You may recall the fastback model made its regional appearance at the 2018 Singapore Motor Show in January. It has since gone on sale in the republic, with the Arteon R-Line 2.0 TSI priced at S$221,400 (inclusive of COE, RM670,000).
First seen during the Geneva Motor Show in 2015 in the form of a sport coupe concept GTE, the Arteon is positioned above the Passat and is produced at the German plant in Emden - using the company's modular transverse matrix (MQB) vehicle platform.
Key design elements of the Arteon include its new front end, in which the LED headlights and daytime running lights merge with the chrome-plated crossbars of the radiator grille and the bonnet. The car’s striking shoulder section is another defining feature of its design.
Engine choices are a 2.0L TSI petrol engine with two outputs (280bhp/190bhp); a 2.0L TDI diesel engine with three outputs (240bhp/190bhp/150bhp). For an even more economical ride, the Arteon is also offered with a 1.5L TSI petrol engine that produces 150bhp. Both diesel and petrol engines are mated to a 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission, with a 6-speed manual gearbox reserved for the base variants.
A shooting brake (wagon) version of the Arteon fastback is in the works.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia said in a brief statement today that it will be "showcasing the Arteon", without saying if or when the car may appear in showrooms. Local availability, of course, is subject to whether it can lock down a competitive pricing.
The Arteon is the successor to the Phaeton, which turned out to be a market flop. VW stopped making the Phaeton in 2016 after a 14-year run, and replaced it with the Arteon, a car that costs more than the mid-sized Passat sedan and wagon but isn’t positioned too far above the brand’s usual mass-market segment.
The Arteon was part of a general product overhaul to revive profit as Volkswagen continued to pay the price over the fallout from the diesel-emissions cheating scandal that began in 2015.
