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| 2007 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon - Photo by Subaru |
Other parts of the world call them Longroofs, shooting
Breaks, avants and estate cars. In America, we mostly call them station wagons.
Decades ago, the wagon as we know it was a popular body style which has since
been replaced by consumers by first the minivan and subsequently the crossover.
Now, the wagon is poised to make a comeback, but
not as the boring, dedicated offspring and grocery hauler of the past. More
models than ever are hitting dealer floors, some even with a manual
gearbox.
Today’s wagon customer is a different, and automakers know
that. We are automotive enthusiasts that
need the combination of practicality and utility that life demands, with the
performance we crave. We want a car that moves; It has to have an amazing
engine to vastly outpace its crossover counterpart. It needs to handle, because
a lower center of gravity gives a more precise and enjoyable driving experience
than any SUV can provide. That’s just physics. It needs to look unassuming to
the everyman, because we aren’t flashy. But those in the know always offer a
friendly nod. Because they also get it.
We also need to carry a lot of crap. With easy access and
loads of cargo capacity, only a wagon can fit the bill. So why not a truck or performance crossover?
Because they don’t handle and they are boring. An SUV is the new vanilla, the
new beige, and if you are a gearhead and can only have one car, a truck /SUV offers
only monotony.
The lack of respect for the wagon is also a uniquely
American thing, because we love our bloated trucks and crossovers. For example,
on a recent trip to Germany, I saw roads filled with pristine examples of the
best Autobahn-capable wagons Bavaria had to offer, with an especially healthy
dose of the Audi Avant variety. Americans get the short end of the stick when
it comes to wagons, as some of the worlds best models will never be imported
here. The Levorg STi. RS6. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
But we are a minority; one which does not drive the kind of
sales volume that make corporate accountants happy. At the end of the day,
volume coupled with desirability status drive branding and sales. This means
that wagons will always take a backseat.
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| Audi RS6 Avant - Photo by Audi Austrlia |
Of course, there have been some rare examples of wagons that
have withstood the test of time to cater to this enthusiast customer. Want to
take a ridiculous Hemi and shove it into a grocery-getter with a gaping
maw? Dodge Magnum SRT-8. How about we
make a STi rally car for adults? Subaru Outback XT. Audi Avant. For those
carmakers who have remained loyal, we salute you.
This site is dedicated to the performance wagon, with news,
opinion, reviews and more. The content here is purely personal opinion and doesn’t
reflect any of my current or former automotive clients or employers.
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