VW’s Arteon five-seat fastback, which is how the company refers to it, has gained a new range-topper engine and transmission set-up that is pure Golf R in detuned form. A 2.0-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged TSi petrol unit, it develops 269bhp from 5,100 to 6,500 rpm, accompanied by 258lbs ft of torque heft.
While the lineage of this engine is lengthy, it is renowned for its reliability and also, regardless of installation, a wonderfully broad performance envelope. In fact, the new top-of-the-shop Arteon can accelerate from 0-60mph in a mere 5.3s, put into perspective which is 0.8s quicker than a Golf GTi Performance model. Its maximum speed is given as 155 mph.
Two trim levels carry the punchiest motor in the range, Elegance and R-Line, which continues the Golf R pattern by driving all four wheels, through a DSG, twin-clutch, automated-manual transmission, complete with paddle-shift. Having burnt its corporate fingers with the ‘dieselgate’ problem, VW dares not make wild boasts about its cars’ levels of frugality and exhaust ‘cleanliness’. As a result, its stated CO2 emissions level is 160g/km but it can return 40.4mpg on the Official Combined test cycle and, knowing VW of old, this is not merely an achievable figure but it can be exceeded readily.
Naturally, getting that power to the road reliably demands the firm’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system as standard. It provides reliable traction and optimised directional stability at all times, both of which enhance the overall safety potential. The system distributes the engine’s power to all four wheels via an all-wheel drive coupling, working together with the car’s ESC (Electronic Stability Control), ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) and EDS (Electronic Differential Lock) systems to deliver optimum road-holding and handling.
Minor suspension tweaks help to improve the Arteon’s overall balance and the responses at the helm are good. Of course, the Arteon is a name synonymous with fluid performance, first-class style and practicality, and its boot can accommodate 563-litres of luggage, or goods, which can be expanded to a most practical 1,557-litres, when the rear seats are folded forward.
Based on VW’s flexible Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform, it allows a broad range of powertrains and configurations, as well as immediate access to the very latest in driver aids and safety technology. The availability of a more powerful engine, without resorting to a gutsier V6 layout, helps to keep running costs within sensible bounds. Arteon benefits from efficient, lower-powered engines, at one end of the range, and performance-oriented petrol and diesel units at the top-end.
Prior to discounting, the Arteon line-up starts at £32,745 in Elegance specification and £33,530 in R-Line form, although the new top versions are £39,065 and £39,850 respectively, and we are taking orders right now for early-2019 delivery.
