Design detail: Volkswagen Phaeton Tailgate Hinges

Part of former Volkswagen sovereign Ferdinand Piëch’s legacy will be the products made during his final years at the helm. The objectives for VW’s flagship saloon, for example, were as varied as they were bizarre. Wanting to reinforce its engineering supremacy, VW introduced the Phaeton, a limousine with over 100 patents to its credit which went on to underpin the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur. Most of these innovations (like revolving air vents and an inbuilt dehumidifier) and the flawless build quality were just VW’s best engineers showing off. The Phaeton’s boot hinges, as a shining example, were so beautifully designed that they could likely earn a spot in the Kensington design museum.

In a moment of utter excess, the three-rod polished hinges are quintessential Piëch, a metaphor for what is likely the most over-engineered yet undervalued car of the 21^st century so far. Thanks to the limitations of the Volkswagen name, the Phaeton never gained commercial success, but instead built the foundation for VW’s slow progress towards subtler ‘premium’ variants. Built in VW’s equally stunning ‘transparent factory,’ it’s a shame the likes of the Phaeton will likely never be repeated after Dieselgate – well, not until they pay off their billions in fines, lawsuits and buy-backs, anyway.