If you're anything like us, you love shooting brakes and big coupe-like sedans. Well, there's good and bad news on both fronts. As you may already know, Volkswagen has updated the Arteon's styling for the 2021 model year and it looks more handsome than ever. There's also a new shooting brake that's arguably even better looking as well as a hotted-up R version (available in both sedan and wagon body styles), neither of which are coming to the US. This decision seems unfair since Audi has whet our appetites for fast wagons with the stunning new RS6.

Nevertheless, enough demand can sway even the biggest corporations. So what exactly are we demanding? Well, the R version of the Arteon gets the same Lapiz Blue metallic paint found on the Golf R, along with the same sort of 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder but with more power. In the Arteon R, you get 316 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which is sent through the familiar seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic that does duty on many of Volkswagen's products. All-wheel-drive is included too, but on the Arteon, it comes with a new system called R-Performance Torque Vectoring. This can shuffle torque between both axles and each rear wheel to maximize handling ability and grip.

Naturally, VW wants buyers to feel like they've bought something special, so the Arteon R gets the usual R accents, including bumper vents, subtle spoilers, a gloss black diffuser, quad-exit exhaust pipes, silver wing mirrors, and a much more aggressive front end with gaping air inlets and lightly tinted headlights. The trademark chrome strip extending from headlight, through the center grille, and into the other headlight is another clue to the car's potential. What do you think? Is this the coolest car VW has made in a while or is it filling yet another niche that doesn't need to exist?