I have a question for you. When you think of station wagons, what comes to mind? Mostly likely, it is your mom and dad's wood-grained car that took you to soccer and baseball games. Well folks, get ready for your vision of the family wagon to be shattered. No, seriously! The wagon above is what the much loved high performance G8 would have looked like as a functional station wagon. Today's wagons are not only sporty, but they are a more fuel efficient way to carry your children, the dog, and all of your stuff.
In a world where fuel costs are as unstable as the Pacific plate, wagons are a good choice for carrying people and cargo. Today's wagons are not the stodgy, floaty barges of our youth. Most are fast, handle well, and do so with greater fuel savings to any SUV or crossover vehicle. Wagons are based on cars instead of trucks so they are lighter. Wagons can come equipped with all wheel drive is you so choose, and again, provide four wheel propulsion with better fuel efficiency. Wagons are also arguably safer due to their better handling ability and lesser-likeliness to turning turtle during evasive maneuvers at freeway speeds.
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| 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Source: Autoblog |
More wagons need to be brought to the retail market by all manufacturers. General Motors took a risk and released the first regular production Cadillac wagon ever: the beautiful CTS. Available in rear wheel drive or all wheel drive, the CTS caters to those who like the idea of having utility without the added height and fuel economy of a crossover or SUV. GM then followed up the CTS with the monstrously absurd CTS-V wagon (read: I want one!). Imagine a 556 horsepower brute of a station wagon that handles the Nurnburgring comparable to sports cars that cost twice as much. Of course, all of this performance comes at a price few can afford. The base price for a CTS-V is $63,660 and fully equipped at $72,320.
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| Buick LaCrosse Wagon (digital image) |
In the near future, General Motors can have several more affordable wagons to offer the public. Buick, for example, is one of the fastest growing brands in the auto industry right now. The only crossover that Buick currently offers is the large Enclave. The LaCrosse and Regal have recently been resigned and have been well received with consumers and the automotive media. Wagon version of the LaCrosse and Regal would add sales to each nameplate and offer buyers a more efficient alternative to crossovers and SUV's. Both the LaCrosse and Regal ride on GM's mid-size Epsilon II architecture that is suitable for both front wheel drive and all wheel drive configurations. Currently, only the LaCrosse offers an all wheel drive option. That option is expected to arrive on the Regal, possibly in 2013. The LaCrosse wagon would offer buyers a near luxury wagon and give Buick a leg up on archrival Lexus that does not offer a luxury wagon of any type. It would be offered with two powertrains. The new for 2012 eAssist direct injected 2.4 liter I-4 engine with a six speed automatic transmission. Currently, the 2012 eAssist sedan is EPA estimated at 25 mpg city/37 mpg highway. The wagon would add weight but would only decrease mileage to an estimated 24 city/36 highway. There are currently no large wagons on the market that achieves such lofty fuel economy numbers. The top engine would be a no cost option LFX DI 3.6 liter V-6 engine with 6 speed automatic that produces 303 hp and 264 lb. feet of torque. The V-6 model could be had with either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. The mileage with the V-6 would be around 18 city/27 highway for the front wheel drive model and 17 city/25 highway with the all wheel drive option. Estimated base price for the LaCrosse would be slightly more than the sedan, around $30,000 to $31,500 for an all wheel drive V-6 model. Loaded models could reach $40,000.
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| Buick Regal Turbo Wagon Source: Autoblog |
The Regal Wagon would be positioned below the LaCrosse as the entry level midsize Buick. The Regal wagon would be offered with the base DI 2.4 liter I-4 engine with or without the eAssist mild hybrid option, both with 182 hp. The optional engine would be the existing turbo DI 2.0 liter I-4 engine with 220 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque. The top model could be the GS model with a 270 hp version of the top turbo engine. There is a version of the Regal Wagon currently on sale in the European market as the Opel Insignia. General Motors could quickly and easily give it the Buick treatment for very little development cost. In fact, there have been Buick Regal wagons spotted around Detroit for a year now wearing "X" badging, denoting all wheel drive, something not currently offered on the Regal. Base pricing for a Regal Wagon would run between $28,000 to $35,000 for the high performance GS Wagon.
If the Buicks' price tags still cause you to quake in anxiety, the upcoming 2013 Malibu would make a beautiful wagon for someone who needs a value packed mid size wagon that gets good fuel economy. The Malibu is being completely redesigned for 2013 on the Epsilon II architecture and is the first Malibu to be a world car. It is the first Malibu that will be sold in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. In Europe, wagons are very popular because of their utility and efficiency. For the Malibu to be taken seriously in Europe, a wagon will be needed for improved sales. Offering a Malibu wagon worldwide will spread development costs globally while improving sales for the brand. Being on the Epsilon II platform, the wagon could be all wheel drive for wintry climates around the world. The wagon would offer the same engines and transmissions as the sedans. In North America, it would be the eAssist DI 2.4 liter I-4 with 182 hp returning 27 city/38 mpg highway. Buyers could also choose the new DI 2.5 liter I-4 with 190 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque while returning an estimated 35 mph highway. On the wish list would be a redesigned version of the current DI 3.0 liter V-6 offered in the Equinox and Terrain. Pricing would range between $24,000 and $30,000 for a loaded LTZ model.
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| Chevrolet Cruze LT Wagon (digital image) Source: Orphuschin |
For compact car buyers, Chevrolet could offer a wagon version of the wildy popular Cruze. The Cruze has been on the market since 2009 in Australia, Asia, and Europe, and 2011 in North America. Since arriving in North America, the Cruze has become the sales leader among all compact cars, and in June 2011 was the best selling car on the market and third best overall. A Cruze wagon would compete with European wagons from Ford, Opel, and Peugeot. The North American Cruze wagon would offer the same base 1.8 liter I-4 and turbocharged 1.4 liter I-4 of the current sedan models, but also add the upcoming turbodiesel 2.0 liter I-4 that is coming for 2013. The upcoming turbodiesel is expected to get 50 mpg highway. The current Delta platform is not compatible with all wheel drive powertrains. All current generation Cruze wagons would be front wheel drive. Pricing in North America would fall between $18,500 and $28,500. Because wagons of this size sell very well in Europe, designed a Cruze wagon would be a good way to increase global sales of the model and help GM improve their reputation for building premium small cars.
The future of wagons could be bright. If General Motors would introduce the models above, the station wagon could again be the choice of families who want all the functionality of an SUV with the fuel economy and sportiness that today's cars offer.
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