The VW Arteon is the CC sedan's really good-looking successor

Volkswagen's long-in-the-tooth CC finally has a successor. Called the Arteon, the new vehicle follows the CC's formula of low-slung, sleek, coupe-like sedan, and it pulls its design from the Sport Coupe Concept GTE VW showed in 2015. Impressively, the design of the concept has arrived with very few and only minor changes.

Among those changes are a wider-looking front grille and headlights that have a more curved top edge that leads into the grille. The hood shut line is also visible along the front fenders. It intersects and follows the wheel arch, and is reminiscent of the first-generation Audi TT. Also Audi-like are the silver accents on the front fenders, which are very similar to those of the latest Audi A5. Really, much of the car seems vaguely like an Audi, including the multi-slat grille and low hatchback.

However, the car is still clearly a Volkswagen. Generally, it's more curvaceous, with softer edges than many Audis, particularly in the front fascia. But where the car is most apparently a VW is in the interior. Whereas most modern Audis are monuments to modern design, the Arteon is decidedly more conservative. The center stack, despite its big touchscreen display, which can be optioned as large as 9.2 inches, is closer to that of the Golf. It's straightforward and simple, but it's probably built well with nice materials. On the plus side, the long, continuous air vent along the top of the dash is rather stylish, and the Arteon will offer the VW Digital Cockpit display system, similar to Audi's Virtual Cockpit.

Under the hood, Volkswagen will offer a grand total of six engines with power ranging from 148 horsepower for the bottom-rung gas and diesel engines to 276 horsepower for the top-tier turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder. Odds are, when the car is offered here, we'll only have the options of the lower-powered turbo 2.0-liter engine, which makes 188 horsepower, and the top-level version. Both engines are only offered with a seven-speed DSG transmission, and the 276-horsepower version comes standard with 4Motion all-wheel drive.

In Germany, the car will start at about 35,000 euros, and we expect that it will go for a similar amount of American dollars whenever it comes here, which is similar pricing to today's CC. We've heard a rumor that it will arrive in the US next year as a 2019 model. This means we may see the US-spec version at the Chicago or New York auto show in 2018.

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