10 Resons to Visit the Gläserne Manufaktur

Though I had heard of the Volkswagen Phaeton before moving to Germany, I had never seen one in person. VW's top of the line car starts at $65,000 but averages well over $100,000. Though the car comes with either a V6 or powerful V8 engine, the majority of Phaeton owners are not driving the car themselves, but instead telling Jeeves where to go from the back seat.

The Gläserne Manufaktur (photo credit: http://www.glaesernemanufaktur.de)

Phaetons are made exclusively in Dresden, Germany in the beautiful Gläserne Manufaktur (transparent factory). Here are 10 reasons the factory tour was the highlight of our trip to Dresden:

1. The building itself: Almost all of the walls in this pristine factory in the middle of Dresden are made of glass (hence the name "transparent factory"). The 16-story cylindrical vehicle tower proudly showcases up to 280 cars at once. Since everything is transparent, you can see the manufacturing process from different angles at all times. There is no bad view! Surrounded by parks, the landscaping is also a marvel - there was even a large pond with blooming waterlilies and goldfish in front of the main entrance.
2. Environmental concern: Apparently some found the Gläserne Manufaktur to be a little too transparent. All year long, you can hear birds chirping through speakers in the trees to keep real birds from nesting in the surrounding trees (they planted over 350). Apparently the local birds were in danger of running into the windows and meeting their maker.
3. White glove dining service: We opted for the brunch/tour package, which, for €35 a person, includes an extensive and delicious buffet, drinks, alcohol, and the tour. The restaurant was elegant, and eating among the Phaetons made us feel very fancy.
4. White glove manufacturing service: That's right, employees of this assembly line wear white gloves and white lab coats. Buttons are strictly prohibited to avoid paint scratches and dings.
5. The tour: Capped at 15 people and offered in English (or eight other languages!), you will definitely feel special on the 75 minute tour. At only €5 a person, they do book up quickly, so plan ahead! Thankfully the factory is open seven days a week.
6. The assembly line: A far cry from the black rubber conveyor belt I was picturing, the Phaetons glide across the factory on a beautiful hardwood floor conveyor belt . The cars can rotate around in a circle to give the workers the best angle, and robotic arms pick them up delicately to move them to the next station.
7. Lack of robots: Our tour guide was proud that almost all of the Phaeton is assembled by hand. Only four robots are used in the process (fitting the windows, installing the spare wheel well, aiding the "marriage" of the chassis with the body, and engraving the back of the car with whatever the customer desires).
8. VW "CarGo Tram": The main logistics center is located on the other side of Dresden, so instead of moving everything by truck, VW bought their own special, bright blue tram to transport the materials. The tram can be seen around Dresden - it cuts through the center of the city!
9. Customization: Though over half of the cars produced are in straight black, VW allows for extreme customization of the Phaeton. Customers can bring in materials to include on the interior, and paint colors can be mixed to match anything. Rumor has it they even created a yellow Phaeton to match a customer's dress!
10. Acting like a boss: Sitting in the back right of the Phaeton was pretty cool, but particularly after we learned about the "Boss Button" on the right of the back center console. Since the owners of these cars are generally chauffeured around town while seated in this coveted spot, there is actually a button to force the front passenger seat forward in case the leg room is not sufficient. Like a boss.