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CAR-MAKERS are presenting a flurry of new station wagons this year despite the boom in recent years of crossover and other vehicle concepts.
Many new vehicles are in the small car sector with the MINI Clubman scheduled for launch this autumn and Peugeot announcing a successor to the 206 SW.
Skoda will shortly present a station wagon version of the new Fabia, company sources said.
Renault is also planning a five-door version of the Clio Grandtour Concept presented at the Geneva show this year.
Ready for the summer is the Golf station wagon, which Volkswagen describes as “the longest Golf ever”, measuring 4.56 metres in length. However, it is not the cheapest and not the biggest wagon in this class.
The Dacia Logan costs BD4,300 compared to the new VW Golf wagon at BD9,000 with the Logan offering the option of a third row of seats. Positioned somewhere between best-seller and discount price is Kia’s new C’eed Sporty Wagon first presented in Geneva. It measures 4.50 metres and has a storage volume of 534 litres.
Chevrolet is planning the retro-look HHR station wagon for the second half of 2007.
But most station wagons will remain in the medium class, according to car market analyst Nick Margetts, because they are popular as company cars. “Many company car regulations exclude vans and heavy SUVs which leaves the station wagon as the only spacious vehicle,” Margetts says.
According to Christoph Stuermer of the Global Insight market research organisation, station wagons already have a market share of 50 per cent in this vehicle segment.
Car-makers are therefore pinning their hopes on new models. The third version of Ford’s Mondeo with a maximum load volume of 1,745 litres has been eagerly awaited and production has started recently.
Ford’s subsidiary Volvo is readying the next generation of the V70 that will be available at the same time in an offroad version and four-wheel drive as an XC70. Volvo lists the luggage volume at between 575 and 1,600 litres.
Meanwhile, BMW is launching the first station wagon version of the M5. Another row of premium model station wagons are in the offing with Renault having announced the Laguna Grandtour, Mazda the successor to the Mazda6 and Mercedes to show the T-Model of the new C-Class.
Cadillac will also present for the first time in its company history a station wagon, the BLS Wagon.
