The Last Volkswagen Phaeton
The above picture is an important piece of automotive history: the black Volkswagen Phaeton you see here is the very last of its name.
In the last 14 years, the Dresden factory built this sedan, which was the most advanced car to ever bear the Volkswagen logo.
- Also: Volkswagen's Dieselgate Is Hindering The Phaeton
- Also: Dieselgate: 11 Million Vehicles Affected; Winterkorn Resigns
The Phaeton wasn't a commercial success: after being launched here in 2003, it suffered slow sales right until being pulled out of the North American market in 2006. Even though the Phaeton wasn't exactly popular here, the sedan received a lot of attention. Throughout its design process, people wondered how VW could build a car capable of beating Mercedes-Benz and BMW at their own game.
When the Phaeton was launched, everyone had to agree that the brand that sold one of the most popular cars of all time was capable of placing a competitive vehicle in any segment. The company proved it yet again with the Bugatti Veyron a few years later.
The Transparent factory in Dresden will keep its unique appeal: while you could visit it during the Phaeton's assembly and see the cars being built, it wil now be converted in a technology centre. However, Volkswagen has future plans for it, as in the next few years, this assembly plant will build cars once more.
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- If you're looking for someone to blame for the Phaeton's departure, look no further than Dieselgate