BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe is unfortunately on its last legs, as the Bavarians prep the 6 Series to become a Gran Turismo model in the future. That leaves only the Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class in the coupe-like luxury sedan segment. However, there seems to be another car to seduce us with its sexy looks — the Volkswagen Arteon.
“The Arteon combines the design elements of a classic sports car with the elegance and space of a fastback. It’s an avant-garde business-class Gran Turismo that speaks to the heart and head alike.” said Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen’s Head Designer.
Based on Volkwagen’s MQB platform, which also underpins cars like the Audi S3 and Volkswagen Golf, the VW Arteon will have a transverse engine layout and front-wheel drive as standard. Although, the brand’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system will be optional on all models, as will be a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox.
There will be a suite of six turbocharged engines, ranging from 1.5 liters to 2.0 liters, both petrol and diesel, with three of each. The least powerful engine in the bunch is the 1.5 liter turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 148 hp and will be paired with a six-speed manual as standard or the optional DSG (though DSG is not available in Germany). The most powerful engine will be a 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol four-cylinder which makes 276 hp and only comes with the DSG gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel drive.
On the outside, the Volkswagen Arteon is a good looking car, if a bit too busy looking. It has the right proportions, though, and the way the nose dives down toward the front gives it a very sporty look. I also like how VW incorporated the headlights into the grille. It looks seamless and seems to work very well for VW. Those headlights, by the way, are fully LED as-standard, as are the taillights.
Inside, the Arteon’s cabin looks good but isn’t anything crazy. It looks like a typical VW interior, which is to say nice and luxurious but a bit drab and staid. I do like how it seems to get a variant of Audi’s Virtual Cockpit gauge cluster.
This is a cool and interesting looking car to come from Volkswagen that should sell well, so long as VW prices it right. I’m not so sure if customers will go after this car if it’s priced within striking distance of its more expensive German rivals, though. If someone can spend a few doubloons more and get something with a premium badge, like BMW or Mercedes, they’re probably going to do that. If VW significantly undercuts those other brands’ competitors, then it could sell extremely well, as it would offer style on par with its more premium German rivals, with some cool tech to match for a low price.
