Could Wagons Finally Make a Comeback? — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 222

The last few years have been a rollercoaster for wagon fans in the US and around the world - we’ve gained some and lost many more. But could the tides be changing? Tailgates opening to new beginnings? We dive into the origins of the station wagon to find out... === Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote! === Both fans of the station wagon, Jason and Derek discuss their personal origin stories with wagons. Jason’s begins with a 1975 Chevrolet Impala Wagon that he grew up in the back of - which spurs a conversation around 1970s and 80s American station wagons from the GM clamshell tailgate, the Buick Estate Wagon and Roadmaster, to the rare Cadillac Castilian. Derek discusses growing up in the ‘90s (1890s, of course) - while his family cars were convertibles and sedans, the school run was enveloped in Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable wagons, Volvo 240 and 740, Mercedes 300TE and E320, E34 BMW 5 series, and Audi 5000 and 200 Avants. Exploring how many consider wagons to be uncool or frumpy, he explores the advent of new at the time SUV offerings starting in the same time period, like the Ford Explorer and Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee. Jason and Derek then explore what has become of the wagon market and why- noting the recent departure of the Volvo V90 and V60. Many wagons have inflated greatly in cost, ending up under or over-contented due to lower demand and cost of federalization - a trend explored via the Acura TSX Wagon and Jaguar XF Sportbrake. The classification of wagons has also changed over the years, now grouping CUVs like the new Subaru Outback and Buick Envista that have no business being classified as a wagon. Favorite niche wagons are also discussed, like the Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion 6 Speed, the euro-only Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG, and modified variants of BMW wagons like the E46 Touring with ZHP drivetrain. All this and more, on this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices