The facelifted VW Arteon liftback has been snapped out and about by our photographers with virtually no camouflage, providing us with an unimpeded look at the refreshed design.
If you’re familiar with the outgoing Arteon, you’ll notice that the updated model looks virtually identical – only those with the keenest of eyes will notice the differences. The most notable change comes in the shape of the restyled headlights which appear slightly smaller than those of the current model.
The grille has also been simplified with less chrome, while tweaked air intakes are also visible. In addition, tweaks have been made to the taillights, though the lights of this prototype appear to feature tape over some of the edges to hide the new design.
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Sticking with the rear, this most recent prototype debuts new ‘Arteon’ lettering on the tailgate that uses a new font and has the individual letters placed closer together.
The biggest news related to the updated VW Arteon is the fact that it will be available in performance-focused ‘R’ guise, but opinions are split regarding the Arteon R’s powertrain. Some sources claim power will come from a 333 PS (328 HP / 245 kW) 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the new Golf R, sending power to all four wheels via a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Others believe VW’s new 3.0-liter VR6 twin-turbocharged engine will power the Arteon R, offering up as much as 400 PS (395 HP) in combination with a DSG transmission and 4Motion AWD system. Rumors suggest that’ll be enough to send the range-topper to 62 mph (100 km/h) in roughly 4 seconds.
It is not just the Arteon liftback that is getting a refresh as a Shooting Brake model will join the family. Photos of this car recently surfaced out of China where it is dubbed the Volkswagen CC Travel Edition. Our sources suggest the updated VW Arteon will launch before the end of the year as a 2021 model.
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