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The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced "fay-ton") is a large luxury sedan manufactured by Volkswagen. It serves as the flagship of the Volkswagen line-up, competing with other high-end flagship sedans such as the Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS460, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It takes its name from Phaëton, the son of Helios in Greek mythology.
Overview
The Phaeton was the idea of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch, who perceived the addition of such a flagship as a means to burnish the Volkswagen brand. Piëch wanted VW engineers to create a car that would overwhelmingly surpass the prestige market leaders, Mercedes Benz and BMW. The decision to release the Phaeton was, in part, a response to Mercedes' decision to compete directly with VW in the European marketplace with the low-cost A-Class.
Initial development of the Phaeton began with Piëch giving his engineers a list of ten parameters the car needed to fulfill. Most of these specifications were not made known to the public, but a number of them were told to automotive reporters. One of them was that the Phaeton should be capable of being driven all day at 300km/h (186mph) with an exterior temperature of 50°C(122°F) whilst maintaining the interior temperature at 22°C (71.6°F). Piëch requested this despite the Phaeton's top speed being electronically limited to 250 km/h(155mph). Another was that the car should possess torsional rigidity of 37,000nm/degree.
The Phaeton's platform, the D1 platform, is shared with the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Continental Flying Spur. Certain systems such as the transmission and some engines are also shared with the Audi A8. The D1 is a stand alone platform, and was specifically developed for the Phaeton and Bentley under code name VW611. It is commonly mistaken with Audi's D3 platform, which is aluminium based instead of the D1's steel platform.
As of 2005, the Phaeton has the longest wheelbase in the Volkswagen passenger line.
The Phaeton is hand-assembled in a distinctive eco-friendly factory with a glass exterior, the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden, Germany. This factory also assembled the Bentley Continental Flying Spur until October 2006, when assembly of the Bentley was transferred to Crewe, England.
Distinctive Features
Development of the vehicle led to over 100 individual patents specific to the Phaeton. Distinctive features include a draftless four-zone climate system, 4 compressor air suspension system, standard 4-motion all wheel drive and the ability to select your preferred ride type from comfort to sport. The vehicle is double painted and sanded in-between the first and second paint application.
Sales
Much like its older cousin, the Volkswagen Passat W8, Phaeton sales fell short of expectations, largely due to perceived brand prestige not being commensurate with the vehicle's high cost. In the United States market 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, but just 820 were sold in 2005, leading the company to announce that sales in the American market would end after the 2006 model year. The rare W12 models have been held on to by niche collectors and are harder to find in the used car marketplace.
Models available
* V6 petrol engine
* V6 TDI
* V6 LWB (Long Wheelbase)
* V8 petrol engine LWB
* V10 petrol engine
* V10 TDI
* W12 petrol engine LWB
Between 2002 and 2006, all engines were available in both short wheelbase and long wheelbase versions with the exception of the V6 TDI which was short wheelbase only. With the introduction of the 2008MY, all models are long wheelbase with the exception of the V6 TDI which remains short wheelbase only and the V10 TDI which has been dropped entirely (due to inability to meet Euro IV emission regulations).
The V8, V10 and both V6 models feature Volkswagens's longitudinal 4Motion all-wheel drive system and have 6-speed transmissions. The W12 features the same AWD system but has a 5-speed transmission.
Only the 4.2 L and 6.0 L gasoline (petrol) engines were available in the United States and Canada (2004-2006MY). All Phaetons shipped to the United States and Canada were electronically limited to a top speed of 208 km/h (130 mph).
The Phaeton also features an advanced traction control system, anti-lock brakes, electronic differential lock (EDL), engine braking control (EBC), electronic brake distribution (EBD), and electronic stability program (ESP) with brake assist.
Note: The electronic differential lock (EDL) employed by Volkswagen is not, as the name suggests, a differential lock at all. Sensors monitor wheel speeds, and if one is rotating substantially faster than the other (i.e. slipping) the EDL system momentarily brakes it. This effectively transfers all the power to the other wheels.[1]
Awards
During its launch in 2004 the V8 model won Inspiring Men Magazine's best sedan of the year award.
Overview
The Phaeton was the idea of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch, who perceived the addition of such a flagship as a means to burnish the Volkswagen brand. Piëch wanted VW engineers to create a car that would overwhelmingly surpass the prestige market leaders, Mercedes Benz and BMW. The decision to release the Phaeton was, in part, a response to Mercedes' decision to compete directly with VW in the European marketplace with the low-cost A-Class.
Initial development of the Phaeton began with Piëch giving his engineers a list of ten parameters the car needed to fulfill. Most of these specifications were not made known to the public, but a number of them were told to automotive reporters. One of them was that the Phaeton should be capable of being driven all day at 300km/h (186mph) with an exterior temperature of 50°C(122°F) whilst maintaining the interior temperature at 22°C (71.6°F). Piëch requested this despite the Phaeton's top speed being electronically limited to 250 km/h(155mph). Another was that the car should possess torsional rigidity of 37,000nm/degree.
The Phaeton's platform, the D1 platform, is shared with the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Continental Flying Spur. Certain systems such as the transmission and some engines are also shared with the Audi A8. The D1 is a stand alone platform, and was specifically developed for the Phaeton and Bentley under code name VW611. It is commonly mistaken with Audi's D3 platform, which is aluminium based instead of the D1's steel platform.
As of 2005, the Phaeton has the longest wheelbase in the Volkswagen passenger line.
The Phaeton is hand-assembled in a distinctive eco-friendly factory with a glass exterior, the Gläserne Manufaktur in Dresden, Germany. This factory also assembled the Bentley Continental Flying Spur until October 2006, when assembly of the Bentley was transferred to Crewe, England.
Distinctive Features
Development of the vehicle led to over 100 individual patents specific to the Phaeton. Distinctive features include a draftless four-zone climate system, 4 compressor air suspension system, standard 4-motion all wheel drive and the ability to select your preferred ride type from comfort to sport. The vehicle is double painted and sanded in-between the first and second paint application.
Sales
Much like its older cousin, the Volkswagen Passat W8, Phaeton sales fell short of expectations, largely due to perceived brand prestige not being commensurate with the vehicle's high cost. In the United States market 1,433 Phaetons were sold in 2004, but just 820 were sold in 2005, leading the company to announce that sales in the American market would end after the 2006 model year. The rare W12 models have been held on to by niche collectors and are harder to find in the used car marketplace.
Models available
* V6 petrol engine
* V6 TDI
* V6 LWB (Long Wheelbase)
* V8 petrol engine LWB
* V10 petrol engine
* V10 TDI
* W12 petrol engine LWB
Between 2002 and 2006, all engines were available in both short wheelbase and long wheelbase versions with the exception of the V6 TDI which was short wheelbase only. With the introduction of the 2008MY, all models are long wheelbase with the exception of the V6 TDI which remains short wheelbase only and the V10 TDI which has been dropped entirely (due to inability to meet Euro IV emission regulations).
The V8, V10 and both V6 models feature Volkswagens's longitudinal 4Motion all-wheel drive system and have 6-speed transmissions. The W12 features the same AWD system but has a 5-speed transmission.
Only the 4.2 L and 6.0 L gasoline (petrol) engines were available in the United States and Canada (2004-2006MY). All Phaetons shipped to the United States and Canada were electronically limited to a top speed of 208 km/h (130 mph).
The Phaeton also features an advanced traction control system, anti-lock brakes, electronic differential lock (EDL), engine braking control (EBC), electronic brake distribution (EBD), and electronic stability program (ESP) with brake assist.
Note: The electronic differential lock (EDL) employed by Volkswagen is not, as the name suggests, a differential lock at all. Sensors monitor wheel speeds, and if one is rotating substantially faster than the other (i.e. slipping) the EDL system momentarily brakes it. This effectively transfers all the power to the other wheels.[1]
Awards
During its launch in 2004 the V8 model won Inspiring Men Magazine's best sedan of the year award.
