You’ll be forgiven for having forgotten about the Volkswagen Arteon. The sleek-looking sports sedan ended up being less dynamic and more expensive than we were expecting, and we were left unimpressed with said dynamics and pricing (given its humble VW roots). However, just over a year after it went on sale in the U.S., the Arteon is getting a makeover we’ll see fully unveiled on June 24.
Volkswagen teased us with artwork that previews some of the design changes to the Arteon yesterday, and we like what we’re seeing. The handsome sportback looks like it’s getting a brand-new front end with a LED light bar that stretches the full width of the front bumper. We assume there will also be changes to the rest of the exterior, as well, albeit limited to the usual mid-cycle update’s scope. Expect some finangling with the taillights, trim, and maybe the bumpers.
Inside, Volkswagen says the Arteon will get the latest version of Volkswagen’s infotainment system and a “completely new cockpit to match its exclusive nature.” What they mean to say is the Arteon is going to get a major refresh to make it fancier. Hopefully this means we won’t find any Jetta switchgear in it this time around, meaning the four-door might more convincingly live up to its price.
Eagle-eyed readers may have spotted the shooting brake in the teaser. Shooting brakes are essentially avant-garde station wagons, and they are all the rage in Europe. What about in the United States? Not so much, so we won’t be getting that seemingly hot version of the Arteon. However, there is still some hope for us. Multiple reports have surfaced that Volkswagen is working on a sportier R version of the Arteon we may get.
It’s entirely possible that we won’t see the Arteon R stateside, either, and Volkswagen has a tradition of keeping some of its most interesting performance machines off our roads. The Golf GTI Clubsport, the Golf GTI TCR, and even the new Touareg R are a few examples that spring to mind. Either way, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll get more than just a refresh to the Arteon in the weeks and months ahead. But no eye contact with that shooting brake—it’ll only make the hurt over VW not sending it here that much harder to bear.
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