2021 VW Arteon facelift revealed, will we finally get it?

Volkswagen has just unveiled the 2021 Arteon facelift. It has undergone an extensive product line update to the brand halo, including sharpened design elements, interior refinements, and intelligent comfort systems. In Europe, Volkswagen is enhancing the product line with a second version - the new Arteon Shooting Brake (start lobbying guys!). There is also a proper, cooking Arteon R this time round. 

The refreshed Arteon features a refined front end with sharpened design elements. The long, wide hood stretches across the entire front profile to the wheelarches to form the shoulder section. At the front it reaches far down into the grille, emphasizing the ample width of the Arteon with its crossbars. It’s also more aerodynamic - with a drag coefficient of a mere 0.265.

For the first time, the Arteon can also be configured with an illuminated grille. On midrange models, new LED daytime running lights (DRLs) connect to form a central light bar in the grille, surrounding the new Volkswagen logo and using light as the new chrome. Consequently, the Arteon has been given a new and unmistakable daytime and night-time lighting signature.

The lower section of the front profile, the front apron, has also been modified. These have now been transformed into three significantly more striking chrome bars. As drawn, the character line runs around the entire car. It visually presses the body’s volume downward to the ground, giving it a dynamic appearance. The character line starts in the radiator grille at the front and runs smoothly across the silhouette up to the tail light clusters.

At the rear it transforms into a sharp undercut that visually reduces the Arteon’s height and carries the strong shoulder section towards the rear. At the rear, the VW badge and Arteon lettering have been redesigned.

On the inside, Arteon has been equipped with a redesigned cockpit that has been refined to match the model’s exclusive nature. Volkswagen’s interior designers have redesigned the entire dash panel, consisting of surfaces, air outlets, and trims - the center console, including infotainment section and air-conditioning control, and the top sections of the door trims. The fabrics and leather in the vehicle interior have also been upgraded.

The Arteon is equipped with the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, which allows the driver to configure the instrument display. The graphics of the 10.25-inch display are clear and of a high quality. A new generation of multifunction steering wheels featuring digital touch surfaces are used in the Arteon. The driver can quickly and easily switch between three basic layouts using a View button on the multifunction steering wheel.

Volkswagen is also offering a new high-end sound system made by audio specialists Harman/Kardon for the very first time. The system uses a 700-watt, 16-channel Ethernet amplifier to power a total of 12 high-performance loudspeakers. 

The Arteon (268 PS, 350Nm) and Arteon R (320 PS, 420 Nm) are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI engine. The power is taken to the front wheels (4Motion is avaiable as an option, standard on R models) via a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, with the Arteon R getting a 7-speed DSG.