Page 97 - Sharp Spring 2021
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SHARP AUTO
    LONG LIVE THE STATION WAGON
A new breed of pumped-up wagons — like the Audi RS6 Avant — is here to stay
BY matt bubbers
LOOK AROUND YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
or your parking garage. Notice how almost every vehicle you see is some type of SUV? That’s not
a coincidence. SUVs and pickups accounted for 80 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Canada last year, according to the experts who track these things. That means that everything else — sports cars, sedans, hatchbacks, minivans, converti- bles, and station wagons — accounted for just 20 per cent of all sales. The point is that SUVs are winning. They’ve very nearly killed off almost everything else.
But station wagons are not about to go quietly into the night. A new generation of pumped-
up über-wagons, including the 591 horsepower Audi RS6 Avant, is fighting back. This new breed has nothing in common with the pea-coloured, wood-panelled Wagon Queen Family Truckster that Chevy Chase drove in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Instead, they’re fast, practical, and plenty of fun to drive. They’re like elevated basics: high- end versions of the dependable, go-to favourites in your closet.
In addition to the Audi, which is available in North America for the first time, other brands are getting in on the action. Mercedes currently has
three rapid AMG wagons on offer: the C 43 (385 hp), the E 53 (429 hp hybrid), and the E 63 (603 hp), which is the O.G. über-wagon. Even Volvo — once synonymous with sensible Swedish boxes — has turned things up to 11 with the 415 hp hybrid
V60 T8 Polestar Engineered wagon.
Why make these pumped-up wagons? They’re designed to compete with the current crop of SUVs by being not only practical but also powerful. The Audi RS6 Avant is freakishly quick, not just for a station wagon but for any car. Driving it feels like piloting a ballistic missile, thanks to 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque — all of which is available in the blink of an eye thanks to 2,050 rpm — and Audi’s familiar Quattro all-wheel drive system. Press the throttle and you realize this car is powerful. But once the eight-speed gearbox has kicked down a few cogs, the car reveals its true “oh my god” potential.
The official 0–100 km/h time of 3.6 seconds doesn’t capture how fast this car feels. (We wouldn’t be surprised if Audi was sandbagging a little bit.) At 100 km/h, the RS6 is just getting warmed up. It feels like it could accelerate toward the horizon forever. The 4.0-litre turbocharged
V8 has a gutsy (and loudspeaker-assisted) bark that reverberates around the cavernous cabin; it sounds like revving a V8 engine inside the Sistine Chapel.
The RS6 Avant also handles with more precision than any sporty SUV out there, but with similar levels of spaciousness, comfort, and practicality. You do feel its weight, a hefty 2,250 kg, but it never gets in the car’s way. The adjustable air suspension ranges from comfortably sporty to stiff-enough- for-a-track-day. And the cabin on the RS6 is as high- tech as you’ll find in any vehicle. There’s space for children, groceries, and skis. If you’re looking for a jack of all trades, it’s hard to fault the RS6 Avant. Starting at $120,000, it’s not not expensive, but its value lies in being the only car you’ll ever need, while adding a touch of drama and excitement to every school drop-off or grocery run.
Because the market is so thoroughly dominated by SUVs, Audi isn’t likely to sell too many RS6 Avants. They’re likely to be a rare sight and should hold their value well. A future cult-classic? Maybe. Either way, we’re here for the über-wagon trend. Not only does this new generation of wagons offer
a refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous SUV, but, to put it plainly, they’re cool. They’re automotive counter-culture, and parking one in your driveway is a clear statement of impeccable taste. Long live the wagon.
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