Volkswagen teases Arteon CC replacement ahead of Geneva

A Passat she ain't. The Arteon will sit atop the current Volkswagen range.

The car that Volkswagen hopes will set the brand hot on the heels of its premium competition finally has a name.

Meet the Volkswagen Arteon, the brand's range-topping four-door coupe due to be properly unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next year before landing in Australia in October 2017.

Details are, ahem, sketchy at the moment, with Volkswagen releasing only a handful of specification tidbits to match the design sketch revealed overnight.

But here's what we know so far: the Arteon will sit atop the current Volkswagen range - above current flagship, the Passat CC - and is designed to bridge the gap between the VW fleet and the established premium brands.

The Arteon sketch looks almost exactly like VW's Sport Coupe GTE concept that was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show (though it's impossible to tell whether the windscreen-to-windscreen glass roof has made the cut), so we'd expect a similar-looking vehicle in the metal. We can expect a sleek and sporting design, too; the GTE concept measures approximately 4.8-metres long, 1.8-metres wide and 1.4-metres tall, making it longer, wider and lower than the current Passat.

Volkswagen Sport Coupe GTE Concept

Confirmed for launch is the 206kW and 350Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol from the incoming Passat 206TSI R-Line (and the Golf R), which will be fed through a six-speed DSG automatic and sent to all four wheels compliments of VW's 4Motion All-Wheel-Drive system.

In Passat-form, that set up will produce a zero to 100km/h sprint of 5.5 seconds, so we don't expect the Arteon to be any kind of slouch. There's no word yet on whether a version of the GTE Concept's 279kW plug-in hybrid V6 will make an appearance in the production Arteon.

There’s standard kit on-board this Volkswagen the equivalent of which would set you back a great deal more if packaged in a luxury brand car or SUV.

While trim level specifics are yet to be confirmed, Volkswagen is promising 19-inch alloys, frameless windows and Matrix LED headlights will all hit the standard inclusions list. Inside, expect a 9.2-inch multimedia screen, heated-and-cooled front seats, an interior lined with Nappa leather and a suite of driver assistance systems that will be a "big step toward autonomy".

“Arteon is going to be synonymous with technology and value, too,” says Volkswagen Australia’s Marketing and Product boss, Ben Wilks.

“It takes the brand to a new level. Arteon in every sense surpasses any prestige car around or immediately above its price point. There’s standard kit on-board this Volkswagen the equivalent of which would set you back a great deal more if packaged in a luxury brand car or SUV.

"With our first in Australia head-up display coupled with Active Info dash, you’re looking at the most advanced driver interface to date. With its drivers assist systems Arteon takes a big step toward autonomy."