Quite frankly, for the Arteon to be the car VW and most of ud hope it could be, I really think it needs something distinctive in the engine compartment - something you can’t get in hundreds of thousands of other VW’s, Audi’s, Seat”s etc., with more power to move it as smartly as it looks. A V6 with 300+ hp would be…

Make a Mazdaspeed manual transmission AWD hatchback 3, and there will be a line out the door waiting to buy it.

Yes. My thoughts as well, especially the front end.  The new Mazda 3 is however more refined inside and out.

...but not a Ford Active “ST”.