Photo: Volkswagen AG
At one time, the first-ever Phaeton was Volkswagen’s bet to enter the full-size limousine premium segment. Of course, we all know how that panned out, with the series bowing out (in disgrace) by 2016.
Under the (sometimes) delusional rule of former chairman Ferdinand Piech, there were all sorts of dreams, including one that involved the conquering of the full-size luxury sedan segment back in 2002. Four iterations of the brand’s first luxury saloon followed - all trying to “set standards in technology and high-quality craftsmanship.”
But, in the end, it could not even survive in China where sedans with ample rear space are still the rage even today. To no avail, VW claims now, when they are eager to celebrate two decades since the start of their big, failed adventure, that their Phaeton – with its quirky roster of engines that even included a V10 TDI or a W12 mill – “was a car for connoisseurs, individualists, and enthusiasts.”
It is not that hard to read between the lines of claiming that the “farewell came in 2016 when the brand’s management board decided to discontinue the saloon in favor of a systematic re-alignment with a focus on electric mobility.” Interestingly, they decided to cut their losses at the worst possible moment, when “the successor with the project name ‘Phaeton D2’ was already waiting” to take flight.
Alas, that does not mean VW – who is known for reshuffling the truth according to its needs (remember Dieselgate, or the recent ‘Voltswagen’ prank?) will not try and profit from its exclusive one-off as they decided to share the looks of the successor that never was for the first time. And do take a swipe around the Phaeton D2 to quickly understand why the posh saloon never gained traction.
Frankly, glancing over the boring design lines, I feel that even my grandmother could have done a better job at styling this full-size four-door into something that does not feel dated or just like a costlier Jetta… Probably, what this sedan really needed was a healthy dose of BMW controversy to even get people to remember it. But now, looking at the Phaeton D2 – and even though it has a nice, techy cockpit – the current VW shareholders will be more than thankful that VW sent this model to the plains of car Valhalla when they did.
But, in the end, it could not even survive in China where sedans with ample rear space are still the rage even today. To no avail, VW claims now, when they are eager to celebrate two decades since the start of their big, failed adventure, that their Phaeton – with its quirky roster of engines that even included a V10 TDI or a W12 mill – “was a car for connoisseurs, individualists, and enthusiasts.”
It is not that hard to read between the lines of claiming that the “farewell came in 2016 when the brand’s management board decided to discontinue the saloon in favor of a systematic re-alignment with a focus on electric mobility.” Interestingly, they decided to cut their losses at the worst possible moment, when “the successor with the project name ‘Phaeton D2’ was already waiting” to take flight.
Alas, that does not mean VW – who is known for reshuffling the truth according to its needs (remember Dieselgate, or the recent ‘Voltswagen’ prank?) will not try and profit from its exclusive one-off as they decided to share the looks of the successor that never was for the first time. And do take a swipe around the Phaeton D2 to quickly understand why the posh saloon never gained traction.
Frankly, glancing over the boring design lines, I feel that even my grandmother could have done a better job at styling this full-size four-door into something that does not feel dated or just like a costlier Jetta… Probably, what this sedan really needed was a healthy dose of BMW controversy to even get people to remember it. But now, looking at the Phaeton D2 – and even though it has a nice, techy cockpit – the current VW shareholders will be more than thankful that VW sent this model to the plains of car Valhalla when they did.
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