Volkswagen’s Arteon is shaping up to be a worthy successor to the outgoing CC — even if the brand doesn’t like framing it that way. With improved dynamics, technology, and on-road presence on offer, there is a lot to like about the brand’s “five-seat GT car.” However, while the America-bound 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder should offer serviceable acceleration, we wouldn’t have hated seeing VW offer something with a little more oomph.
Turns out we may be in luck. Volkswagen has a 3.0-liter turbocharged VR6 in development for use on the Chinese-market variant of the Atlas, and someone in the company had the good sense to cram it inside a prototype Arteon.
Speaking to Car Throttle during the launch of the Europe’s next Polo GTI, VW product line spokesperson Martin Hube confirmed the motor’s existence in the testbed hatchback. “I’m totally convinced that this combination is extremely nice,” he said. “We’ve combined it with the last version of the Haldex [four-wheel drive system], where you can provoke a bit of oversteer. This is a real agile, powerful car.”
According to Hube, the turbocharged 3.0-liter produces 404 bhp and should be sufficient to “beat all the Porsche Panameras out of your way” on the Autobahn.
Car Throttle noted, to its dismay, that the VR6 probably won’t make it to the United Kingdom. However, when questioned, Volkswagen would neither confirm or deny the model’s future in North America — only saying that the Arteon would launch with the aforementioned four-cylinder turbo in 2018.
[Image: Volkswagen]
If this is in the Stinger’s price range, I have a feeling it would do pretty well..
I looked at two non US markets and the Arteon is more expensive than the most expensive Stinger (ie. the V6 4wd model).
Also the Stinger is an RWD platform.
The Arteon as good as it is, is still a large MQB whatever FWD platform.
Same with the Panamera. The Stinger and Panamera would end up being better platforms overall.
The Arteon would end up, then, competing against a used Panamera in my buying world.
Put this in the Golf PLEASE!!!!!
They already do (HP wise), its called the R with an APR tune.
Not sound wise. I’d honestly rather have the N/A 3.6 than a more powerful 2.0T.
3.6 VR6? Nose heavy.
Instead, VW should just make the R factory tunable. Buy a license from VW and go–maybe for a weekend, a week, or even permanent. Warranty included.
This is easy, and VW could make lots of money from it.
Perfect, just in time for US buying market to completely decide they no longer want any four door sedans.
VW gets the award for day late dollar short….again.
And the rest of the World, even Europe is switching over to crossovers.
There will always be a market that values driving as opposed to trundling around in the automotive equivalent of sweatpants.
The Arteon isn’t meant to be a mass market soccermom-mobile.
I think the key thing that several manufacturers are banking on is that the cheap sedan is dead, but those sedan buyers that remain are loyal to the format, and want their vehicle to be more sporty/premium than ever.
As I see it; you’ll have a market split with cheap nasty Camrys etc for rental fleets, and high end sedans moving more towards the grand-tourer style.
“just in time for US buying market to completely decide they no longer want any four door sedans.”
Disco Stu says if this trend continues…
Give the masses another 4 or 5 years of driving around in tall boingy CUVs and they’ll tire of it. Maybe not even that long. Already Subaru is marketing the “sports utility sedan”, while others are bringing back the liftgate sedan.
Most people aren’t enthusiast, they are buying an appliance. Plus most modern SUVs are nothing but tall riding wagons, easier to dial in handling and performance on a crossover than to make a sedan more practical, at least in perception of practicality.
Most people want something taller, but not just to see, but ease of entry and exit. Getting in and out of a high riding crossover in a tight parking lot is a lot easier than in a low slung sedan, especially as you get older.
People paying $30,000 average for a new car are looking for utility, convenience, room for family etc. How it handles down a country road they don’t have to time to drive in the first place is probably last on their lists of wants.
This SUV fad isn’t going away, it’s the new normal.
“but ease of entry and exit”
True for older folks, for example my parents got an Escape after trading in a perfectly good Sonata for this very reason.
But it seems everyone is moving into S/CUVs these days. What do younger buyers see in these things? Are they buying into the “adventure” aspects despite only driving to and from work during the week and then the mall or soccer practice on weekends?
I’m the opposite of most people, I tend to buy the smallest vehicle I can get away with. Even my truck is just a midsize.
Enjoy your toaster.
I think there’s a large swath of folks who want nothing to do with crossovers. And they want sedans to be provocative and exciting like this.
Sporty, I agree they exist. I however respectfully disagree with you in the size of this group. I do not believe ‘large swath’ is the appropriate adjective. If one name this group, the ‘small, but vocal enthusiast’ group I would concur.
Anymore, I know of very few automotive enthusiasts as we would consider ourselves on this site. Those that I do know have varying interests; classics, HD’s, 4 wheeling rigs, performance sedans are generally not included. My business partner withstanding, he has a 650i with the twin turbo 8. Rocket ship when the CEL’s are not on.
A factory VRT?!? Yes please! Even the package it comes in doesn’t look too shabby…
“Arteon” – where do they get just these stupid names? Random letter generator?
Agreed. VW has always had problems with naming cars for the American market. Rabbit was good, Beetle was classic, Golf is fine. Atlas, nice job there. GTI, probably the best of all.
But Touareg? Corrado? Eos? Jetta – what is that, a female jet? Passat, Tiguan, up!, Amarok? The old Beetles and their variants were Type 3, Type 4, etc, which followed the Type 14A, Type 18A, Type 147… and then there’s the Thing. (Fun vehicle, lousy name.) The poor old Transporter never knew who it was, either the Kombi, Combi, Type 2, Transporter, Bus, Van, Microbus, or Station Wagon.
And now we get the “Arteon”. Who is naming their vehicles for them, the Korean guy who came up with the Sportage, Cee’d, Veloster and Stonic?
Nothing wrong with Jetta, Passat, Eos etc. they are no worse than Corolla, Camry, etc.
The problem with Tiguan/Touareg is nobody is 100% sure of the exact pronunciation and spelling can be tricky.
Is it pronounced “R-ton” or “R-t-on?” I agree it is stupid. They should bring back some of the names from the past like Dasher and Quantum.
I wonder if they see what Kia is doing the the Stinger GT and feel like they want to offer an alternative.
How SUV can be better or more practical than hatchback? You can choose between Buick Regal and Arteon now. Nice.
Its about the height. A higher car is easier to get in and out of. That is a big reason why people buy crossovers.
A 45 plus year old person with bones starting to creak do not want to get in and out of a low riding hatchback several times a day.
“A 45 plus year old person with bones starting to creak do not want to get in and out of a low riding hatchback several times a day.”
I dunno–the GTI isn’t very hard to get into/out of.
Modern cars overall are already higher than stuff from 20, 30 years ago. Go back and find a 92-96 Civic, and see what it’s like compared to what you’re driving today.
Good point.
The Volvo 2xx series sat high off of the ground, yet it was never a very popular item, nor did most other mfgs emulate it’s height. The current Volvo S60 was offered with taller suspension, and did not sell very well. Height is not the answer, we’re simply seeing a lemming effect.
You’re being too specific. It’s a Volvo, most people don’t buy those to begin with and they aren’t going to know the differences in height between models.
What people do is say “I need a taller vehicle, that’s an SUV. Let me look up all the SUVs available at X price”. Then they shop and eventually buy.
The idea that people are simply lemmings doing what is only fashionable is too simplistic even though its what “enthusiast” like to think.
Look, people have a priority list and on top of that list is comfort, easy of use, storage, utility. A lot of the is perceived of course to the crossover when it may not always be true.
But sedan handling and performance is on the bottom of most people must have list.
No one is buying sedans right now and I don’t think its a fad that is changing. More likely that performance will be added to crossovers, like the Porsche Macan or the Mazda crossovers then sedans gaining favor once again.
You forgot to mention Ford 500 which was intentionally made to emulate CUV and that station wagon based on 500, cannot recall the name – Cross-something.
Make it rear wheel drive with a two door convertible version. And make it affordable. It has to be, because the VW badge (and VW dealerships) are something that potential buyers will have to overcome.
Otherwise it’ll be overpriced, undersold and very expensive to repair when something goes wrong with the all-wheel-drive system. But kudos to the guy who thought of this and put one together.
It needs to come here, and the power train would also do well in the Atlas, me thinks. Competitor to the EcoBoost Explorer and V-8 Grand Cherokee/Durango.
So VW needs a second premium nameplate that starts with “A”?
Saw it in person in Europe last summer. Looks almost as good in reality as it does in the pics, truly quite stunning design and from VW of all places.