Volkswagen Arteon R with 404bhp on the way

VW Arteon R with 404bhp on the way

Volkswagen are planning a turbocharged 3.0 litre VR6 engine with 404bhp to deliver an Arteon R as a flagship for Volkswagen’s range-topping Arteon.

The new Volkswagen Arteon arrived at Geneva this year, and went on sale in the UK in September, as VW delivered a successor to the CC – and in-house competition for Audi.

At launch you’re limited to a 2.0 litre TDI with 150PS and a more interesting 2.0 litre TS with 280PS, there are more engine choices to come including a 150PS petrol with cylinder deactivation and a 2.0 litre TSI with 190PS.

But it looks like VW are planning to give the Arteon a halo performance model with an Arteon R in the planning.

Talking to Car Throttle, VW’s Martin Hube revealed that VW are working on a 3.0 litre VR6 with 404bhp, with a development Arteon fitted with the new engine already being tested.

The new Arteon will come with VW’s latest Haldex 4MOTION four-wheel drive, and almost certainly only a DSG gearbox, with a setup which will allow enthusiastic drivers to provoke a bit of tail out fun.

Hube seemed rather enthusiastic about the Arteon R, declaring it will be a “real agile, powerful car” and that it will “Beat the Porsche Panamera out of the way”. Which isn’t likely to go down too well in Stuttgart.

We can’t say we’re totally convinced by the ‘Panamera Bashing’ claim, but the Arteon R does look to promise some impressive performance.

Still, an Arteon R should take the fight to cars like the new Kia Stinger GT, even if it is unlikely to come to the UK.