Volkswagen Phaeton Volkswagen Phaeton The Volkswagen Phaeton () ("Typ" 3D) is a Full-size (F-segment in Europe) luxury sedan/saloon manufactured by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen, described by Volkswagen as their "premium class" vehicle. Introduced at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, the Phaeton was marketed worldwide. Sales in North America ended in 2006. Sales globally ended in 2016. The name Phaeton derives from Phaëton, the son of Phoebus (or Helios) in Greek mythology, by way of the phaeton auto body style and the type of horse-drawn carriage that preceded it. Production ended in March 2016 and an all-electric second generation was slated to
Phaeton body doors or the body, and no permanent roof, whether rigid or folding. There were also double phaetons, with two rows of seats, triple phaetons, or even closed phaetons. After 1912, American use of the term began to be most closely associated with the "triple phaeton" body configurations that had room for three rows of seats, whether all three were installed or not. This also led to the term "phaeton" becoming similar to, and eventually interchangeable with, the term "touring car". A specific use of the term "phaeton" is with the "dual cowl phaeton", a body style in which the rear