Top 10: Fast Estates

Top Ten is another new featurette I will be producing on a weekly basis.  It's a very simple concept: the 10 best of SOME genre, in order.  You are encouraged to leave comments either praising my choices, or yelling at me for what I missed, at the bottom.  Game on!

The public stigma of a station wagon (estate to Europe) is frankly pretty negative these days.  I can't say I understand it; in many ways, wagons are the most useful cars on the road.  They offer car-like handling (since they're normal cars) and loads of cargo space.  I generally think the two-box shape of wagons is a positive thing stylistically speaking, too.  So why are they so universally loathed?

Maybe it's this generation's childhood memories of getting sick from riding in the rear-facing seats of an old Mercury Sable.  Maybe it was the whole wood-grain-trim thing in the 70's and 80's.  Maybe it's the soccer-mom image that apparently goes with it.  For those of us that "get it", though, there's an entire field of hot-rod station wagons out there just waiting to embarass some Mustangs.  Let's get down with it.  This list might be a little broad, but who cares?

10) Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi

Saab's 9-5 lineup is admittedly QUITE long in the tooth, and this is coming from a Saab-owning fanatic.  It's based on the GM2900 chassis which dates back to the mid-eighties, and it's utterly out of place in it's market position, with the only available engine being a slightly rude turbocharged four-cylinder (a V6 with a single turbocharger used to be an option, but it was awful.  Let's move on.)

So, it's an old front-wheel-drive outdated wagon.  What's to love?  Well, for one thing, that four-banger has a LOT of grunt.  How does 260bhp@5300rpm and 258lb-ft from 1,900-4000rpm strike you?  It means that the 9-5 has massive, turbocharged midrange grunt like a heavy four-cylinder sedan has no right to.  A 9-5 Aero wagon will hit sixty in under 7 seconds with ease, which is impressive for a 20+ year old chassis and an even older engine design - the 2.3L I4 dates back to the Saab "H" series motor used in the old 900's and early 9000's, not related to the EcoTec garbage in the new 9³'s.  It's still got game: a remap, intercooler upgrade, larger injectors and an exhaust/downpipe will net well over 300bhp, which will give those pesky Mustang GT's something to worry about.

Plus there's an "overboost" function that raises the boost threshold at wide open throttle during certain conditions, which increases torque output to 272lb-ft for up to 20 seconds.  Inside, it looks a bit dated - but I dare you to find a better laid-out interior ergonomically, or more comfortable seats in anything.  It's just a shame they're too embarrassed to call it a Wagon, which is what it is.  SportCombi, baah.

Recommendation: a 9-5 Aero model, wagon, with a five speed.  They're really cheap second-hand.  Make sure it's sludge-free, do basic upgrades, and enjoy.

Saab 9-5 Aero, By The Numbers:

engine: 2.3L fuel-injected DOHC I4, turbocharged and intercooledPower: 260bhp@5300rpmTorque: 258lb-ft@1900-4000rpm, 270+ in overboostTransmissions: 5-speed manual, 4 speed adaptive automatic0-60: <7.0sTop Speed: 155mphCargo Capacity: 36.8/73.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 18/27 city/highway mpg (manual transmission)

9) Audi allroad Quattro 2.7T

Basically, if you don't like the Audi allroad, you're a communist.  That might be a bit of a stretch, but it's hard to narrow the list of things about the allroad that rock to one hand's worth of fingers.  For starters, it's an A6 wagon.  A6 wagons have tons of space, immaculate interiors, comfortable seating, and just ooze quality from every seam.  It's also got height-adjustable air suspension - low for the highway, up high for light off-road duty.  You can even trick the air suspension with a VAG-COM (VW diagnostic tool) into setting the base ride height really low, which is neat.

You've also got Torsen all-wheel-drive, which is how it should be done.  Under the hood, the engine from the B5 S4 is stuffed between the strut towers.  That'll be 2.7 liters, four camshafts, 30 valves (5 per cylinder), two BorgWarner K03s turbochargers, and 250-265bhp.  There's a six speed manual (rare) or a 5-speed automatic.  There's also an available 4.2L 300bhp V8, but why bother?  With basic upgrades (software update, diverter valves, downpipes) you can boost the 2.7T motor to around 330bhp.

Plus, the allroad looks positively badass.  While the grey rubber cladding on the Volvo XC70 makes the car look uncomfortable and goofy, the allroad's (no caps) cladding gives it just the right tough appearance.

Recommendation: pick up a 2.7T 6-speed allroad.  Fix it up to working order.  Install K04-20's and supporting mods off an RS4, push 450+whp, and then go dominate Corvettes.  In an "off roader" Audi station wagon.  What's NOT to love?

Audi allroad Quattro 2.7T, By The Numbers:

engine: 2.7L fuel-injected V6, dual overheam cams, 5v/cyl, twin turbocharged and intercooledPower: 250bhp@5800rpmTorque: 258lb-ft@1800-4500rpm, 270+ in overboostTransmissions: 6-speed manual, 5 speed adaptive automatic0-60: 7.4sTop Speed: 147mphCargo Capacity: 36.4/73.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 14/19 city/highway mpg (manual transmission)

8) Volvo V70R AWD

Hot-rod Volvos have a certain "weirdo" appeal.  On one hand, you've got a million airbags and the whole "Volvo-Driving Soccer Mom" stigma.  On the other hand, they look great and move rather quickly.  Volvo's made a few, but the best (not necessarily my favorite; see further down the list) was the last-generation V70R AWD.  It was crammed to the gills with high-tech doodads, and it's a interesting alternative to the BMW or Audi wagons that are the darlings of the haughty-taughty scene.

Under the hood sits a 2.5L straight-five, with a single KKK turbocharger, twin side-mounted intercoolers, and variable valve timing.  Total output is a nice, round 300bhp with a meaty 295lb-ft (400nM) along for the ride.  The car came with either a slick-shifting 6-speed manual or a rather nasty 5-speed "Tiptronic" automatic, which limits torque to only 258lb-ft (350nM.)  Later V70R's came with a 6-speed automatic and all their torque.

What's really neat is the active suspension, dubbed "4-C" (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept).  This system has three settings- Comfort, Sport, and Advanced - or basically soft, medium, and hard.  Comfort is cushy enough to iron out the crappiest of highways, Sport is the what it defaults to (with good reason), and Advanced is really only if you love your chiropracter.  The system adjusts damping rates an alarming 500 times per second, using inputs from forward and lateral acceleration, a yaw sensor, sensors for steering and throttle/braking inputs, and vertical chassis motion.  It actually works; at the limit, a V70R displays mild understeer and relentless, leech-like grip.

When you're not blasting to sixty in a very un-Volvo 5.6 seconds (wagon, manual) and enjoying the V70R's many chassis tricks, it's got a boot big enough to swallow a shifter kart.  Or a manic impulse shopping spree to IKEA.  Or a pack of labradors.  Or more likely, boxes full of National Public Radio fliers.  The Haldex All-Wheel-Drive gives great security in bad weather, and the massive (330mm all around) stoppers don't hurt either.  The V70R was the whole package, a "do everything" car - and it was roundly ignored by buyers, with the vast majority picking the slightly prettier and massively less appealing S60R sedan.  A shame.  But if you can find one (especially in the Aqua Mist Metallic paint color shown), they represent a great bargain and a terrific compromise between performance and all those other vehicular attributes that matter.

By The Numbers: Volvo V70R AWD

engine: 2.5L Fuel-Injected I5, DOHC 4v/cylinder, turbocharged and intercooledPower: 300bhp@5250rpmTorque: 295lb-ft(400nM)@1950-5250rpm, (258(350nM) with 5-speed automatic, 295 with 6-speed automatic)Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 5 speed/6 speed automatic0-60: 5.6sTop Speed: 155mph (governed)Cargo Capacity: 37.4/71.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 16/23 city/highway mpg (manual transmission)

7) MazdaSpeed 3 (Mazda 3 MPS)

It might be a bit of a stretch to call the MazdaSpeed3 a wagon, but hey - if it looks like a wagon, holds stuff like a wagon, and handles like a wagon, it's a wagon.  The 3 is somewhere between a wagon and a hatchback, but for the sake of argument let's just settle on calling it "epic."  Much like the V70R, the MazdaSpeed3 packs a whole lot of performance into a rather innocuous looking package - a "sleeper" if you will.

It's a simple recipe: take one small hatchback, stuff full of turbo power, shake well and aim away from your face before opening.  Under the hood is Mazda's acclaimed 2.3 MZR DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition - not a diesel, they're trying to say) Turbo four cylinder.  This mighty mite cranks out 263bhp, but more importantly, 280lb-ft of torque (380nM).  That kind of power in a small hatch/wagon is bound to be fun, but the only issue is front wheel drive.  To combat the inevitable torque steer/wheelspin/wheelhop issues, Mazda went so far as to electronically limit torque output in first and second gear to keep things in check.  They failed, of course: under heavy throttle inputs, the Speed 3 darts around like a squirrel on crystal meth.  Still, torque steer is fun - and the MazdaSpeed3 is a riot.

In-gear acceleration is simply immense; this is the kind of pull that used to be the territory of supercars.  The little hatch-wagon will top out at 155 miles per hour, and if you can launch it, a sub 6-second 0-60 is within reach from the factory.  At a base price of around $23,000 USD, the Speed3 represents terrific value for the money, and while it may be a bit rough around the edges, that's half the appeal.  The interior is even rather inviting for this class, with soft-touch plastics, shoulder-hugging bucket seats, a precise 6-speed manual transmission, and some Robocop LED lights on the dashboard that light up with the volume control.  Weird, but OK.

By The Numbers: MazdaSpeed3

engine: 2.3L Direct Fuel-Injected I4, DOHC 4v/cylinder, turbocharged and intercooledPower: 263bhp@5500rpmTorque: 280lb-ft(380nM)@3000rpmTransmissions: 6-speed manual0-60: 6.3sTop Speed: 155mphCargo Capacity: 16.5 ft² (seats up)Fuel Mileage: 18/26 city/highway mpg

6) Dodge Magnum SRT-8

Yes, the lead image is the engine.  Of course it is; it's a Mopar SRT vehicle, after all isn't it?  With pretty much any SRT car, the engine is the crown jewel.  There's no doubt that's the case here; with the Magnum SRT-8, you pay for the epic motor and get the rest of the car for free (as the saying goes.)  It's one hell of a motor, too.  6.1L of all-American beefy V8, with a brawny 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.  This high-compression SRT V8 doesn't have the regular 5.7L Hemi's girly cylinder deactivation; it does have equal-length exhaust manifolds and gobs of horsepower.  Did I mention the horsepower?

I guess I should mention the rest of the package.  The Magnum (produced between 2005-2008) was the wagon version of Chrysler's LX rear-wheel-drive full-size chassis.  For those not in the know, that means the Magnum is about half Mopar and half old Mercedes E-class, which means it's a relatively solid chassis.  Same goes for the transmission; the LX cars were a bit of everything, come to think of it.

The Magnum's handsome lines are emphasized by a relatively tasteful bodykit and some massive 20" polished alloy wheels, covering up gigantic Brembo brakes, and a stiffened and lowered suspension.  Massive burnouts came as standard.  Yes, mom's wagon's GOT A HEMI.

By The Numbers: Dodge Magnum SRT-8

engine: 6.1L Fuel-Injected pushrod 16v V8Power: 425bhp@6000rpmTorque: 420lb-ft (569nM) @ 4800rpmTransmissions: 5-speed automatic0-60: 4.9sTop Speed: 155mph (governed)Cargo Capacity: 27.2/72.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 13/18 city/highway mpg

5) 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R

Let me run some numbers by you real quick.  250 horsepower.  7.1 seconds to sixty.  153 miles an hour topped out.  Volvo station wagon.  Oh, and 1995.

The T5-R was basically the physical manifestation of the ever-present boredom over in the engineering department in Göthenberg.  They created a harder, faster, more nuts 850 Turbo wagon - and then painted it bright yellow.  Not even like, Mustang yellow or Ferrari yellow - a weirder, slightly flat shade of yellow that clings to the 855's lines like a shrink-wrap banana.  It's purposefully bizarre, delightfully weird, and quick.

Under the hood, the standard 2.3L 20v inline-five got a software upgrade to boost power from 222bhp to 250bhp (240 in US) thanks to the allowance of "overboost" at wide open throttle.  Suspension is tighter, wheels are rather large (for the time) and sinister-looking 17" gunmetal grey five-spokes, and the interior gets special treatment like leather/suede seats.

On the road, the T-5R is a bit of an animal.  Floor the gas and it'd just as soon shunt you off into an armco than go anywhere you had in mind.  Turbo lag is significant.  The bizarre rear suspension isn't really your best friend on a curvy road.  Still, remember: these were the cars that Volvo converted for BTCC use - wagon body and all.  Adjust your throttle inputs to be smoother (because smoking the inside tire is what the T-5R loves to do), build up a rythmn, and it will flow just like a real sports car.

To me, the T5-R was the epitome of the Volvo performance wagon - it was rare, visible, fast, well-designed and well-built, useful, spacious, and safe.  AND it's bright yellow!

By The Numbers: Volvo 850 T5-R Estate

engine: 2.3L Fuel-Injected I5, DOHC 4v/cyl, turbocharged and intercooledPower: 240bhp@5600rpmTorque: 258lb-ft (350nM) @ 2400rpmTransmissions: 4-speed automatic0-60: 7.1sTop Speed: 153mphCargo Capacity: 37.1/67.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 17/24 city/highway mpg

4) Audi (B5) RS4

The B5-generation RS4 was never imported to North America.  Audi claims it would've been too expensive to prepare it for federal emissions regulations and crash standards, but the real problem is that Americans wouldn't get it, and they knew that.  Here was a car that was nearly as expensive as a 911 Carrera, but was considerably faster.  And it was a small-ish station wagon.

As with almost any awesome European car, Cosworth was involved.  Audi shipped off their 5-valve 2.7L twin turbo V6 to Cosworth for further development, and it came back enlarged to 2.8L, sporting larger turbos and more fuel, and a lot more muscle.  Power jumped from a mild 250bhp to a "that's more like it" 380 horsepower and 325lb-ft of torque.  A six-speed manual was the only option, and the RS4 was only available as an "Avant" (wagon) like the Porsche-engineered RS2 before it.  Thanks to Quattro AWD, the RS4 was a rocket out of the blocks: a sub 5-second 0-60mph time was easy to acheive, and the RS4 had absolutely no trouble bumping against it's 155mph limiter.

By all accounts, it was the typical numb-steering Audi driving experience.  Having never piloted an RS4 (remember, they were never sold here) I can't say either way.  But it's hard to top a combination of a truly sumptuous interior, small-ish European wagon, and more power than a period Corvette (hey, 380 plays 350 all day long!) with AWD along for the ride.  The RS4 is one of the all-time greats, but there's more to come...

By The Numbers: Audi RS4 (B5) Avant

engine: 2.8L Fuel-Injected V6, DOHC 5v/cyl, twin turbocharged and intercooledPower: 381bhp@6100-7000 rpmTorque: 325lb-ft (440nM) @ 2500-6000 rpmTransmissions: 6-speed manual0-60: 4.7sTop Speed: 155mph (governed)Cargo Capacity: 31.0/64.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: n/a (if you know, let me know!)

3) V8 Volvos

Ok, this is a little broad.  And I promise this is the last Volvo on the list.  But it's really hard to beat a V8 Volvo conversion on multiple levels.

First off, it's not difficult.  There are multiple companies that sell all the conversion hardware you'll need to slip a beefy Ford or GM V8 between the strut towers of your 200, 700, or 900 series wagon.  Just want a nice basic motor?  How about a Ford 302 from a Mountaineer or Explorer?  Want 5s a00 horsepower?  How about a Chevy LS7 crate motor?  The sky's the limit with these kits.

And nothing on earth is more sleeper than a 240 wagon stuffed full of howling, high-compression V8.  The ultimate example of V8 Volvo has to be the infamous "Volvette" which is, as you'd imagine, a combination of Volvo and Corvette.  The Volvette, which is a privately owned car, started life as a 740 Turbo/Intercooler wagon - but now sports a twin turbocharged LS1 from a C5 Corvette.  Which dynoes at 544 horsepower.

For more information on V8 Volvo conversions, check out the Volvo page over at Jags That Run, who sells conversions for 200 and 700 series Volvos. And enjoy.

2) Mercedes Benz E63 AMG

The Merc E63 AMG wagon is simply mental.  It follows the classic AMG formula to a T, combining huge V8 power with a stately Estate body, and the result is just what you'd expect: torquey, sleeper mayhem.  And at a rather steep base price of $88,500 it delivers what you'd hope: crushing performance, lots of space, and lots of grace.

AMG's bespoke 6.2L 32v V8 is a modern engineering masterpiece, churning out a massive 503 horsepower and 465lb-ft of tire-melting torque.  Hooked to an AMG-tweaked 7-speed automatic, the E63 will press the kid's faces against the back window hard as it rockekts to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

In addition to being overladen with copious horsepressure, the E63 is actually a rather nice car inside, with all the goodies people have come to expect from modern luxury cars - ventilated seats, satnav, killer stereo, etc.  If I ever get filthy rich, I'll have one in my garage - just to show those Mustang drivers how to do a real burnout.

By The Numbers: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate

engine: 6.2L Fuel-Injected V8, DOHC 4v/cylPower: 503bhp@6800 rpmTorque: 465lb-ft (630nM) @ 5200 rpmTransmissions: 7-speed Automatic0-60: 4.6sTop Speed: 155mph (governed)Cargo Capacity: 24.4/69.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: 13/18 city/highway

1) Audi RS6 Avant

And here we are at the end of the list.  Without a doubt, the RS6 is the ultimate evolution of the performance wagon.  Nothing even comes close.  It's that good.

The RS6 is a rather subtle package; only the truly eagle-eyed Audi nerd will notice the swollen fenders, quad tailpipes, and tiny RS6 badges.  Perhaps the 19" split-spoke wheels hiding some of the largest brakes ever made gives away the game - 420mm carbon-ceramic jobs with 8 piston calipers provide the "whoa" in the front.

How about the "go?"  How does 572 horsepower strike you?  If you roll your memory back to the late 80's, you'll realize that nothing produced back then could keep up with this insane Audi wagon.  The heart of the beast is a 5.2L V10, with direct petrol injection and twin turbochargers.  Yes - a twin turbo V10 station wagon.  Isn't technology wonderful?  This mega motor also puts 480lb-ft of torque to all four wheels - the trick to the RS6's rocket starts.   Audi claims 4.6s is all that's needed for 0-100km/h; I think that's probably conservative.  Figure you'll need to budget less than 4 seconds of your precious time for hitting sixty - it's a productivity machine!

So when you're not embarassing Ferrari 430 Spyders from stoplights, you can also stuff the RS6 full of - well, whatever your heart desires!  59 cubic feet is relatively low down on this list for maximum capacity, but that's still a whole lot more space than any other car with enough power to change the earth's rotation offers.

By The Numbers: Audi RS6 Avant

engine: 5.0L Direct Fuel Injected V10, DOHC 4v/Cyl, twin turbocharged and intercooledPower: 572bhp@6250-6700 rpmTorque: 480lb-ft (650nM) @ 1500-6250 rpmTransmissions: 6-speed Automatic0-60: 4.3sTop Speed: 155mph (governed)Cargo Capacity: 33.9/59.0 ft² (seats up/down)Fuel Mileage: n/a