Volkswagen have taken the covers off a brand new car at the Geneva Motor Show, not just any old car either, this one is the new flag-bearer for VW. The Arteon is a five-door gran turismo and is placed above the Passat in the VW hierarchy. Based on the MQB platform, the Arteon has generous dimensions, it is 1,871 mm wide and 1,427 mm tall, and has a 2,841 mm wheelbase. So what genre of car is the Arteon? Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen Head of Design explains, “The Arteon combines the design elements of a classic sports car with the elegance and space of a fastback. An avant-garde business-class gran turismo, it speaks to the heart and the head alike.”
The Arteon has been introduced with six engine options. All engines have four-cylinders, and are turbocharged with direct injection. The TSI petrol range comes with three options – a 1.5-litre producing 150 PS, and a 2.0-litre producing either 190 or 280 PS based on the variant. There are also three diesel options, all powered by a 2.0-litre TDI diesel, power output figures come in three tiers: 150 PS, 190 PS and 240 PS. In terms of the gearbox, there is a six-speed manual, that comes as standard on both 150 PS trims (petrol or diesel), all others get a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG auto, which can also be acquired as an optional extra on the 150 TDI. The top-of-the-line 240 PS TDI and 280 PS TSI engines will also come with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, which is also an option on the 190-PS TDI. All other variants come with front-wheel drive.
The Arteon also comes with a host of tech features like LED headlights, tail lights and DRLs, a digital cockpit featuring either a 6.5-incher or, based on the variant, a mammoth 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment and gesture control for the latter. It also sports an all-digital Active Info Display console, heads-up display, ambient lighting and more.
Safety wise you’re looking at new features like Adaptive Cruise Control, second-gen Emergency Assist where the car can, in certain situations, automatically slow down and steer into the slow lane, Lane Assist, predictive cornering lights, proactive occupant protection, and Sign Assist among others.
Speaking about the Arteon, Jürgen Stackmann, Member of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand for Sales, Marketing and After-Sales said, “The Arteon is the new top model of the Volkswagen brand. With our new product structure and the new ‘Elegance’ and ‘R-Line’ equipment lines, we will be meeting the high expectations of our customers!”
Orders on the Arteon are already being taken in Europe, with a roll-out in Germany slated for mid-June. VW have also confirmed that ‘The Arteon takes its place in the Volkswagen model range above the Passat in all of the various Passat versions sold around the globe.’ So, expect it to arrive on Indian shores some time in the future.
