Sunday Drive #4
Not so long ago, I had to make use of a rentall car. The rental company provided me with the current generation BMW 320i Touring. Under the hood, it sported a two-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine producing 193 brake horsepower. I spent ten days with it, drove to Vilnius and back. I thought that it really could be the only car I need. Me: occasionally photographing, sometimes supplying my coffee shop, sometimes holidaying middle-aged man. It drove great, offered more of a sporty comfort, and was practical enough in most scenarios. I usually drive an SUV, so the "beemer" initially seemed very low. I like low cars and quickly considered the seating position height as the default. After returning the BMW to the rental company and picking up serviced Kodiaq, I felt like I was driving a tractor. Since then, I've been looking around the streets and the Internet for interesting estate cars. Additionally, there has been quite a buzz about estates, wagons, and tourings in the automotive world in the recent weeks, so I decided to dedicate this edition of Sunday Drive to them.
Premiere
In the first half of February, there were three exciting premieres: a new estate car, a special edition of a very desirable estate car, and a facelift of an electric sports estate car. The newcomer is the BMW Series 5 Touring. The car, both in its combustion and electric versions, was unveiled in early February. For now, there are few engines, but surely the motor from the already announced M5 (also touring), next to the engine from 540d, will be the basis for new models of Alpina B5 and D5. This was the case with the previous generation of the Series 5. As for the appearance... well... (I write "well" again in the context of the styling of new BMW models), it doesn't captivate me as much as the styling of the G30/G31 generation did. The differences in dimensions are minor, but, for example, the lights are relatively large in the predecessor, the entire car visually appears to be smaller, which in my opinion, is an advantage. The new generation looks bigger and heavier.
Inside, the panoramic layout of two screens dominates, which isn't even that bad, and the dark, minimalist design of the infotainment system is one of the more elegant I've seen. The one regret I have is that in the new BMWs, you can't display the clocks in a traditional, circular form. It's just a line of code, and I think thousands of brand fanboys and fangals would have a permanent smile on their faces if the speed and rev counter were displayed as digital iterations of the dials, for example, from the e39 M5. The versions presented so far also lack another wonderful thing from the predecessor: a perfectly round steering wheel…
Audi presented a limited edition of the RS6 – the GT. The limited to 660 units Avant is probably an attempt to boost sales of the already ageing C8 generation – the RS6 version debuted in 2019. The premiere was scheduled for February, 6th, and I suspect it was meant to divert media attention from the above-mentioned BMW, which debuted a day later.
The RS6 GT stands out with carbon fibre add-ons, a new bumper, a larger rear spoiler, monstrous rims, and paintwork that references to the IMSA racing series. The entire design looks very dramatic and, aside from the wheels, very similar to the GTO concept from 2020. Both are a tribute to the Audi 90 IMSA GTO from 1989.
In the eighties, Audi was highly successful in rallying, and the S1 Quattro clinched two titles before the Group B was cancelled in 1986. Separately to its rally participation, Audi Sport also performed well in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, winning 5 editions in a row (1982–1987). In 1988, the model 200 Quattro made its debut in the Trans-Am series, and after a year, it moved to the IMSA GTO. This series had a more relaxed regulatory atmosphere, and among other things, there were no restrictions on using all-wheel drive (banned in the Trans-Am series). The last iteration of the five-cylinder R5 turbo engine, previously used in rallies and Pikes Peak climbs, was installed under the hood. The season in IMSA can be considered successful – second place in the constructors' classification, third and fourth among drivers. There wasn't much missing to dominate the entire series, but Audi did not start at the Daytona and Sebring.
In November 2023, Porsche announced that the Panamera Sport Turismo would be leaving the market, justified by the too few differences between it and the regular Panamera. The difference in boot capacity is only 25 litres (in favour of the estate) and the "saloon's" cover lifts along with the glass, so the argument about a larger loading gap also falls. This argument still applies to the electric cousins, and Taycan Cross and Sport Turismo both have a larger boot capacity (by 39 litres) and a more practical tailgate (in the regular Taycan, the tailgate does not lift with the glass). Porsche showcased refreshed Taycans, including Cross and Sport Turismo, at the same time as the BMW 5-series.
Farewell
After seventeen years of production, Mini is saying goodbye to the Clubman. This mini estate was the most interesting car among all the models of this manufacturer in my humble opinion.
The contemporary variant (R55) debuted in 2007 and was based on the second generation of the Mini Hatch. Interestingly, this generation is classified as a 5-door, although a visual assessment of the car's profile suggests something else. On the driver's side, there is one pair of doors, like in a hatchback. On the other side, we find a visually symmetrical construction, but in reality, these are double, split doors. Access to the rear seat is facilitated by "club doors" that open against the wind. The last two doors are, of course, the boot lid split in half and opened to the sides. Unfortunately, the market prefers taller cars, and some invisible and incomprehensible force, electric ones. The production line space occupied by the Clubman will be taken over by a new car – the Aceman – an electric crossover.
The Baker wet dream
In 2023, BMW presented a prototype estate car that tickled many automotive hearts – based on the Z4, the Concept Touring Coupé. This is not the Bavarians' first attempt at such a form of a sports car. In 1997, the Z3 Coupé debuted and received an engine from the M3 E36. Based on the latest generation of the Z4 (G29), it looks very dynamic and is unlikely to inherit the derisive nickname "Clown's Shoe" from its great-grandfather. Despite the praises for it, it remains in the concept stage for now.
An estate based on a two-door coupé is nothing new. One of the first sports cars in the "shooting brake" version is considered to be the Chevrolet Nomad from 1955. This category encompasses cars with a sporty character. A subcategory is estates based on coupés or roadsters, known as "breadvans". Here you can find an interesting compilation of nine intriguing designs.
A Swedish tiger
Tiger has a double meaning in Swedish: the obvious one, and to "keep silent". No car manufacturer is more understated as Volvo is. What car can be more "Q", than a Swedish estate? Starting with the Duett model from 1953, through the Amazon, the unbelievably beautiful breadvan 1800ES, to the XC70. When I think "Volvo", I see a rectangle on wheels. The most iconic is probably the 240 – a car for the average Swede, the quintessence of lagom. An interesting variant was the 245T, also known as "transfer". The extended wheelbase, the third row of seats, and the higher finish standard were meant to make transfers at airports more pleasant.
The last prototype that came off the production line in 1993 was built to the delight of the employees, "Short-Term Execution" (from Swedish Korta Ledtider). Besides the large cargo space, it probably had a small turning diameter. Perfect for tight parking lots under Ikea.
Motorsport
Investments in motorsport are often aimed at changing a boring image and grabbing the attention of motorsport enthusiasts and potential younger customers. Volvo also decided to prove that boring boxes on wheels can show their muscles and joined the British Touring Car Championship in the 1994 season. Instead of doing what others did and fielding a saloon, someone (probably from the marketing department) suggested an estate – the essence of the Swedish brand.
Regardless of the outcome, such a car would be discussed. The team and Volvo were quiet before the premiere; even the drivers did not know about the choice of a car capable of transporting the contents of an entire flat! The preparation was entrusted to a former competitor – now an ally, the TWR team. Under the hood was a five-cylinder engine, which, after removing the turbo not allowed in BTCC, was pushed further back and lower compared to regular cars. The weight distribution improved, but the burning issue remained the low power of the system. TWR engineers read the regulations carefully and introduced a series of nuanced changes that increased power without breaking the rules (protests from the competition came almost after every race). Although the season was not thrilling for any of the drivers, and the team finished eighth in the constructors' classification, no car was talked about as much as the Swedish estate.
As a treat, a video from Donut Media with the craziest estates in history.
Retro
The last chapter of this edition of Sunday Drive tells the story of a certain Hammer from Affalterbach. In the eighties, AMG was still an independent Mercedes tuner, and the debut of the W124 model turned out to be a breakthrough. In 1986, the AMG founders created "The Hammer" to achieve their goal of going faster than 300 kilometres per hour. Road and Track proclaimed it the most exciting car of the time. The Hammer Wagon was also created, and the story of one of the creations can be watched on the excellent channel Petrolicious. Activity on this channel has waned for some time, but the homepage announces a return this month. Fingers crossed!
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