Volkswagen’s range-topping passenger car has always been a stylish prospect, even if local sales didn’t reflect that. A facelifted VW Arteon was unveiled earlier today alongside a new body style, called the Arteon Shooting Brake.

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New appearance

Revisions on the facelifted VW Arteon include a new continuous light strip, chrome bars and new air intakes in the bottom of the bumper. The radiator grille and the bonnet are a combined unit. The same treatment can be seen on the fastback and shooting brake versions. There is also a new LED light signature at the front and rear.

Learn more about the limited-edition VW Golf GTI TCR that will go on sale later this year.

Performance flagship

Leading the facelifted VW Arteon range is a new R derivative, similar in concept to the Golf R. This version is powered by VW’s 2,0-litre turbocharged engine. Peak power is rated as 235 kW with 420 N.m of torque delivered to all four wheels through the company’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system. VW says the R variant boasts new ‘R-Performance Torque Vectoring’. This system can distribute torque variably both between front and rear and also across the rear axle.

Click here to read about an SA-only performance GTI.

More practicality

The big news, of course, is the addition of an Arteon Shooting Brake to the existing range. The shooting brake has a window line that extends towards the rear and ends in the new roof spoiler. A slightly tapering window line gives the Shooting Brake a distinctive and stylish appearance. This wagon-esque profile is quite unique in the segment. Volkswagen’s press material says that behind the rear seat is 565 litres of luggage volume

Unfortunately, it seems that local VW fans will not be able to enjoy any aspect of the new Arteon or the Shooting Brake version. The model was removed from the local line-up a few months ago and one can no longer buy a new Arteon from your local dealer.

Learn more about the new models in the video below