The wait and the teasing are over
After all the videos, pictures and media material Volkswagen used to tease the Passat CC's replacement, we can finally bring you the real deal: enter the 2018 Volkswagen Arteon.
According to VW, the Arteon sits above the Passat in Wolfsburg's lineup and is described as a "premium class avant-garde gran turismo."
Sitting on Volkswagen's Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB), the Arteon is 4,862 mm long, 1,871 mm wide and 1,427 mm tall. Wheelbase stretches to 2,841 mm, which allows VW to trumpet best in class legroom.
Outside, the Arteon flashes LED headlights and 20-inch alloy wheels (optional), while the body shape hints at a squarish Audi A5/A7. But that's as much as we'll go into discussing design cues, as the photo gallery will do just that.
Inside, the Arteon offers seating options for five passengers, while the rear hatch hides a luggage compartment capable of receiving 563 liters worth of cargo space (or 1,557 liters, with the rear seats folded down).
Furthermore, the cabin becomes what Wolfsburg calls a "digital cockpit environment." The shift in philosophy is possible via the fully-digital Active Info Display, a heads up display and new infotainment systems ranging from 6.5 to 9.2 inch, similar to the facelifted Golf.
The top-tier Discover Pro, for example, offers a table-like interface, is equipped with a gesture control feature and removes all the physical buttons and knobs usually found on the center console.
Engine-wise, the VW Arteon relies on six turbocharged units (both TDI and TSI) for a power output range found between the 150 PS and 280 PS marks.
In the petrol department, there's the 1.5 TSI Evo (110 kW/150 PS), 2.0 TSI (140 kW/190 PS) and 2.0 TSI (206 kW/280 PS).
Diesels include the 2.0 TDI (110 kW/150 PS), 2.0 TDI (140 kW/190 PS) and 2.0 TDI (176 kW/240 PS) powerplants.
According to VW, any of these engines can be mated with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission, except the TSI Evo unit, which in Germany gets a manual gearbox. The range-topping mills in the TDI and TSI camps get the 4Motion all-wheel drive setup as standard.
The safety pack includes adaptive cruise control, emergency assist, lane assist and proactive cornering lights just to name a few.
You can also watch our first contact video with the Arteon, from the Geneva Motor Show.