SPYSHOTS: Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake seen

Here’s something a little different from Volkswagen – a ‘shooting brake’ version of the sleek-roofed Arteon has been spotted undergoing cold-weather tests in Sweden.

Starting from the back end, the Arteon shooting brake is differentiated from the Passat Variant estate in featuring a more sloping roofline along with a less upright tailgate; the D-pillar is similarly more sloping, despite the camouflage lines meant to throw off onlookers. Black plastic-clad wheel arches give the shooting brake an Alltrack aesthetic.

Here, the tail lamp assemblies also resemble those on the Arteon more than the Passat Variant’s, and likewise the number plate mount is located on the rear bumper rather than on the tailgate. Viewed in profile, the front half of the Arteon shooting brake development car is similar to the coupe-roofed Arteon, and will turn out to be a sleeker shape than the more conventionally upright Passat Variant estate.

Numbers have yet to be confirmed, though the Arteon shooting brake is likely to stay close to the fastback Arteon’s dimensions of being 4,862 mm long, 1,871 mm wide and 1,427 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,841 mm. Given the car’s MQB platform underpinnings, the Arteon shooting brake should also feature similar powertrain options as its fastback twin.

At present, the Arteon features a 2.0 litre TSI turbocharged, direct-injection inline-four engine which produces 280 PS and 350 Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic and 4Motion all-wheel-drive in its most potent offering; the range of more mainstream petrol and diesel versions can be expected to join the range.

A high performance R version of the Arteon is in the works, and given the technical similarities between the fastback and the shooting brake, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think an Arteon R shooting brake is possible, too. Will that materialise, though? Time will tell. The Arteon shooting brake here is in a minimal state of disguise, therefore a debut late this year could be likely.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.