VW Arteon R-Line Edition Launched In Europe As Flagship Version

It was nearly a year ago when Volkswagen introduced a fully loaded Passat Variant R-Line Edition in Europe and now it's coming out with a similar version for the fancier Arteon. While the generously equipped wagon was limited to 2,000 cars, the stylish fastback is considerably more exclusive as the peeps from Wolfsburg are only making 250 vehicles for the European market.

Much like the mechanically related MQB-based Passat we mentioned, the Arteon R-Line Edition wears an attractive Moonstone Grey paint combined with a black roof for a two-tone look. It sits on 20-inch Rosario black alloy wheels and has tinted rear windows for a greater visual impact and extra privacy. Inside, there's plush Nappa leather and a fully digital instrument cluster as standard equipment.

Being the top-of-the-line version, this Arteon has basically all the kit VW can cram into its more appealing Passat. Goodies include everything from front and rear heated seats to keyless access and from adaptive LED headlights to the top-spec infotainment system. Buyers are also rewarded with a ton of safety tech, including road sign detection, Park Assist, lane change assistant, adaptive cruise control, and autonomous emergency braking in the event of an imminent crash.

VW will sell the Arteon R-Line Edition exclusively with the high-end engines, specifically the 2.0 TSIs and 2.0 TDIs, including the diesel packing a pair of turbochargers and hooked up to a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. Regardless of your choice, the engine will send power to the road through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Go for the 268-horsepower gasoline model or the aforementioned 236-hp Bi-TDI engine and VW will throw in adaptive chassis control (DCC) with configurable dampers for a plethora of settings to suit your style.

Since the Arteon R-Line Edition sits at the top of the lineup, it's going to cost you a pretty penny. VW is already taking orders in Germany where it costs from €55,970 for the base 2.0 TSI with 188 horsepower. For the sake of comparison, a 241-hp Audi A5 S Line with Quattro and the seven-speed S Tronic is available in Deutschland from €52,800, so you'd have to really like the Arteon to take it instead of Ingolstadt's Sportback.

Customer deliveries are scheduled to start in February.