Everything that isn't wood, glass or chrome is coated in a smooth layer of DuPont Hot Hues Revolutionary Yellow. Yes indeed the fellas at builders JK Customs did a hell of a job on this one, and it's a fine example of just how sick a grocery getter can really be.

One will be the generation three Prius, the other a Lexus

"lifestyle wagon-like vehicle based on the Prius platform and drivetrain."

Citroen CX extended, extra axle, cargo box on back. It's one monster that I covet.
The Yellow CitroCab is a CX as well, with custom interior by its owner. How can you not love a car that can hold 4 people and all their camping gear for 2 weeks - and a 4-banger to boot!

We started the day off with a right and proper declaration of wagon war. A proper recognition of our net based wagon loving forefathers at the resting, but ready for a return stationwagons.com followed as is proper when drumming up support for a cause.

Then straight to the heart of the matter, holla-holla-Hardigree served us the question of the day straight up: Are Wagons Cool? The answer: You bet you're ass they're cool.

Proving the answer that question before you commenters could even dig your teeth in was the quattro engined, all wheel drive madness inducing Riviera Wagon Master. Visions of day long four wheel burnouts in clouds of billowing tire smoke while hauling engine parts danced in our head.

Europe proved is has none of the groundless fear of wagonocity when we learned Peugeot would be bringing its 308 SW to the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. We'll be there in a little over a month to appreciate the flat loading, cargo hauling, fuel economizing goodness.

Rinspeed proved wagons can be all things to all people with the Bedouin. Not only was it a shooting brake based on the 911, but it was also a halfback convertible and sported some mini-camino action. Try doing that with your SUV (okay, we'll be fair, GM's poorly received GMC Envoy XUV pulled a simililar move, but definitely with less style).

With yesterday's longest and certainly most British exotic car entry, the Aston Martin Lagondawagon blew everybody's mind with the strategic deployment of massive V8 combined with the almost unheard of E-pillar.

Everybody needs a place to call home. If you're a madman with a wagon all your own, not needing validation from society, knowing the wagon is superior to all other forms of transport, you many want to turn your eys to the American Station Wagon Owners of America.

Connecticut, you are so small, and yet your native sons (or flannel lovin' ladies) proved to us that yes Victoria, Wagons can compete in Hoon of the Day.

The Packard Wagon showed up in all its tealy goodness and rocked hard doing it. Even afterthought, budget badge engineered, crazy colored antique wagons show superior logic. With two antenna sprouting from each fin, fans of symmetry, and reception, are guaranteed to be happy.

Oh car chases, how do we love thee? A lot, especially if they sport the low ball pyrotechnics and outhouse crushing sensibilities displayed in the Vista Cruiser Chase.

Rekindling fond memories of ghost themed 80's comedy movies gone by, the ECTO-1 brought back that illustrious feeling of purpose and badass that only a Cadillac wagon can provide.

Without racing, were would we be? Still driving solid front axle T's that's where. And in that spirit, the battle of the track day wagons warms our heart and calms the sensibiliies. Something is just so right about two Japanese guys duking it out on the track in wagonified Subaru's and Mitsubishi's.

A wagon for every stage of life. We start out with Radio Flyers and end up in a hearse. The funeral wagon, if you will, comes in many varieties and always does its solemn duty, but that doesn't mean it isn't still wagon at heart - stopped or otherwise.

And finally, because there's something in our makeup which forces bad Russian jokes, the four wheel drive, Lada/AutoVaz wagon combo to end the day.

It was a great day for wagons everywhere, and we hope to bring you more maximum something days in the future, but for now, let us rest on the laurels of a fine inaugural Maximum Wagon Day.

Clearly, the Russians understand the spirit of Maximum Wagon Day.

[RuAuto.NNM]

As they say in Grand Rapids, MI, these wagons that presage the worms crawling in are "funeral coaches." We owe the good folks at Bennett Funeral Coaches a Maximum Wagon Day tip of the black cap for their extensive hearse gallery. And possible Jalop-props for creating something called the "floral coach," a custom hearse designed to carry both flowers and casket that suggests to us nothing less than a hearsamino.

[Best Motoring via YouTube]

In 1958, just 158 of the wagons were produced making the remaining ones some of the most collectible Packards/Studebakers. We once called this car uglier than the Aztek, but it has a certain niche appeal. [The Studebaker Page]

This was put together by Roos Engineering, which is also responsible for the less impressive but probably more reliable Virage Wagon. Dare to dream, kids. Dare to dream. [Pestalozzi.net]

Rinspeed Bedouin - Oriental Quick-Change Artist - Rinspeed Bedouin

Rinspeed Bedouin.

At the push of a button the Rinspeed Bedouin can be transformed from a roomy two-seater pick-up into a sporty yet spacious four-seater wagon sporting the trendy 'allroad' look - in less than ten seconds. With its high roofline the Bedouin also offers lots of room and seating comfort for rear-seat passengers. Even more, the increase of interior space can be used as an enclosed cargo bed by folding down the backrest of the rear seats.

"With the Rinspeed Bedouin we wanted to show that there's lots of untapped creative potential regarding multi-purpose vehicles," says Frank M. Rinderknecht (47), C.E.O. of Rinspeed AG. "From our point of view MPVs can contribute to the preservation of the world's resources since they're capable of taking on many of the specialized uses of second or third cars. And they can adapt to the specific transportation needs at hand within seconds."

The transformation trick

The almost magical transformation sequence is started by two electric motors that drive jackscrews to lift the entire roof of the vehicle. The front part of the roof then folds and in effect becomes the tailgate window while the rear part of the roof turns into the cargo bed. The tailgate is also electrically powered and can be lowered to extend the bed by another 45 centimeters to an overall length of 185 centimeters. The bed can be used to transport bulky cargo and serves as a modern tent replacement and romantic bunk for leisurely rests.

To comply with highest safety standards the entire mechanism is fitted with redundant self-locking safeties and for maximum effect is operated with a remote control.

The fastest natural gas vehicle in the world

The Rinspeed Bedouin is powered by a future-oriented environment-friendly twin-turbo engine running on natural gas. Natural gas is an extremely clean-burning fuel that consists almost entirely of methane and contains almost no sulfur.

Protecting the environment does not preclude driving fun: The four-valve engine is from Porsche and produces 420 hp / 309 kW at 6,000 rpm. It delivers its impressive maximum torque of 560 Nm at just 2,700 rpm. Performance is accordingly proud: The 1,640-kg Bedouin accelerates in roughly 5.9 seconds to 100 km/h and reaches an electronically and mechanically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Sporty thoughts ...

The sporty lines of the Bedouin attract attention even at first glance. It is a little reminiscent of the Porsche 911, type 996 Carrera, from which it takes the 4x4 platform. In keeping with the English tradition of the 'shooting break,' the sporty wagon of the affluent hunter, the roofline exhibits a dynamic swing that gradually flattens out toward the rear. The wide rear fenders and their striking air inlets exude raw power. The large air inlets in the front provide ample cooling air and also contribute to the powerful appearance of the Bedouin.

A sporty stainless-steel exhaust from Remus with milled all-aluminum tailpipes provides the adequate sound and gives the rear a unique and dynamic look.

The elaborate roof design made from aluminum profiles is witness to the engineering prowess of Rinspeed. The entire mechanism for operating the roof is hidden from view behind the sidewalls. Green-tinted Folia Tec glass in the roof louvers creates a bright and cozy ambiance even when the roof is closed.

Thanks to a sporty yet comfortable custom Eibach suspension, the body of the Bedouin sits about 15 centimeters higher than that of the Porsche equivalent. The suspension, which features adjustable ride height and firmness, offers a perfect synthesis of ride comfort and sporty handling.

The rearview mirrors as well as the front and rear bumpers are painted with sparkling crystal paint from Swarovski, which also contributed the fully crystal hood emblem and the rear badge featuring SDS technology.

In the Bedouin even the taillights look forward - into the future. In.pro. custom-developed chrome-plated LED taillights for the Bedouin, which not only initiate a new design trend but also offer increased traffic safety due to their exceptionally fast reaction time.

The entire body of the Bedouin is made up of Pre-Preg composite, a state-of-the-art plastic rarely used in automotive production. It combines a low specific weight with extraordinarily high strength.

Crystal worlds of leather

The Bedouin shows its proud heritage in the interior, too. Most of the interior of the Bedouin was retained from the Porsche 996 Carrera and was custom-upholstered with exquisite "Poltrona-Frau leather" from X-Mobil. The brown hue of the color "Cotto" harmonizes perfectly with the exterior color, which changes from slightly green to copper.

The Rinspeed designers also broke new ground in the selection of materials. In a partnership with the world-leading manufacturer of crystal glass Swarovski they created ultra-modern and visionary new interior elements. The hand-covered door panels shine in soft hues of brown and white. The gearshift-lever grip is made from solid crystal with a shift pattern embedded using endographics. Lasers were used to imprint the leather seats with Rinspeed logos, which were then in turn covered with crystals.

A seven-inch color LCD monitor folds down from a recessed position in the roofliner. It can display the signal from the rearview camera for the driver or entertain the passenger with the program of an integrated DVD player. The system was developed Blaupunkt and also allows connecting an external programming source such as a Sony Playstation.

Well shod

The Rinspeed Bedouin runs on voluminous fully off-road capable 18-inch Continental SportContact 4x4-tires in sizes 255/55 in front and 285/50 in the rear. The Continental tires combine environment-friendly design, exceptional off-road capabilities and excellent grip on road surfaces. The tires are mounted on two-piece Rinspeed aluminum wheels (8.5x18" Rim Offset 40 mm front, 10x18" Rim Offset 52 mm rear) custom-made by ATP.

The installed progressive-rate Wandfluh steering contributes greatly to the cat-like agility of the Bedouin. A mere half a turn of the steering wheel separates the full left from the full right position. This steering system makes fast steering-angle changes child play without compromising directional stability.

Peugeot 308 SW Press Release

This year's Geneva Motor Show will be the stage for Peugeot to unveil the new, innovative and practical 308 SW, which will replace the 307 SW.
Launched in April 2002, the Peugeot 307 SW offered a stylish and innovative alternative for customers who, for practical reasons, found that a hatchback vehicle lacked the flexibility and size they required and were uninspired by the design of conventional estate cars and medium size MPVs. Since its launch in the UK, the 307 SW has sold over 40,000 vehicles.

Like the 308 hatchback, the 308 SW builds on the strengths of its predecessor but develops them even further. For example, the panoramic glass roof is now 27% larger (total area of 1.68 m2) and extends beyond the heads of the second row passengers, the modularity is easier to operate and improved and it now has a very practical opening rear tailgate glass.

A lot of attention has also been paid to the modularity of the 308 SW so that it can be adapted simply and efficiently, according to the requirements of its occupants. The rear seats in the second row are all individual, easy to remove, identical in size and offer a multitude of combinations.

To enable seven occupants to be carried, two occasional rear seats can be fitted in the third row.

Access to the rear load area is either via the rear tailgate or the opening rear tailgate glass. With the second row seats in place it can accommodate up to 674 litres (573 dm3 VDA) under the rear load cover. With the seats removed it provides a total volume of 2,149 litres up to the level of the roof (1,736 dm3 VDA).

The 308 SW is based on platform 2 of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group and compared to the hatchback, the wheelbase of the 308 SW has been increased by 100 mm and the rear overhang by 124 mm.

With regards to secondary safety, the structure (thanks in particular to the presence of three impact absorption beams) has been designed to provide optimal protection, combined with the ability to absorb the maximum amount of impact energy in a controlled manner. In addition, the SW can be equipped with up to seven airbags, including a steering column airbag.

The 308 SW is available with a wide choice of modern, high performance, economical and environmentally-friendly powertrains.

The use of the latest technology in both the petrol and diesel engines, combined with the car's efficient aerodynamics, weight saving measures and the use of Michelin Energy Saver tyres, reduces the fuel consumption, compared to the 307 SW, by up to 10% .

With regards to road holding, the suspension set-up and wheel size options have been borrowed from the 308 hatchback but revised to meet the special requirements of the SW version.

The 308 SW range will go on sale in the UK in June and more information concerning specification and prices will be announced nearer the launch date.

[Source: Peugeot via World Car Fans]

"With the tire improvements brought on by M&H, we could use more horsepower, and using two motors was one of the ways to get it. I saw Howard's 'Twin Bear' at Bakersfield in '59 and decided that a side-by-side combination would transfer more of the car's static weight on the rear tires rather than a tandem design. But I did it differently. Howard had simply turned one engine around. I reversed the engine's rotation and ran it backwards. We simply meshed double-wide starter gears on the flywheels together and use a multi-disc clutch to directly drive the car through an offset third member. The engines would torque 'outside-in' so the car would go up and down when I cracked the throttle and not torque steer when I lifted. Better yet, it ran nine-flat the first time out and then became the first gas-burning dragster to run in the eights—and the first to run 170, then 180 on gas. Best of all it handled great and was nearly bulletproof."

In addition to being an issue of generation and geography, it's a matter of taste: Misha Barton or Beyonce. Personally, we'll take Beyonce. Do you like junk in the trunk? Are wagons cool? We're not just looking for a simple yes or no. We want proof. We want evidence.

Our Proof? RS2 Avant.

We're thinking about what it takes to run a site nowadays and webmaster Steve Manning had to be a serious web ninja at that time to dig up all-wagon all-the-time coverage. Sure a lot of their links have long since gone cold, but there is still some solid gold in there, 1959 Chevy wagon on a boat anyone? Like super tipster (is that like a superdelegate?) Mad_Science, we think there's great potential here. We envision daily rants about the superiority of wagons to all manner of crossover and SUV. Amusing postings about crude and strangely engineered Soviet-era wagons. Station wagons with monster truck tires or horribly dilapidated ones proposed as project cars, wagons covered in neon lights and chrome... wait a minute.