The Arteon takes a dramatic step beyond both the CC and the Passat, not only in styling but in size. The wheelbase is stretched to 111.7 inches, more than an inch longer than the Passat’s and five inches longer than the CC’s.
There will be two trim levels, Elegance, or R-Line, which ups the assertiveness with sporting details around the wide front grille and drops some of the Elegance’s exterior chrome. It’s been developed from the outset to ride on 20-inch alloy wheels, which given they’re needed to fill the sizeable wheelarches is a good thing. The engine line-up at launch is very much focussed at the more potent end of the scale, with a pair of 2.0-litre units delivering either 240bhp or 280bhp depending on their taste for fuel – diesel for less, petrol for more.
the Arteon debuting the firm’s most advanced driver assistance and safety technology, from a speed assistant, lane assist, predictive headlamps, an emergency assist that’ll pull the car over if you’re incapacitated, to a bend assistant that uses GPS data to judge cornering speeds when you’re using the driver aids.
Volkswagen has fused stretched dimensions and fastback design into the spacious five-passenger Arteon sedan. When it goes on sale in summer 2018, power will be supplied by a 268-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four mated to an eight-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels are standard with all-wheel drive and 19-inch wheels available. VW will also offer its new Digital Cockpit, which replaces the main instrument panel with a configurable display, on SEL and Executive trims.
