Volkswagen Arteon could get shooting brake version

The new Volkswagen Arteon, the replacement for the CC that is set to be revealed at the Geneva show next March, is likely to spawn a shooting brake estate variant as the firm steps up its bid to add cars with more expressive designs to its line-up.

VW Arteon revealed

To date, the Arteon has been seen in official sketches and while testing in disguised form, revealing more overt styling than that of the outgoing CC in a bid to lure buyers away from the more established premium brands.

Adding a shooting brake to the line-up is viewed by Volkswagen bosses as a way to add more design lustre to the brand. “The first thing we must see is the market reaction to the standard car,” said Elmar-Marius Licharz, VW’s head of full-size product lines.

“If we are to make derivatives of this car then it needs a good base, but we do think that a shooting brake is absolutely the sort of car that could work. First it needs a business case, but it looks quite good.”

The Arteon will be revealed at the Geneva motor show in March, but its shooting brake variant isn't expected until a while after this. The standard coupé will go on sale in the UK in late 2017, with a 276bhp version topping the range. 

It'll rival the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé - itself an Audi A5 Sportback rival - and will be priced from around £30,000, representing a £4500 price hike over the current CC. A hybrid version is tipped to come later in the model's life cycle.