[ad_1]
Johannesburg – Volkswagen has taken a giant step by launching its Arteon at the time when a sedan is an increasingly marginalized body, with so many buyers of vehicles today. posing as SUVs.
Even the old luxury sedans like the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 have a hard time finding the number of buyers they're looking for, which means that a Volkswagen to four doors R699 900 will probably be difficult to sell. It's a pity, because the new Arteon is a beautiful car and in a world where vehicles were judged solely on their abilities, rather than on the snobbery of badges or the need to sit a few millimeters higher, it deserves to sell in decent numbers. 19659003] But Arteon has an advantage in his sleeve: he turns heads. VW describes Arteon as a five-door Gran Turismo, which means it's a sedan with a bady coupe-style roof.
At nearly 4.9 meters long it's a big car and almost as long as an Audi A7, but it avoids all swollen thanks to its fastback design and its elegant long-wheelbase proportions. It has a striking frontal presence with three-dimensional LED headlights and daytime running lights that blend with the chrome cross bars of the grille.
It is the agreement of the old beauty in the eyes, but judging by the grateful looks of the spectators, the designers of Arteon have reached the right place.
Under this show-and-tell stylish is a spacious car with a lot of practicality. The wide tailgate opens on a large 563-liter boot that houses a full-size spare wheel, and with the seats folded down, there's ample space for bulky items.
The step on the back seat is cavernous and the free height is not compromised
The name, by the way, is a mixture of Art and Eon, this last identifying it as a top-of-the-line model in the same way as VW's flagship model for the Chinese market, the Phideon. [19659003] The Arteon is sold in a trio of diesel and gasoline models and in test here is the flagship R Line 4Motion DSG, powered by the same transmission found in the hot hatch Golf R: a turbo gasoline TSI of 2 liters with 206kW and 350Nm (it's out of sync with the 213kW and 380Nm of the Golf R), driving all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission.
Just as the style of this large sedan is not swollen, it does not seem either inflated or heavy driving. It is predictably more reluctant in the initial acceleration than the smaller and the Golf R lighter, and the first gear seems a bit long.
But while Arteon does not exploit power with the same enthusiasm or gruff roar of the Golf R, there is still a lot of performance here. Aside from some initial delay, the TSI Arteon is moving very fast, with a generous mid-speed acceleration that effortlessly rubs long trucks.
VW quotes 0-100 km / h in 5.6 seconds and 250 km / h top speed, which places it squarely in the territory of sport sedans. The fuel consumption in our test car averaged 9.9 liters per 100 km, which is pretty frugal for the performance offered.
The balance of conduct is well resolved, and with its comfortable suspension the Arteon has turning capabilities for a large
There is no complicated or cumbersome nature and this Great Gran Turismo sculpts cleanly through the turns. All Wheel Drive offers all-weather grip in conjunction with Electronic Stability Control.
The wheel arches of our test car were filled with 20-inch wheels carrying low-profile tires that retain their style; they introduce a small measure of jerks to the smoothness of the car. For a smoother ride, the standard 19 "high-end tires should make a better bet.
All versions of the Arteon are equipped with a touch-screen infotainment system, but the R line has the largest 23cm board-like display system Navigation and gesture control are standard, as is the ability to connect your smartphone via Bluetooth or USB, but by paying extra R14 527 you get the audio system 700w softer with a subwoofer.
The high-tech infotainment is part of the R cabin offers a sportier feel with Nappa / carbon leather seats, aluminum pedals and a lining of "Titanium Black" roof.
with premium features, including panoramic sunroof, 3-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front heated seats, and Active Info digital dashboard. Display
automatic braking when it detects a potential collision, and adaptive cruise control. Soaking in the menu of extra-cost options gets you extra features like a bird's eye view parking aid, and a head-up display.
VERDICT
Place a Volkswagen in the same league as a BMW 4 Series, the Audi A5 and the Mercedes C-Clbad coupe are a brave choice. The Arteon has the style and sophistication to navigate this turf, and it is also a bigger and more powerful car than its rivals who cost more money. But how will potential buyers accept this less premium badge? Maybe, like VW, they have to make a leap of faith.
Drive360
[ad_2]
Source link