Aside from titanic turbo lag, our main gripe with the smooth, comfortable, and sleek Volkswagen CC was its lack of technology. It had Volkswagen's touchscreen infotainment system in the dash but lacked the driver aids we've become lazy enough to expect in modern cars. VW seems to be hellbent on compensating for that for the CC replacement, the Arteon that stole the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, by making it a safety technology flagship of sorts for the automaker.

It'll feature an autonomous emergency assistance feature, adaptive cruise control, a pre-crash proactive occupant protection system, and announced this week, an optional active lighting system that illuminates bends before a driver steers into them by working with front cameras and the navigation system to detect imminent changes in steering angle. But that's not the best part. No, that news comes from Autocar, which claims that Volkswagen is considering adding an Arteon Shooting Brake to the lineup. That would mean Volkswagen's sexiest car could be getting a wagon variant if we're lucky. The determining factor will be the Arteon's European reception when it's shipped to dealerships this October.

The fact that Europe is the deciding factor is actually bad news for us because it means that Volkswagen isn't thinking about the US market for wagon, meaning it's unlikely to come even if VW builds it. Volkswagen Head of Product Line Elmar Licharz told Autocar, "It's our intention to turn the Arteon into a model family. Right now, we have a proposal on the table for a stylish wagon version to compliment the hatchback. The car has not been confirmed for production yet, but it has a good chance." A turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine will be forwarding 276 horsepower to all four wheels through a seven-speed DSG, making the Arteon an enticing alternative to the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and upcoming Audi A5 Sportback.

The technology loaded onboard the concept only serves to elevate the Arteon's status to that of the old Phaeton, an innocuous luxury car for those with money and no desire to flaunt it. So now we have grand touring luxury in a sleek package with all the technology you'd expect and the potential for a wagon version. And that's before we consider the other half of Licharz's comment in regards to making the Arteon a model family. That leaves open the possibility that Volkswagen is saving different Arteon-based toys in its goodie bag for a surprise. Let that sink in for a bit before you Google how to obtain a visa somewhere in Europe. Rendering by X-Tomi Design.