Volkswagen Phaeton

VW Phaeton (2002-2007)

VW Phaeton [ fɛ ː tɔn; correct: faɛto ː n] is the model designation for a passenger car of the top class of the Volkswagen brand. The production is based on the joint project of the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau with the Transparent Factory in Dresden, where the final assembly is done mostly by hand. The Phaeton V6 TDI was in April 2007 the world's first vehicle of the upper class, which met the Euro -5 emissions standard.

The study of this automobile was at the IAA 1999 - at that time still with Hatchback - presented under the name "Concept D" to the public. At the same time, the new V10 TDI diesel engine was first introduced. During the development of the Phaeton was under the project name "D1" known - this is also the internal model designation for the Phaeton the first generation.

• 4.1 GP1
• 4.2 GP2
• 4.3 GP3

Origin of the model name

Phaethon is the name of the son of the sun god Helios. As a model name, the name is not new. Phaeton was called earlier the construction of open stately horse-drawn carriages in which the rule drew himself. This name was later adopted for the open touring car. 1915 brought the luxury car manufacturers Horch Phaeton one on the market. In the 1920s, the U.S. company Packard made ​​under this name a passenger car. 1930 was also the manufacturer Škoda this model name. Following on from the Zwickau Horch tradition, chose this one model name for the Saxon VW luxury class.

Characteristics

The VW Phaeton is as four-door notchback sedan on the market since May 2002. Since November 2002 he is also sold in the long version. Characteristic features of the Phaeton are its luxurious interiors, permanent four-wheel drive " 4Motion " and some technical innovations, such as:

• The self-luminous license plate; ( this was in subsequent models by a plate lighting with light emitting diodes replaced)
• The draft-free working, individually adjustable climate control for each passenger
• The then highest ever reached torsional rigidity of a car body
• A Bluetooth car phone with SIM Access Profile (advantage: no mechanical connection to the vehicle required)
• Adaptive cruise control with " environment observation " and active range of 0-200 km / h
• Lane Change Assist " Side Assist "
• Keyless access and start " Keyless Access "
• Electric tailgate
• LED daytime running lights

The platform of the Phaeton is also the base for the Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Continental GTC and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. This platform is manufactured at the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau and delivered to Great Britain, where the three Bentley models are completed.

Engines and technical data

All current engines come standard with permanent four-wheel drive 4Motion and the air suspension Airmotion. Previous models were also offered with front-wheel drive and manual transmission, what the long front overhang enforced. Alternatively, a four- seater variant and / or a long-wheelbase version is available. The published until 2004 weakest engine - a V6 TDI - has had the approval numbers rise significantly and is now the best-selling Phaeton model. The V10 TDI is since the 2006 model year - no longer available because it can not meet the current emission standards and a diesel particulate filter would have been required - five years after publication. This does not fit in conjunction with the V10 TDI under the Phaeton platform. An alternative solution appeared the Group Executive Board as too costly. Since 2009, a particulate filter system for the V10 TDI is available, which causes the allocation of green environmental badge for driving in all environmental zones. The following information relate to the basic model.

Gasoline engines

Diesel engines

Large product maintenance

GP1

In March 2007, the revised version of the public Phaeton was presented. The first major product care ( GP, colloquially known mostly as a facelift) includes the following new features:

• LED daytime running lights
• Dynamic and static cornering lights for Bi -Xenon headlights
• DVD navigation system
• New adaptive cruise control with "Follow -to- Stop" function and environment observation " Front Assist "
• Lane Change Assist " Side Assist "
• Revision of the V6 TDI: Performance increase to 233 hp, fuel consumption reduction
• Discreet optical retouching (chrome trim around the front fog lights, cherry red rear lights )
• Discontinuation of the V10 TDI engine

GP2

The second major product maintenance (GP2 ) was available in November 2008:

• Multimedia navigation system with touch screen and standard 30 - GB hard drive for storing MP3 and WMA music tracks
• Rear view camera " Rear Assist "
• Make-up mirror in the headliner of the Fund as standard with extended wheelbase
• Ceramic brakes for engine W12
• Revision of the V6 TDI: Performance increase to 239 hp, reducing fuel consumption and approval according to exhaust standard (EURO 5)

GP3

The third major product maintenance ( GP3 ) was presented in April 2010 at the Auto China 2010 in Beijing. Officially, the revised vehicle is offered as "The new Phaeton ".

The changes are:

• Modified front end in the current Volkswagen design, parking lights and cornering lights in LED
• Revised rear end with new LED taillights in "M- form" ( darkening from mid-2012 )
• Dynamic main beam regulation " Dynamic Light Assist" ( masked continuous main beam)
• Traffic sign recognition by multi-function camera in the rearview mirror area
• LED fog lights
• Headlining available in anthracite
• Round paint
• New exterior colors " Serpentino Grey" and "Deep Black"
• Modified steering design
• Mobile phone access also via Hands- Free Profile (as of model year 2014 with an integrated SIM card reader )
• Radio navigation system RNS 810 optionally expandable with Google Maps
• New 18 - inch alloy wheel "Experience" in Sterling Silver
• Reduction in fuel consumption of the V6 TDI ( 8.5 liters instead of 9 l according to EU standard )
• Elimination of the W12 engine mid-January 2011 ( for China but still in production)

Registration figures

In the statistics of the Federal Motor Vehicle Office, the Phaeton in comparison with other competitors positioned as shown on the right in the table.

Up to and including April 2010 21.529 Phaeton - new vehicles were registered in Germany.

2007 produced 5,711 vehicles in 2008 even more than 6,000. In June 2009, the 40,000 was. Phaeton made ​​.

The registration numbers of the Phaeton have so far been well below expectations of the group, however, are similar to those of the respective first models of the Audi A8 or BMW 7 Series.

Due to low sales, VW has stopped selling the Phaeton in the U.S. to around 3,500 copies sold in the summer of 2006. A re- launch was scheduled for 2009, was canceled again.

In China, the market for the Phaeton has developed positively. Between January and October 2009 1.400 new cars were sold there, for 2010 2.000 sales were expected. The high demand in Asia in 2010 led to an increase in production by 30 percent. In order for a sales record of 7,500 was achieved.

Criticism

The environmental group Greenpeace in 2009 practiced criticism of advertising brochures for Phaeton and Volkswagen threw greenwashing ago. They also criticized the determined from this environmental organization emissions of 239 grams of CO2 per kilometer and a fuel consumption of 17.1 liters per 100 km in city traffic. The Greenpeace investigation are figures from other publications, such as with fuel monitor, with lower results compared.