VW To Debut New Luxury Arteon Model at Geneva Auto Show

With a month or so to go until Geneva, Volkswagen is already making noise on the new-model scene. The automaker will debut the Arteon a model that is the successor to the CC.

There will soon be a new luxury model in the Volkswagen lineup. Its name will be Arteon, and it will debut at Geneva in March. Hoping to bump up its luxury line, Volkswagen has placed its unique new flagship above the midsize Passat sedan.

When it debuts in Europe next summer, the Arteon will be the replacement for the Passat-based CC. Though it replaces the CC, it is neither a successor to that model nor is it the new Phaeton. It is in between them.

A New Luxury Model

“As a completely freestanding car on the modular transverse matrix, it is neither a successor to the CC nor a Phaeton,” Elmar-Marius Lichar, head of VW’s mid- and full-sized product line, told Automotive News. “It stands right between these two model lines.”

The reason for the unique positioning is the car’s new format. Arteon is significantly larger than a Passat. The difference in space is due to its dimensions. Sitting on a wheelbase of about 112 inches, designers have substantial room to use, enabling them to maximize interior space. Though it is shaped much like a coupe, the four-door luxury model still has plenty of legroom, headroom, hip and shoulder room.

It is substantially bigger than a Passat, and it is also larger than two rival, the BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe and the Audi A5 Sportback.

The Arteon design team has given the luxury model a very distinct body. The Arteon features a wide stance and an aggressive front-end. It also features a hinged hatchback lid, giving it impressive cargo space.

Like all current and future VW offerings, the Arteon, at debut, will offer a significant amount of technology. For example, the Arteon will carry infotainment and safety/assistance equipment making it easily comparable to the Passat. It does use the same engines. The engines range from 150- to 280-horsepower.

10 Percent Price Hike

Though pricing there’s no pricing just yet, the Arteon will be more expensive than Passat. Lichar put its price differential at 10 percent.

At this point, it is still far too uncertain to make a prediction about the success of the Arteon and what it might be. If it turns out to be quite successful, Lichar noted that he expected one in six cars built in future at the VW Emden plant would be an Arteon.

Source: Automotive News.