Behold The VW Arteon Shooting Brake Without Any Camo

Our SUV infested world needs more wagons. And that’s science fact. Sort of. So, we are delighted to announce that VW has made an Arteon ‘Shooting Brake’, and although it’s not due to be revealed until later this year, a completely undisguised prototype has been papped undergoing winter testing.

The tiny, studded-tyre-shod wheels aren’t doing it any favours, but we’ve no doubt with a bigger, spanglier set of rims it’ll look the business. Specced up like the recently released Arteon R Line Edition, it’d be particularly alluring.

VW confirmed it’d build an estate derivative of the Arteon way back in 2018, so while this spotting doesn’t come as a huge surprise, it’s nonetheless good to see the car in the metal. Hype building can now officially start.

Another thing VW has previously hinted at is a turbocharged VR6 engine for the Arteon hatch, which would have been a shoo-in for the Shooting Brake too. In fact, there was even a prototype version doing the rounds at some point using a 3.0-litre engine derived from the Teramont’s 2.5-litre six, but it’s looking unlikely that such a unit will make it into either kind of Arteon. Boo.

Instead, the Shooting Brake will carry over the hatch’s existing engine line-up, with options in the UK ranging from a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel to a 268bhp EA888 TSI inline-four borrowed from the Golf R. A plug-in hybrid version is expected to be added at some point also.

Would you have an Arteon Shooting Brake instead of the standard hatch?