OT: sportwagen

[palincss]

Originally Posted by echappist

What we really need are upscale wagons. The Volvo V50 (and V70 to an extant) filled that niche, as did the Saabs and Acura TSX.

A shame that a true wagon (one that can haul stuff) is at least 50k...

Not true. The Golf Sportwagen and the Golf Alltrack are true wagons, can haul stuff -- fit a 59-60 cm bicycle with full metal fenders with both wheels on, which is my gold standard for the "stuff" I need a car to haul -- and are substantially under 50K. I think you can get a perfectly fine GSW for half that. And that's more storage space than either the Audi Allroad or the Volvo V60.

OK, the Golf wagons aren't "upscale" in that you can't get them with leather upholstery or wood grain trim, but how significant is that?

I had an E39 wagon. My Alltrack is every bit as comfortable and capable, has all wheel drive, and gets 30 mpg on regular while the BMW only averaged 23 mpg on 93 octane. Yes, with the pedal to the metal that BMW inline 6 sounded fantastic -- operatic, almost -- in a way that no turbo charged engine, never mind a 1.8L turbo 4, can equal. Sure the wood grain dash was nice. And only a total moron would have conceived of the notion to put the CD player in the glove box. But those are minor quibbles.