Volkswagen Phaeton D2, the rival to the BMW Serie 7 that we never got to know

The Volkswagen Phaeton was one of those imposing saloons that would have made the very BMW Serie 7 tremble. The truth is that the German brand never launched its second generation on the market, but we are sure it would have been a success. Now, during the model’s twentieth anniversary, we have been able to see some of its photos.

Known as the Volkswagen Phaeton D2, it was destined to succeed the original Phaeton, which was produced at Volkswagen’s emblematic transparent factory in Dresden, Germany, from 2002 to 2016. However, it was cancelled in 2016, as the company shifted its focus to electric mobility.

The manageable prototype seen in these images was built as part of the final decision on whether or not to put the car into production. The redesigned Phaeton would have been built on the MLB platform of the Volkswagen Group, shared with a variety of models, including the Audi A5, the Audi A7 and even the Porsche Macan.

Volkswagen Phaeton D2, the saloon that never reached the market

The exterior is an evolution of the original Phaeton design, with a large chrome grille that is the main feature of the rounded front end. The lines become sharper towards the rear of the car, recalling the Audi A6. The chrome window frames, bumper details and side skirts are also similar to those of the original Phaeton.

The interior has a series of features that its designer, Tomasz Bachorski, asserted were “ahead of their time”. A curved screen can be seen, in itself an object that would not reach a Volkswagen production car until 2018, when it appeared in the Volkswagen Touareg, an SUV with which the Volkswagen Phaeton D2 would have shared its platform.

The interior is finished in cream-coloured leather, with glossy wood trim visible everywhere to break up the colour. The rear, designed to continue the theme of a “mobile lounge” seen in the first Phaeton, features television screens for passengers and chrome door handles. Volkswagen’s head of design, Jozef Kabaň, also wanted to add that “the car still has a very attractive appearance and beautiful proportions, and impresses with its high quality and tangible value”.