. They included innovations such as a multimedia system with touchscreen, carbon fiber ceramic brakes for the W12, assistance systems such as Rear Assist, Side Assist and improved ACC, traffic sign recognition by camera and dynamic high beam control. For a few years there were also self-illuminating number plates with electroluminescent technology. The major revision of 2010 brought a new look at the front and rear, which was particularly well received by customers in China.