2018 Volkswagen Arteon Review

Premium four-door coupe is positioned above the Passat mid-size sedan Five-seat Arteon combines the design elements of a sports car with the elegance and space of a fastback Standard LED headlamps merge with the radiator grille and bonnet to form a completely new front end Very long wheelbase in relationship to the overall length offers excellent space Six turbocharged engines offer power outputs from 148 to 276 horsepower Top engines come with a DSG® dual-clutch automatic gearbox and 4Motion® all-wheel drive as standard Infotainment options include available Volkswagen Digital Cockpit and 9.2-inch Discover Pro system

Volkswagen is adding the avant-garde Arteon Gran Turismo to its lineup and will reveal the vehicle to a global audience for the first time at the Geneva International Motor Show (9 to 19 March). Volkswagen Head Designer Klaus Bischoff says: "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."

Tobias Sühlmann, responsible for the Arteon's exterior design, further explains: “The athletic lines of the Arteon embody a highly functional overall concept. Form and function find common ground here in a progressive way. Thanks to its long wheelbase, stretched roofline, coupe-style fastback design and large rear hatch, this Gran Turismo provides more space and flexibility than conventional sedans."

The new Arteon was designed on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB). The architecture allows for a long, 111.9- inch wheelbase and for short overhangs on the 191.4-inch long body. With a width of 73.7 inches and a height of 56.2 inches, the Arteon delivers truly dynamic proportions and a visual starting point for the Volkswagen designers.

One of the most important design elements of the Arteon is the completely new front section. Stand-out features include a hood that extends a long way forward and over both fenders and a radiator grille that encompasses the vehicle's full width. The standard LED headlights and Daytime Running Lights combine with the chrome-plated crossbars of the radiator grille and hood. The powerful shoulder section at the rear, the muscular fenders, the waistline, and the flared wheelarches are also reminiscent of a sports car.

Just 24 months ago, Volkswagen unveiled the Sport Coupé Concept GTE, which was one of the stars of the Geneva Auto Show in 2015. Klaus Bischoff said then that: "The Sport Coupé Concept GTE is another milestone of expressive design. Unmistakably reinvented, from the first to the last stroke. A stylistic compass. In this concept car, Volkswagen is not only presenting the new design of a new model, but also initial glimpses of a new era in design."

Now that Volkswagen is showing the production version, Klaus Bischoff adds: "The fact that the Arteon has gone into production with only minimal design changes from the show car demonstrates Volkswagen's appetite for innovation. Exactly like the concept car, the Arteon generates that 'I want it' feeling. As forecast in 2015, this car does indeed mark the start of a new design era."

The Arteon takes its place in the Volkswagen model range above the Passat. The new Volkswagen is being produced at the Emden plant and will go on sale in mid June in Germany.

The Arteon reinterprets the Gran Turismo concept with its combination of avant-garde design, sportiness, great flexibility and generous space. There is excellent legroom in the back and generous luggage space of 19.9 to 55.0 cubic feet. On the technical front, the new Volkswagen impresses with six highly efficient engines with power outputs that range from 148 to 276 horsepower, front-wheel and 4Motion® all-wheel drive, plus digitalized displays and controls. Further features include the Active Info Display (Volkswagen Digital Cockpit in the U.S.), a headup display and the new Discover Pro infotainment system with a 9.2-inch glass screen and gesture control.