Buy/Drive/Burn: European Luxury Wagons in 2020
Checking through the Buy/Drive/Burn archives, we’ve considered three sets of wagons previously: American wagons of the Seventies, Japanese wagons of the Nineties, and European wagons of 2004.
But Americans have more European luxury wagon choices in this, the Awesome Year of 2020 than in the decade and a half prior. So let’s revisit the discussion.
New to North America for the 2020 model year, the A6 allroad returned after a 15-year absence. Formerly called allroad Quattro, that cladded wagon departed after 2005 in North America. In basic Premium Plus trim, the new allroad starts at $65,900 (today’s choice), and can quickly escalate to over $80,000 if option boxes are checked. Power is always the same: A 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, which routes 335 horses and 369 torques through the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is found on all examples. To make it look more wagony, certain colors allow the customer to match the allroad’s cladding to the paint color.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
The Sportbrake version of Jaguar’s XF has been available in the US since 2018. Not a quick seller, I saw one for the first time two weeks ago (in white). Prices for the base Prestige trim start at $65,150, and the more powerful and sports-oriented S begins at $71,800. In base trim, the P300 version of the XF uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four from the Ingenium engine line. It produces 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, for a o-60 time of 5.7 seconds. An upgrade to the S trim is required for supercharged V6 power, but that’s out of budget today. All models are automatic and use an eight-speed ZF unit.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon All-Terrain
The last of today’s trio is the most well-known and is the perennial choice for well-heeled American wagon customers. New for 2016, the E-Class Wagon is available in two trims for North America: An E450 4MATIC for $66,100, or the ridiculous AMG E63 for $111,750. Sticking with the roughly $65,000 price point, the E450 includes a 3.0-liter inline-six engine with turbocharging and “EQ Boost” technology for additional electric torque. 362 horsepower is on offer, shifted through a nine-speed automatic. For the first time, the E-Class Wagon takes a page from Audi’s book and becomes the All-Terrain. Cladding is required, giving the wagon a sort of Buick Regal TourX look. It cannot be matched to the paint, no matter how many options you select.
Three exclusive wagons, two cladded, and one of which your author has actually seen in real life. Which is worth your dollars?
[Images: Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar]
Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.
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In the UK this would have been simple a week ago: -Buy the Mercedes -Drive the Mercedes - Burn the Jaguar and Audi This week it’s more complicated. The Jaguar has had a massive interior overhaul and comes with JLR new Privilege Pro infotainment system. So now I’d - Buy the Mercedes (probably) - Drive the Jaguar - Burn the Audi But it’s a close run thing between the Jaguar and the Mercedes. The Jaguar has always been the drivers car of the three but the interior was a massive let down. But not anymore. Interestingly Jaguar Land Rovers warranty claims have dropped significantly (in percentage terms) over the last 12 months. A large part of that is down to their new Privi Pro system. So now maybe the time to buy one
That is one Fugly gaping maw on the A6 ... unfortunately. Miss my old one, sort of.