Incorrectly termed as a failed experiment, Volkswagen Phaeton is a testament to what happens when the engineering team is let loose to errr…over-engineer. And after 20 years, the Phaeton has been put to rest. We all know the story of the inception of the Phaeton. The former boss of Volkswagen, Ferdinand Piëch, handed out a list of Ten Commandments to the engineering team to develop the Phaeton, and half the team walked out stating it cannot be done.

They did develop the Phaeton with those parameters, and it all worked surprisingly well. Phaeton flopped not because it was a bad product, but mostly due to its ridiculous price tag. One may think by this time Volkswagen had accepted defeat and left the premium segment to the other Germans, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. Nope, deep in the hermetically sealed doors of Volkswagen, they kept on working towards the second iteration of the Phaeton, the D2.

They incorporated the latest automotive technology in the Phaeton D2, while simultaneously ironing out all the deficiencies learned from the previous version. Alas, in 2016 the project was canned by VW’s Brand Board of Management in favor of phased realignment towards electric mobility. However, one prototype exists, and they will not tell anything about it, but it looks stunning inside-out.

Related: How Ridiculously The Volkswagen Phaeton Was Engineered To Outshine The S-Class

VW Phaeton Was Already A Lounge, D2 Had To Take It Further

The original Phaeton was already technologically forward-thinking when it was released. It had motorized swiveling air vents for Pete’s sake. So for the encore D2 was to build upon the ride quality delivered by the original’s floating pneumatic suspension.

VW had an internal selection procedure where they picked this one out of four prototypes. Designed by Marco Pavone and Tomasz Bachorski, both of whom are currently responsible for VW's future designs, based the development of this prototype on the MLB platform meant for front-engine vehicles.

The Phaeton was 5.06 meters long, which made it compete with the larger ring leaders of the luxury segment. VW made sure the material and finish quality of the cabin is flawless to showcase its manufacturing prowess, as they wanted to with the D2.

Meaning the panel gaps were tiny, and perfectly put together. The combination of wood, leather, and brushed aluminum added up to 30 material layers across the interior. And yes, the fancy wood panel swiveling air vent covers would have been retained in the D2. You could set these to maximum draft and still not mess the peach fuzz on your face.

Phaeton customers could choose the Dynaudio sound system as an option. Similarly, D2 would have got the current generation of surround sound systems on offer increasing its audio engagement value. The most important feature of the Phaeton was the expensive pneumatic suspension (with active damping) which keeps the occupants supremely comfortable by varying the softness or hardness of the ride based on changing road conditions.

Current pneumatic suspension systems with upgraded electronics would have increased the comfort in the D2 while retaining its performance qualities as well. The D2 was supposed to be VW’s crowning jewel, so they would’ve loaded it to the brim with futuristic features like a curved-touch screen, night vision (debut 2019 on Touareg in Innovision Cockpit), massaging and ventilated seats, driver assistance systems, and a lot more from the current parts catalog they have.

Related: Here's What Volkswagen Owners Never Tell You

Modern Engines Are Smooth, But The Phaeton's V10 Diesel Was A Beast

Over its 15 years of production, the Phaeton was offered a range of petrol and diesel engines. 3.2-Liter V6, W12, 4.2-Liter V8 petrol, and 3-Liter V6 diesel were on and off through the years. But the most notable, the 5.0-Liter V10 producing 553ft-lb of torque was the real charmer. Remember the beastly Touareg that could pull a medium-sized tree, yes it had the same V10 diesel.

The D2 would’ve been able to pick from an even bigger array of engine options, like the 3.6-Liter V6 from the Atlas, the twin-turbo V8 in the Porsche Panamera, or the W12 from Bentley. Only one prototype was ever built, and we hope it is the V10 TDI paired with the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. It would be a fitting conclusion to the era of the Phaeton. Who knows, maybe they’ll give it an all-electric power plant and re-commission it.

Improving On An Almost Flawless Car Is Where VW Struggled With The Phaeton's Successor

It is a dead loss that the D2 will never see production. VW had shown the world what it could do with its flawless manufacturing techniques by creating the Phaeton. 20 years have gone by, and it still boasts equipment that is modern even by today’s standards.

The D2 would have built on that image, minus the flaws, and sit above the smaller but very beautiful Arteon as a no-nonsense alternative away from the regular list of choices. Because the D2 was so secretive, we can only speculate that VW will have packaged it with the best features.

The D2 design and engineering team’s plight must have been similar to NASA engineers when the second ‘Moon Buggy’ could not be sent to the moon. We can only hope that VW’s extensive electrification strategy has a page in to revive the Phaeton and plinth it on top of the pedestal of sedate and functional luxury.

Source: Volkswagen