Random X5 shot of the day... Add yours - let's make this an ongoing thread!

[P1]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Jealous. I would love a 5series Touring here... sadly US/NAR always gets stiffed on the "cool" products.

Always makes me giggle when I read this. The US *had* the 5-series Touring, but no one bought them. There's the 3-series Touring now, and no one is buying those either. So BMW made the right decision, and stopped bringing them over here. The 3-series Touring will be pulled also.

So if you want an estate, your only option is the E-class right now.

[iconoclast]

Not " no one "... just not enough. I owned an F31, I owned B6 and B7 S4 Avant. I owned a B8 A4 Avant Prestige S-Line+ among other "hot hatch" vehicles that were plenty fun to drive and practical. I buy wagons, and highly optioned ones at that... but it seems very little find interest in these vehicles in the US/NAR. As far as the MB goes... I don't like the plain jane e-class but I am heavily considering an E63 wagon 4matic.

I believe a major part of the issue is from the lack of marketing. Most people aren't even aware a wagon/touring exist and most certainly didn't even know what the hell an S4 Avant was until they see it on the street and even then they just assumed it was a sporty A4. Market them properly and they would see better results. A performance vehicle that handles well but has the practicality of an suv without the costs or the headache of driving something that large in an urban or semi-suburban area are all bullet points worth noting and on top of it at least have one wagon in the showroom. You look at the 3series wagon and then look at the X1 or the X4 and you'll say "damn, that is one striking vehicle!" and you have more space with a better interior over the x1.

[C5 FOR]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Not " no one "... just not enough. I owned an F31, I owned B6 and B7 S4 Avant. I owned a B8 A4 Avant Prestige S-Line+ among other "hot hatch" vehicles that were plenty fun to drive and practical. I buy wagons, and highly optioned ones at that... but it seems very little find interest in these vehicles in the US/NAR. As far as the MB goes... I don't like the plain jane e-class but I am heavily considering an E63 wagon 4matic.

I believe a major part of the issue is from the lack of marketing. Most people aren't even aware a wagon/touring exist and most certainly didn't even know what the hell an S4 Avant was until they see it on the street and even then they just assumed it was a sporty A4. Market them properly and they would see better results. A performance vehicle that handles well but has the practicality of an suv without the costs or the headache of driving something that large in an urban or semi-suburban area are all bullet points worth noting and on top of it at least have one wagon in the showroom. You look at the 3series wagon and then look at the X1 or the X4 and you'll say "damn, that is one striking vehicle!" and you have more space with a better interior over the x1.

I love my 5 series Touring......

[iconoclast]

i would love it too. enjoy and good luck with it.

this just looks so damn good:

[P1]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

Not " no one "... just not enough. I owned an F31, I owned B6 and B7 S4 Avant. I owned a B8 A4 Avant Prestige S-Line+ among other "hot hatch" vehicles that were plenty fun to drive and practical. I buy wagons, and highly optioned ones at that... but it seems very little find interest in these vehicles in the US/NAR. As far as the MB goes... I don't like the plain jane e-class but I am heavily considering an E63 wagon 4matic.

I believe a major part of the issue is from the lack of marketing. Most people aren't even aware a wagon/touring exist and most certainly didn't even know what the hell an S4 Avant was until they see it on the street and even then they just assumed it was a sporty A4. Market them properly and they would see better results. A performance vehicle that handles well but has the practicality of an suv without the costs or the headache of driving something that large in an urban or semi-suburban area are all bullet points worth noting and on top of it at least have one wagon in the showroom. You look at the 3series wagon and then look at the X1 or the X4 and you'll say "damn, that is one striking vehicle!" and you have more space with a better interior over the x1.

Problem is, many Americans (outside of the enthusiasts) don't like station wagons.

[Ricsuaq]

Originally Posted by P1et

Problem is, many Americans (outside of the enthusiasts) don't like station wagons.

Once upon a time, hatchbacks weren't popular in America either. Now, I see them quite often. Hopefully the same thing will happen with station wagons.

I wonder if people don't like station wagons because it reminds them of their youth ala National Lampoon.

[iconoclast]

That was the theory put forth ages ago... The next generation was tired of the station wagons of the 70's because they did not want the vehicle their parents drove... so the birth and boom of the suv took place... now the next generation doesn't want the vehicles their parents had because they're "uncool" and wasteful... so hopefully the trend shifts back to wagons because I would love there to be more. An RS4 or RS6 Avant or B5 Alpina would probably be the perfect car for me and something I would keep for some time.

[alphaod]

I wanted a 5-series wagon but was disappointed realizing they didn't have them. Then I looked at E-Class wagon, but they only offer E350 and E63 flavors. I wanted something in between. Finally decided to get an SUV.

[WheelsBoutique]

The things I'd do to get a customer with a proper wagon and the desire for HRE's

[Deep Powder]

So this finally leads me to my first post....off topic but next week my X5 is scheduled for build and the Touring goes.....

Great thread, great pictures and great input, keep it coming.

[kanvas]

Originally Posted by Deep Powder

So this finally leads me to my first post....off topic but next week my X5 is scheduled for build and the Touring goes.....

Great thread, great pictures and great input, keep it coming.

Welcome aboard!

[Deep Powder]

Originally Posted by kanvas

Welcome aboard!

Finally! Thnx

[athanyel]

I guess I'm the odd man (kid?) out that I like SUVs way more than wagons. I don't much like being low to the ground or having to fold my rather large frame into seat of most sedans (or the wagon variants of the sedans).

[kanvas]

Originally Posted by athanyel

I guess I'm the odd man (kid?) out that I like SUVs way more than wagons. I don't much like being low to the ground or having to fold my rather large frame into seat of most sedans (or the wagon variants of the sedans).

+1 SUV lover here. I used to drive a sporty sedan so it sat lower than the base version, and I'd damage the front bumper everywhere: parking blocks, going over dips, exiting steep exits, rock chips from freeway drives, etc. With an SUV, those worries are no more.

[alphaod]

Originally Posted by athanyel

I guess I'm the odd man (kid?) out that I like SUVs way more than wagons. I don't much like being low to the ground or having to fold my rather large frame into seat of most sedans (or the wagon variants of the sedans).

My folks love SUVs. They've just about stopped buying sedans and could care less about sport cars. Just SUVs.

[Baunton]

Originally Posted by Deep Powder

So this finally leads me to my first post....off topic but next week my X5 is scheduled for build and the Touring goes.....

Great thread, great pictures and great input, keep it coming.

A Happy Swede! Welcome.

[Deep Powder]

Originally Posted by Baunton

A Happy Swede! Welcome.

Yes, for a good reason Thnx

[C5 FOR]

Originally Posted by Deep Powder

So this finally leads me to my first post....off topic but next week my X5 is scheduled for build and the Touring goes.....

Great thread, great pictures and great input, keep it coming.

Not sure that wagon/Touring/estate is clean enough......

Welcome.

On a separate note...."Wagon" is such a terrible description for an estate car, you Americans sure know how to kill a brand. A wagon is what the cowboys used to cross the prairie way back when the west was wild........

Just sayin.....

[coolidge]

Wagons have a negative image here in the USA, born of wagons like the fake wood paneled Ford type wagon of the 1970's people were embarrassed to be driving.

These camping soccer mom Kid haulers were replaced by the minivan made famous by Chrysler. They looked pretty decent and were packed to the brink with family/kid features galore, second row captains chairs, a 3rd row seat people could actually get to and sit in, sliding side doors eventually power open/close sliding side doors and rear hatches, super comfortable on long trips.

Lastly they could haul about 2 truck bed loads of gear the things were massive inside. The 2nd and 3rd row seats could be removed, and later just folded into the floor. You could haul a 4x8 foot sheet of plywood in the things.

Hence I don't think wagons will become popular here when you can still buy one of these minivans.

[WheelsBoutique]

I love the different names that automakers come up with to replace the word "wagon".

BMW - Touring
Mercedes - Estate
Audi - Avant
Saab - SportCombi
Cadillac - Sport Wagon

Am I forgetting any?

[knepsterd]

Volvo v70 Cross Country
Subaru Outback

Originally Posted by WheelsBoutique

I love the different names that automakers come up with to replace the word "wagon".

BMW - Touring
Mercedes - Estate
Audi - Avant
Saab - SportCombi
Cadillac - Sport Wagon

Am I forgetting any?

[Deep Powder]

Originally Posted by WheelsBoutique

I love the different names that automakers come up with to replace the word "wagon".

BMW - Touring
Mercedes - Estate
Audi - Avant
Saab - SportCombi
Cadillac - Sport Wagon

Am I forgetting any?

Mercedes Shooting Brake
Jaguar Sportbrake