Was the Phaeton VW's luxury BLUNDER?

The Phaeton seems like an enigma. Why would Volkswagen, who’s name literally means “people’s car”, make an expensive limousine? Just who was this car aimed at? But there is some method to the madness. Instead of a “people’s car”, think of it more as a “people’s limousine”. The Phaeton was built on a Bentley chassis, it drove like a Bentley and it was just as sumptuous throughout. But it cost a cool £75,000 less at “only” £37,000. That was less than some Audi A6’s! So just how much is a fancy badge worth to you?
Intro music from Lord Wallace: / lord-wallace
The last Phaeton video (German): • Gläserne Manufaktur Dr...
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:55 Ferdinand Piëch
2:41 Rolls-Royce purchase
4:47 Phaeton development
10:36 Phaeton launch
12:32 2007 update
13:15 2010 update
16:39 Phaeton replacements
17:38 Ferdinand Piëch stories
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#bigcar

[@deathbastardable]

The fact that he told the Japanese Emporer himself his sword was a fake and it turned out to be true was pretty badass.

[@dingodash4096]

I would had love to met that guy. Laughed for a good 15mins thinking how much embarassment had caused to the emperor and the many apologies he might have received from the company after the analysis results came out.

[@georgevavoulis4758]

It shows that German guy ain't nobody's fool he's smart how he could tell it was a fake just by looking at it . That's amazing

[@MultiMusicbuff]

@@georgevavoulis4758 yes but he was also very arrogant and thought his shit don't stink,to the dismay for anyone who had to work under him.

[@mariemccann5895]

That was pretty funny, but he clearly had serious social issues.

[@ericjbowman1708]

This story always reminds me of when Denver Mayor Wellington Webb presented a visiting Chinese trade delegation with Stetson cowboy hats, which turned out to be Chinese knockoffs.

[@joesniffer9815]

As a former Phaeton owner I can say this car was built specifically for Piech. I could say it floats like a cloud down the highway but that’s not quite the feeling because you also feel like you’re locked in on rails while going in excess of the speed limit. The car literally lowers when you hit 80mph. There’s nothing quite like a phaeton.

[@schanche1965]

My Audi Allroad also lowers when you get to 80mph

[@angusnz7910]

So does my Range Rover… but it does it whenever it feels like it 🤪

[@schanche1965]

@@angusnz7910 par for the course

[@pablopicaro7649]

And that is why you DO NOT HAVE it any more

[@tyttuut]

LS430 Ultra Luxury does that too

[@TheStobb50]

The Phaetons biggest problem was it looked to the untrained eye like a Passat

[@jamaldavid]

This!

[@fungo6631]

A bigger Passat, but a Passat.

[@christokapp597]

I would consider that a plus as I drive a Passat, the 2.0 TDi Rline and I am totally smitten with it. Ah well, all tastes not the same hey😁

[@vs6300]

Same issue befell the Peugeot 605 which people viewed as enlarged 405 though it was based on Citroen XM and made in a different plant.

[@u3o813]

Stick up kids in my hood drive Passats...........

[@gregort911]

What an era that was, when sublime engineering was way more important than marketing! Excellent video on the Phaeton.

[@leviathan5207]

I would not call that unreliable piece of shit "sublime engineering".

[@hoWa3920]

@@leviathan5207 How many breakdowns have you had.

[@duncanidaho7494]

@@leviathan5207 you never owned the car so stfu

[@tony_5156]

@@hoWa3920 the engines are not known for being reliable W engines are awful The same or worse reliability than the bmw V10

[@robertseitz2407]

@@tony_5156 those engines weren't made for dumb drivers. Those who could drive them properly didn't had any reliability issues

[@nightnine5165]

Pepole's Limousine? I'd rather call this perfect example of stealth wealth car.

[@DenisKz]

Typing whilst under the influence is a bad idea.

[@lzh4950]

The Toyota Alphard is probably more stealthy though?

[@TremereTT]

Just read the story about Phaeton! It's realy a story about VW hybris! VW is just not Mercedes!

[@wvlfboyy]

@@lzh4950 that’s not stealth in Asia ;)

[@kieranjoseph2333]

Thankyou for introducing me to the phrase "stealth wealth" I aim to live this way.

[@glennt69lol]

Unpopular opinion... I think they are beautiful

I agree. Shame they stopped production

[@WolfgangVonKempelen838]

You are not alone

[@Yarxov]

That Phideon actually looks really good too

[@minidreschi2]

i dont like the front, too much like a passat, however the Concept D hatchback was sexy

[@user-mx1fq6qm6i]

And they are an amazing sleeper

[@SanjinSecerbeg]

I own a 2013 Phaeton 3.0 TDI (240hp/500nm) and absolutely love this car! It is a true continent cruiser.

[@mauritsvw]

Lucky you!

[@charleswilson3439]

Lucky

[@mikeab93]

I have only seen one during a fuel stop, damn near tripped over my 2 feet looking at it. I would definitely buy one.

[@joesniffer9815]

I would LOVE to have a 3.0 TDI Phaeton❤️🤤

[@epicurean7059]

Is the boot space big enough for a family with 4 people

[@stevenalmond4180]

My old boss used to have one. He even went to the factory to see it being made. Beautifully understated car to be a passenger in. But riddled with ongoing electrical gremlins, the dealership struggled to fix them as it was an unfamiliar model for their mechanics.

[@tempelhof4234]

Thank you for this video. I've driven the Phaeton many times as a chaffeur car during my university times, with different engines, body styles, colours and many many different interiors. And until this day in my opinion it's one of the best cars ever built. It rides incredibly smooth and quiet and driving it on the Autobahn is very relaxing. You can drive at v-max from Munich to Berlin and back and will get out and still feel relaxed. The seats are more than excellent, especially with ventilation. And the air conditioning is definitely the best system I have ever used. It does not create any draft which is remarkable. It's still one of my dream cars as a daily driver. One day I'll buy one.

[@russellthechemist8291]

I'm still tempted by a second hand one.

[@SerienchiIIer]

Second hand Phaetons are surprisingly affordable.

[@TheQgamingChannel]

pseudo nym not in maintenance

[@BlackRNGesus]

ohja... phaeton auf der autbahn macht immer spaß. Leider jetzt nur noch einen A8...der will sportlich sein ist aber mindestens so fett wie der Phaeton...wirkt einfach nicht echt :(

[@zxcxz]

@@SerienchiIIer road tax is horrendous in the UK. Most I've ever spent on tax on any car.

[@BigCar2]

Errata: The Bentley Continental GT wasn't made at the Glass Factory in Dresden. The Continental Spur was for a short time. The Phaeton was available as a front wheel drive model. Piëch retired because of VW policy, not German law. Rolls Royce plc owned the rights to the Rolls Royce name, not Vickers. The story about Piëch and the sword isn't quite right. He told a Shinto priest at the infamous Yasakuni Shrine that a sword was fake. Because of this, other VW execs made sure that he wasn't around at the 1991 Tokyo car show where they actually did meet the emperor.

[@NyanMafia]

You should stick this as your top comment. And While I'm here, I'm just gonna say that this is another well made video

[@154stephen]

Interesting side point was the fact that The Flying Spur was made there to keep the expensive glass factory open due to poor sales of the Phaeton.

[@brycmtthw]

Another edit: Volkswagen actually acquired the Crewe factory, not BMW.

[@Petrolhead_Number_One]

The movie was great! One thing: Active cruise control was available in VW Phaeton in 2002 (not 2007). It was the first Volkswagen with this feature. Funny, that it was possible to configure Phaeton with manual gearbox (3.2 l engine with fwd only). I drove by 2008 Phaeton ~20kkm. Not too much, but it was so nice and well made car. Cheers!

[@sebber7992]

I've read he was "invited" to resign his position at VW after he maid a very public statement against the then CEO of VW, enraging investors and Lower Saxony state officials. He was cited at a small and exclusive, regional airport and confronted by the rest of the board, whom politely asked him to resign. He went down with no fight, knowing his time had come.

[@dunc_n_fr]

The Phaeton is still one of my two dream cars. It is the pure definition of understatement and seriousness. I love it and can't wait to finally own one.

[@Stratixss]

What is the other one? I hope you already own a Phaeton today and enjoy it!

[@leedaniels7196]

Same here!.

[@danielhristov6175]

Had one. Perfect car for a passanger. Awful for driver, steering is numb, irresponsive and light like a toy (like a nintendo Wii steering wheel) 0 feedback. Suspension is good, till it isnt... the cpu that controls it will die every 8 years (900€) The air compressor will die every 8 years too (360€) Suspension struds will die every 4-12 years (depending on use) costing 2000€ each...x4... Parking sensors will beep randomly while driving in the city. (Had that car for 4 years... because I couldnt sell it sooner) As I said, great car if you are a passanger, other than that... buy a Panamera. (It isnt as pretty and has 1 seat less but those problems and the lack of steering feel are gone)

[@krane15]

The problem with the Phaeton wasn't the car, it was the emblem.

[@krane15]

@Aapo Pispa Back at you. See my point? There are design similarities in all car brands. Try your "trained eye" on the Cadillac CT5 vs CT6.

[@andrew_koala2974]

VW failed to learn from TOYOTA CORPORATION by following their example of creating a new brand ... being a reference to LEXUS ..And neither the clowns and zombies will not understand nor be able to explain why the use of ALL CAPS is critical. i.e. UPPERCASE characters.

[@krane15]

@@andrew_koala2974 But don't people call Bentley a VW? Yet few recognize that BMW own Rolls Royce. So does that make these less Bentley or RR? Would Phaeton be more of a luxury car if they left of the VW emblem? Think about it.

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

Same with the KIA Stinger.

[@krane15]

@@andrew_koala2974 I think VW wanted to show that its all marketing. You know, "a rose is still a rose" thing? They also proved that all the competing luxury brands were grossly overpriced since the Phaeton had everything they had -- and more -- for a lower price.

[@OdysseyTag]

What a legend of a car. Have always had a lot of respect for Phaeton, it was quite an achievement.

[@DessieTots]

The Phaeton was the rehearsal for Bentley production. As nice as the Phaeton is, it is a very expensive car to keep, especially when it costs about £200 to change a lightbulb in the headlamps. (quote from an owner).

[@terrencefu4473]

I live in Chengdu, China and I still see Phaeton's quite often. A friend of mine used to work for VW and the most units were sold in Chengdu than any other city in the world!

[@mikebaginy8731]

Thanks for this informative insight. I was a member of the design team which manufactured the fuel tank and filler for the Phaeton (at Kautex in Bonn, Germany). We enjoyed the challenges and working closely with the VW fuel system team at VW in Wolfsburg. The Phaeton was an extraordinary car at a very decent price, especially considering the high quality of materials and workmanship. Well-kept models will surely become classics in time.

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for sharing Mike!

[@Milk_4254]

Thats super cool you got to work there how did you go about getting that job

[@mikebaginy8731]

@@Milk_4254 That was in the late `90s when Kautex (plastic fuel tank manufacturer) had job openings.

[@MrRea112]

Great references to Piech. Many confirm he was an abrasive genius with almost zero EQ but both the Phaeton and Veyron had the effect of lifting the VW brand perception well above the likes of Opel, Renault, Peugeot and Ford as those brands struggled for an identity of quality and engineering. Cars like the Golf and Polo are perceived above their peers today because of halo cars like these two models. I consider him the definitive CEO for any car company and a giant in history. Yes he may have been a huge pain in the rear but it worked!! Then there was dieselgate......

[@AB-yd5gl]

I drove my Phaeton to 240k miles. It is the best car I’ll ever drive. Besides it’s incredible comfort, great reliability, and amazing premium stereo, it was unstoppable in THE WORST winter weather the upper Midwest could muster.

[@johnbacon4997]

Was it fun to drive?

[@boomcrash]

It was fun to drive in a foot of snow. It was bliss in general. If I could find a low mileage Phaeton in good condition, I’d sell my A8 to get it. Not even kidding.

[@SkoptAlex]

As a VW Phaeton 2008 owner i thank you for the story. I very much enjoyed it.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like it Skopt. I'm jealous!

[@anthonylewis2080]

@@BigCar2 : In my view, VW Phaeton "stands out" for any number of reasons, one of them being a bargain on the used car market, not many pay attention to it, unfortunately there's much going against it. Despite having a platform/drivetrain/template as Audi A8 and Bentley GT (along with Flying Spur - at the time), other two moved on with updates and so on, made worse by losing a huge amount of money in a short time - one example I'd seen on a VW forecourt lost £10,000 in one year - however it's definitely got my attention, that alone says it makes sense to me that it is a good purchase when I have a degree of experience in driving.

[@mybigfatpolishlife]

The phaeton should have been an Audi A10

[@ac-ul6dt]

Do you mean A8?

[@wernertrugler1171]

@@ac-ul6dt no, he meant A10, a big limousine above the A8. would probably have worked

[@stephen9869]

Nothing can be called an A10 without a 30 mm hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-style autocannon.

[@alhemmings8554]

I quite agree. I think it would have sold well as Audi's brand cache was on the rise again in the early 00's. Despite those boot hinges being pure car porn, the VW badge was a millstone around It's neck. Piech's insistence on it being a veedub IMO showed hubris and was likely conceived of bias towards a company his father had worked for. One of his few strategic blunders I think. Sticking those lovely V10's and W12's in the A8 probably did the Phaeton no favours either. There was no attempt to segment the models by limiting the A8 to their great petrol and diesel V8's. I found the W12 A8 particularly desirable after watching The Transporter 2.....showing my age!

@@ac-ul6dt 10

[@daraghmorrissey]

Great video! I remember the Top Gear review. Jeremy Clarkson boiled a kettle inside the car to demonstrate the demister.

[@suzannemurphy5378]

I own the 2003. W8 AWD Passet.....after all this time still love it! Now have 123,000 miles....still looks great & the ride is super. I understand this was a fore runner of the Phaeton. Purchased mainly because it was safety car of the year.

[@martinschmidt5541]

I too own one since yesterday from 2013 and 3.0 TDI - TOP nice interior and rather not one scratch outside..

[@JvS1711]

I remember the umbrellas in the doors from that review.

[@jrushen4235]

Your videos are astounding. The Historical research and editing reflect the work you put in. Thanks for this and as for the ending...

[@BigCar2]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lazycalm41]

On the rare occasion you see one of these on the roads, They are absolutely gorgeous! Built like a tank and beautifully equipped.

[@mary-roserussell8097]

I owned 2 of these incredible cars. The first , I bought new in 2006 and did 80,000 trouble free miles and the one I have now , which I bought new direct from the Glasernemanufaktur in Dresden in 2010. I am 72 years of age and been fortunate enough to have owned many great cars including Porsches, BM's and Mercedes. However in my opinion nothing came close to the Phaeton. It had an engineering integrity and a build quality second to none. My current car has just ticked over 117,000 miles and has been utterly reliable. Now 10 years old he still drives as well as the day I picked him up with no squeaks or rattles. The Phaeton was truly an automotive phenonomen. I am sadly parting company with my beloved boy next week as I feel now it's time for a change. After considering a new Audi A8, I decided instaed to order a new A6 Allroad Vorsprunf 50 TDI. I like the " uniqueness " of the car with it's air suspension and all wheel drive. This will be my last great car and I intend to run it for 8 years and 100,000 miles. It wil be interesting to see how ell it stacks up against my Phaeton. My only dillemma was whether to pick the 50 TDI or the 55 TSI. In the end I plumped for the TDI as I drive alot in Deutschland and the greater puling power and torque of the diesel engine plus the mpg on the autobahns will be an asset. Also the new Audi diesels are very clean. In 8 years time ?....it will probably be an electric along as the range is improved from the cars that are on sale now. The A6 Allroad Vorsprung is a factory build and I have been informed that it will be in the U.K, late October / early November. A long but worthwhile wait I hope.

[@robertwestinghouse4098]

Loved the ending humour. Another great story

[@BigCar2]

:) Thanks Robert!

[@ijaen]

Me too, hope he is not genuinely upset 😢

[@RAL2010]

yes, that made me laugh!

[@Euroduplex]

worth subscribing!

[@adamwishneusky]

👻

[@lorenzomoore6398]

The Pheadon suffered the same as the Equus from Hyundai in North America. It was the Badging...But I would drive and own both of them.

[@wernertrugler1171]

i stepped into the phaeton world about 5 years ago, i bought a relatively cheap 2009 phaeton 5-seater for fun, because i thought it's a cool car and i wanted one for a while. i noticed then the decellerating nature of the car and that i spent more time in the big slow old limousine than in my much newer and faster cars. so i bought a better equipped 2012 five-seater and drive it for a while, it again satisfied me a lot. then i began searching for my final pheaton and it ended in a fully equipped 2014 4-seater which i still own. there is no better long distance travelling car in the world with all the luxury and the "no mainstream" feeling. the really special thing is not the numbers, it's the ability that a phaeton does not create any stress for the driver, it makes you calm down. in situations where you are not in the mood to drive a car, where cars annoy you, it is still a relaxing pleasure sitting in a phaeton, listening to music and let the world outside annoy itself.

[@demri123]

Wow

[@spacecowboy2483]

Excellent video, beautifully researched and narrated, and a very interesting car pick. It's sad to see how great things (be it products, people or whatever) get often overlooked because they lack a flashy brand or flamboyance whereas, conversely, things lacking substance manage to catch attention because they make it up with marketing.

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

I did consider a Phaeton myself a few years ago: a huge luxurious barge for about £3k at the time. What could possibly go wrong? Well, everything. Still, a beautiful car though. Thanks for posting.

[@raiderzilla3882]

The ending almost made soda come out my nose. One of the best endings ever, thank you sir

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like it!

[@niklasdksalkin]

​@@BigCar2 Prompted me to like the video even

[@oscarsalazar2332]

Great video on a great car! I was a Phaeton specialist when I worked at my local VW dealer before moving to Audi. Such an underestimated car, even the boot lid hinges are a thing of beauty! Never seen the coupe concept before, its a shame they didnt bring that out, maybe its fortunes would have turned out differently.

[@samkelly6754]

Honestly love these video's, as soon as you upload one I drop everything and watch it ASAP. Keep up the good work!

[@BigCar2]

That's great to hear Sam. Glad you like them! Don't forget to subscribe to Little Car as well.

[@samkelly6754]

@@BigCar2 Oh don't worry I'm ahead of the game and have already subscribed and seen them aswell. Thanks for the great content!

[@olfrygt]

I think Piech also said something to the effect that the VW Group doesn't sink money into expensive motor sports like many of their competitors do, and therefore is perfectly happy with these kinds of lighthouse projects. I think he was particularly talking about the Veyron, but it kinda puts things into perspective in general.

[@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381]

Yeah, take a look at Porsche, they were constantly racing somewhere but also dropping a supercar above the 911 Turbos/GT2s every decade: The 959 in the 80s (which also won the Paris-Dakar in '86), the 911 GT1 in the 90s (directly derived from the racing GT1), the Carrera GT (it's V10 engine was intended for the LMP2000: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmqqfaN-d5Jpn6s) in the 2000s and the 918 in the 2010s. AFAIK he was talking about the Veyron and specifically mentioned the Formula One I guess because IMHO it's a shark tank where you literally burn your money and may need years to get successful and a lot of teams that were very successful in other racing series only lasted one season or less in F1 and ruined some of them completely.

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

@@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381 F1 causes poverty lol

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

OP: yup instead of dropping $100-200 million on motorsports, they just try new concepts.

[@MichaelOZimmermannJCDECS]

Nice, You asked the right questions and gave the best comments! Well researched and no BS. Thank you! Quality wise the Phaeton was "first class" and could easily compare to much more expensive limousines! The design and the badge is history gone totally wrong, underestimating peoples choices... rich peoples choices! ;-)

[@BigCar2]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@an1ma169]

owned a 2010 Phaeton this past yr, best car (for the money) I've owned.. hands down.

[@E69apeTheMatrix420]

I own a 2008 VW Phaeton GP1 3.0 TDI with massage seats and all the options. It has been good to me and really easy to work on. recently did intake manifold swirl flaps, egr and cooler clean out. Its a good car in the snow and the summer, on the road and off the road. picking up friends or transporting old people. You name it, it does it well.

[@TwoGuysandaRide]

Enjoy your channel very much. I lover hearing the "story of" and the history of how cars came to be, keep up the great work

[@BigCar2]

Thanks

[@georgfranko]

If I was to get one of these , than I would defo go with the V10 Diesel . I love powerful Diesel engines with insane Torque values

[@RoadCone411]

That was amazing! Never fails to both be informative and get a chuckle out of me. Better than some so-called car shows on TV.

[@BigCar2]

Glad to hear it!

[@Kessler1996]

This was utterly fascinating! What an info-loaded video, fantastic work as ever!! Your channel is an absolute goldmine for anyone even remotely interested in cars :D

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like it. It takes a long time to research them.

[@simonjones8111]

I had one for 7 years, awesome space, comfort, unobtrusive, cheap to service, reliable and relaxing to drive - I had to V6 3.0 diesel.

[@jesuspobre88]

I'm on nights tonight. That's my break sorted. Big VW fan👍

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

I bought my first Golf in 2017 and I don't think I'd move away now, only perhaps to the Id3 once prices drop and range becomes more competitive with Tesla, which I'm sure won't take long. I had no idea that Elon Musk has taken his Tesla Gigafactory stylings from Dresden before this story, and though Dieselgate is a blot, VW are more than trying to make up for it. I just wish I could have gotten my hands on one of those cars returned. I would have been fine with it 😂

[@axkhn4921]

Is your break only 20 mins? 😂

[@bazzyg]

Hotel or hospital?

[@VishalVoraUK]

Always excited to see a new video from Big Car.

[@Transilvanian90]

Although I don't own one, I love the Phaeton and if I had to buy a 2000-2015 ultra-lux sedan, the Phaeton would be my number one choice because it's understated and has this cool discreet look that only the people who know their cars can recognize. I love the idea of a high-end vehicle that doesn't show off its value to everyone.

[@01322521959]

Your videos are always wonderful and absorbing to watch. Thanks so much.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like them Matt!

[@felixchecker]

"420 expert hands." Nice. 0:10

[@phil955i]

Had they sold a V8 one in the UK I would've bought one, but they only sold a V8 one in the US. I also prefer the first iteration, it has purer styling. These also have gorgeous interiors imo.

[@Robert13O8]

You did get a V8 in the UK

[@phil955i]

@@Robert13O8 we didn't mate, only the US had them available in the 1st gen. Phaeton (not sure why). We got everything else though. And I'm pretty sure you could specify the V8 with the Toureg in the UK? Weird lol.

[@Robert13O8]

There’s one on eBay uk right now for £2k. We definitely did get them :)

[@phil955i]

@@Robert13O8 I'll have a look later. Well you live & learn 🙂👍 I ended up buying a mid 2000s Merc CLS500 a couple of years ago instead, very similar car 🙂

[@phil955i]

@@Robert13O8 had a look but can't see it? Plenty of V6 TDis, a V10 TDI & a W12 though.

[@igo470]

Your voice is so calming and your videos are so informative.Great job as always!

[@BigCar2]

Thank you so much Igor!

[@whyme8580]

Facts . I knew it was something so comforting

[@muhammadnassar448]

I really enjoy your videos and I appreciate all the hard work you must have put compiling them. I recommend you to all my car enthusiast friends. Keep up the good work!

[@BigCar2]

Thanks Muhammad. Glad you like them!

[@ca4129]

One of the most enjoyable car channels on youtube 🙌

[@BigCar2]

Glad you think so!

[@drivelife.channel]

I absolutely love this car! its a bucket list motor! I can see it becoming a modern classic in a few years time!

[@JOHNKDUFFY]

Wonderful vehicle , I got one (2013 Vers) for 13.5k with 45k miles TDI and get 38mpg with great comfort. It is like perfect watch. Great seats, sound system , safety - hard to beat. And best of all it is discreet. Everyone thinks its a Passat.

[@patrickswan4537]

Great to see the story behind this car, which I've admired for years. I had a tour of the glass factory in Dresden when the Pheaton was still in production, Bentley Flying Spurs were going around on the same line...

[@streetkaaccord344]

Piekkkk! Love it. Dimeler. Love that too! Great video!

[@visionist7]

I've always been in love with the fully optioned Phaeton W12. Those cupholders are far fancier than anything before or since - at absolutely any price point. Bentleys have cheap looking open cupholders. Piech should have blazed the four door coupe trail before Mercedes did and styled the Phaeton after the Passat CC. Would have undercut the competition and probably sold significantly better. Nobody would have resisted a four door coupe with that interior in 2003. Piech was too conservative for all his innovation.

[@camil721]

Brilliant (as always here, at Big Car!) but the final conclusion is even more! Congratulations! And thank you for the stories, facts and presentaion! Keep it that way!

[@semird615]

A car of exceptional build quality and a technical marvel but I never understood what roll it was supposed to fill for VW. Audi had the A8 for the premium luxury sedan segment. It almost seems like Skoda hit the mark with the Superb for what the Phaeton was supposed to be, something in between an A8, A6 and a Passat. I still love the fact that the Phaeton came to be without ever needing to.

[@peterknight7880]

I always liked the Phaeton. I liked the way they promoted quality over speed

[@onelyone6976]

Now I want the Citroën BX next, sometimes regarded as the car that saved Citroën

[@arifqur1965]

Wow! Very informative. Thanks for putting out these videos

[@loganflatt]

I owned and drove a 2004 VW Phaeton W12 from 2005-2008 in Dallas, Texas. Phenomenal car and engine! Black with tan interior, it was a special USA launch model. Bought it sight unseen on eBay from Michigan where it had been a VW USA executive’s car for 8 months. I put a ‘W12 VW” Texas plate on it and made it my daily driver. Ended up selling it for $8,000 more than Blue Book value at the time to a wealthy Dallas family who approached me online to buy it because their 20-something son just had to have it - just before the global financial crisis. Impeccable timing.

[@Oystein87]

Great story :P FYI: "Diesel-gate" was not just VW. It was ALOT of manufactures involved in it. But only VW got the attention of the media and the people for some reason.

[@brycmtthw]

Because VW was the one who they could prove intent with out a doubt. And VW is the parent company of Audi and Porsche who got caught up in it.

[@1969Risky]

I'd own one if they sold them here in Australia. A great car now for the 2nd hand market.

[@CertifiedSlamboy]

Same here. Want one in Aus

[@alexandruboghean5826]

I'm a proud owner of the 2010 model, 3.0 TDI (the very last model before the last one). Except that I avoid going downhill if it's too steep on icy roads, because of it's weight, the rest is perfection. 👌 And yes, I've lost control at 5-10 MPH going downhill in the middle of the city, and only experience with ice and a bit of luck helped me. This car at 2.5 tons in the UK where winter tires aren't compulsory, you will have to really think before going downhill if it's too steep and you encounter traffic lights or an obstacle on that stretch.

[@meemeeuuu]

We own one, 2004, Expensive to keep up! And we do. But what a car! It just feels like class when you’re in it! Not an everyday car, but a car to be saved. Love it!!

[@Random-nf7qb]

If I was the manager of a car company and I had some disposable cash, I'd run it like Piech. By the way, when's the Lada episode coming out?

[@wheat8553]

Hey there, I don’t know if you’ve done one on this (I haven’t been able to find it if so) but you should do an episode on the Studebaker Avanti. This was another great episode too!

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for the suggestion Geo!

[@danr1920]

Agree 100%+

[@Evan-gz3cf]

Agreed - GREAT idea

[@devintariel3769]

Would love to see one about performance versions of otherwise boring cars. Cars like the Taurus SHO and Cosworth Carlton.

[@mikehawes4935]

Love this, I am always delighted if I see a phaeton knocking around, a decent secondhand but with a service history but lacking tech toys

[@dougle03]

I heard a story once that the boot hinges on the Phaeton reportedly cost more to develop that the revision of Polo at the time. Having owned a 2011 Phaeton V6 I can confirm that the hinge mechanism on the boot lid was a thing of beauty.

[@toledo152]

It sold well in China, that’s all that really matters now.

[@cheetaih]

In China, some billionaires wish to stay low profile and worrying get into troubles when being loud (being pick on by Communist bureaucrats). There why they choose the VW Phaeton as their transport.

[@scabootie]

We need to focus on our own countries, China has no regard for yours or mine.

[@Johanniscool]

Which explains the ridiculous ‘bling’ grilles that are appearing on most cars now. Subtlety is long gone.

[@bestduckyrblx2944]

@@scabootie it certainly does for car manufacturers.

[@scabootie]

@@bestduckyrblx2944 I didn't disagree

[@derek_korval605]

I just hope they don’t lie about the emissions. It is a nice car.

[@manoman0]

They probably did.

[@paulkita]

Your channel is great, and I enjoy every single one of your videos. There is no need to lay a guilt trip at the end and squander all your hard earned approval while you're at it. I assure you that people will subscribe without it.

[@BigCar2]

Thanks Pawel. I'm laying off the "subscribe and join Patreon" bits at the end as I agree (and subscribing was useful when the channel had just started, but less important now).

[@AtheistDD]

Funfact about the VW glas factory in Dresden, it was technically placed in the central park of Dresden the "Große Garten"(great garden), and has it´s own trainstation of the miniature Steam locomotive powered Park-railway. A nother rail relateted fact about this Factory, all the parts and preassebled things where deliverd to the plant by Tram, yes Tram.

[@Johanniscool]

Who else searched for a used Phaeton after watching this?

[@friedrichruff5357]

I bought one a year ago. No regret!

[@alfonzo9289]

Prices went up after this.

[@alfonzo9289]

@@friedrichruff5357 how is the upkeep with them? Any crazy expensive parts that VW outsourced?

[@christianschuler4344]

Love that car so much. It's really beautiful inside and out and such a non attention seeker.

[@christianschuler4344]

@@friedrichruff5357 absolutely no regrets for a car like this ... The 3l diesel is the engine to go and of course gp4 as it has the nicest interior of the phaeton. Love the exclusive leather in tobacco brown, the phaeton lettering in the inside door molding and the leather covered dashboard which brings the phaeton to another level of ambience.

[@rexx9496]

Just looked up some used Phaeton's, the depreciation on these things is mind-boggling. But anyone wanting to take a chance on them could have a car that drives and feels like a Bentley for the cost of a used Honda Civic.

[@MaxMustermann-bm7qt]

Problem with inexpensive, used luxury cars is the maintenance cost.

[@rexx9496]

@@MaxMustermann-bm7qt True. Might be a good deal for a mechanically inclined person who can do their own work.

[@markcousins9337]

Good video, especially the bit at the end about Piech. I first saw one of these "Uptown" in NYC in it must have been very early 2004. In fact, there was two together. I am surprised that I noticed them at all amongst all the other Eurotrash (Mini's, et al) that they drive there, but I had a Passat B5 estate at the time, which is probably why I looked.

[@joaosabino2909]

Loved the extra bits about Piech ! how about doing an interview with Bob Lutz? Ford, Chrysler, etc? Put in as many extra bits as possible! Incuding Bob's moments with other car people!

[@stephen9869]

I loved these! The V10 TDi looked especially interesting.

[@Nitramrec]

Yes. But it's a bit overengineered and very expensive to maintain - and of course if it breaks.

[@breitbaubernierealtalk5506]

I work for A VW dealer in germany This car is Amazing V10 TDI !

[@nichopaulu8395]

This was a great video. Well done! Someday, I think I will buy one of these luxurious Volkswagens.

[@andrewswinton2059]

Love your videos, I watch them eating my breakfast before I go to work here in NZ. Nice to have some facts to start the day, and the next time I see a car you've featured I gurgle out facts to my girlfriend who does a great job of being really, really interested! One day they'll be a question at a pub quiz, and then she'll thank me! Thank you!

[@BigCar2]

I bore Mrs. Big Car with facts about cars I learn about, and she's completely non-plussed!

[@andrewswinton2059]

@@BigCar2 ha ha, they thank us somehow, somewhen, usually when they want to buy a car!

[@twentysevenlitres]

I had always thought the Phaeton used the Audi D3 chassis as it's basis. Particularly as it basically used the same range of engines (except the V10 diesel). I suppose Ferdinand got his value out of the Bentley chassis then!

[@JohnnoDordrecht]

Love this car , drove in one and it was a blast !

[@kingspencer2234]

The Phaeton is one of my favorite cars, and I love the story behind it. It’s also gorgeous!

[@CoinsEuropa]

Nice production mate.... nice video!

[@SgtRosier]

I've got one and I love it!!

[@Baustakar]

I'm thinking about buying one...Which year and engine do you got?

[@VadimC1199]

My dad has one too a 2011 3.0 Tdi

[@SgtRosier]

@@Baustakar i've got a 2009 3.0 V6 tdi, Long wheel base

[@Baustakar]

@@SgtRosier Ahhh the year I'm looking for since the engine got a litte rework. Any problems so far?

[@howey935]

Ive just picked 1 up on friday. I got a 2008 58 plate with 74k miles for £3995. I havent really drove it much yet only 9 miles bringing it home but i intend taking it out at the weekend for a long drive and i cant wait its as nice as been sat in a rolls royce. Mine is a 3.0 V6 tdi 4motion 240 auto

[@andrewdubose9968]

You’ve got it backwards…the Bentley was built on the Phaeton platform. Piëch wouldn’t go to the parts bin for his swan song.

[@andrewdubose9968]

@Kjell Eriksson technically, the direct parent company is Lamborghini. Improves their numbers for emissions regulations.

[@originalGFLEX]

OOOO listen to her at the end talk about touchy lol. That was another fine video, informative, detailed, clear, comprehensive and accurate kind Sir. Ps just to let you know if your feeling unappreciated, you are without doubt one of the finest reviewers on this platform and do us proud with your presentation and well researched knowledge.

[@BigCar2]

Much appreciated!

[@MarkVinewood]

Great video! I think Phaeton is still a really cool and important car, no matter what the sales numbers said. Once got a backseat ride in a LWB W12 during a Volkswagen dealer event back in... 2005 or 2006. Too bad I was too young to have a more detailed memory of this.

[@nathanjoseph4284]

Hey Big Car, I have a suggestion for you: Do you think you can perhaps make a video on Merkur? I find it interesting because Merkur was one of the shortest-lived car brands in modern history (they only lasted 4 years!). Thank you for another awesome Big Car video, as always! Cheers! :)

[@BigCar2]

It's always possible! I'll add it to the ever growing list.

[@tony64t]

The Merkur wasn't really a brand with an exclusive product. It was more of a badge engineering exercise by Ford, as the models offered in the USA were rebadged Ford Sierras, Scorpios, and Granadas.

[@eggbirdtherooster]

Big Car And what about the vauxhall/Opel Omega.. also an interesting and tragic story 😉

[@lukerinderknecht2982]

We had a Scorpio when I was a teen. It was a great car, way ahead of its time in terms of some of the features, but very prone to issues. After the second flywheel blew we had to sell it off.

[@limeybean3967]

MERKUR! MERKUR!! MERKUR!!!

[@C.I...]

10:15 The Volkswagen Phaeton: The favourite car of blurry couples the world over.

[@TheHorsebox2]

Wondered what the hell you were on about, then I got it. 🤣

[@jeffr0]

Perhaps they are more ghosts of people who dies at the opera.

[@killerdinamo08]

The car is more important, screw the people 😂.

[@msix1836]

Your channel is very informative, thank u. Interesting to know all this details of a VW Phaeton. Such a shame a luxurious refined car with only a 70% price tag of similar competitors didn’t get the proper recognition which it deserves. Low market demand leads to slow, unenthusiastic development.

[@deborahgregg8328]

I have two, a 04 and 06. Love this car and I have tried them all at one time or another. Life is good..

[@nathancook1404]

When I'd first saw the VW Phaeton in a Car Magazine it almost looked like a VW Passat in a expensive luxury car version.

[@matty6848]

Yeh. Just a Passat on steroids.

[@gazzaman28]

Another really interesting video, thanks. I was lucky enough to visit the Dresden factory back in 2007, which was fascinating.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@grahamt33]

What a fantastic video ! Thank you BC !!!!

[@KredyTomala666]

All these exterior chromes caused huge rusting problems due to clips damaging paint during factory assembly. You can see small rust bubbles forming right under horizontal window chrome trims.This was a huge issue that vw tried to ignore but was forced to release a quiet recall because it involved repainting of damaged panels. That was very expensive and with mixed outcomes due to customers not happy with painted elements quality. This is one of things to look into when buying one...And rear tailgate lock failure is another nightmare. Despite all that still one of my favorites!

[@alfonso87ful]

I still have a w12 from 2003 bought in 2006. Hard to fix in spain... Took it to change front window shield in 2009 and they brought a passats front windshield .. jajaja

[@geluxo3041]

Cuanto es el gasto de mantenimiento normal?

[@polarlicht4758]

Ive been to tha factory in Dresden where they build the electric Golf and now the ID3 nowadays

[@exoroxx]

They *will* build the ID.3 there (when they fix its problems), but the e-Golf is still in production - at least untill autumn 2020. I live in Dresden, I have to know it. ;)

[@abcschneekatze]

I also live in Dresden. You have to know: because the factory is near the downtown area of Dresden, the car-parts for manufacturing were delivered by a special "CarGo Tram" which uses the tram network of Dresden.

[@BigCar2]

Yeah, that was the one sneaky thing I put in the video as I want it to last into the future. Yes, the ID.3 hasn’t yet started production yet. If they never start it I’ll look like an idiot!

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

Cool

[@gerarduspoppel2831]

Ferdinand also build the famous 5 cilinder diesel of the w123

[@lunabouch]

Another interesting and insightful look at the most interesting cars. Thanks

[@v56k35]

I had a 2005 3.2 V6 up until about one year ago - Great cars and totally reliable mechanically. I gave mine up after deciding not to wait until the air suspension failed (the rubber perishes eventually) - you have to replace all 4x struts at a cost of approx $5,000! Superb car though, one small correction - they were not all 4 wheel drive - mine was FWD, I believe just a few early 3.2's were. Nice article.

[@BigCar2]

Thanks for the correction!