VW Debuts Fastest, Most Powerful Arteon Yet; But You Can't Buy It

Volkswagen still hasn't given the Arteon the V6 engine it deserves, but the company's apprentices in Australia have been able to make the sleek five-door hatchback more exciting while retaining the four-cylinder mill. Based on the top-spec R-Line model with the 276-horsepower 2.0 TSI engine, this one-off ART3on was conceived to take part in the World Time Attack Challenge that's being organized these days in Sydney, Australia.

Besides getting a colorful body wrap from Sydney street artist Simon Murray (a.k.a. KADE), the ART3on benefits from a heavily upgraded engine producing 483 horsepower or a whopping 207 hp more than the standard version. In addition, torque has also gone up from the stock 350 Newton-meters (258 pound-feet) to an immense 600 Nm (442 lb-ft). All that power is channeled to the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system through a DSG.

Tested on an uphill straight at the Luddenham Raceway in Sydney, the unique Arteon was able to hit 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds – a massive improvement over the standard model's 5.6-second time. Top speed isn't mentioned, but surely it has to be higher than the 155 mph (250 kph) achieved by the strongest Arteon you'll find in a VW dealership.

The long list of modifications includes a stage 3 turbocharger from RacingLine, which also provided a custom intake and an airbox. The intercooler has been upgraded as well, much like the fuel pump and the exhaust system. Apprentices fitted the ART3on with a Bilstein Clubsport suspension and installed beefier APR brakes. To make it track-ready, there's a Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo set of semi-slick tires. Rounding off the changes is the stripped-out interior where race seats and a roll cage have been installed.