If you need a vehicle for moving luggage, people or pets in comfort and at pace, then you’re probably shopping for a fast SUV, like the Mercedes-Benz GLC 63 AMG, Audi SQ5, or BMW X3 M to name a few. But we wouldn’t even look twice at these two-tonne bruisers when there were so many incredible fast estates built during the early 2000s, capable of hauling just as much as a sporty SUV, while looking so much cooler in the process. Here are 8 of our favourite examples of the fast, modern classic estate.
Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon GTA
Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2001, the Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon GTA combined Walter de Silva’s gorgeous estate bodywork with the legendary 3.2-litre Busso V6 in a front-engined, front-wheel drive wagon for the ages. Hand assembled and boasting 247 horsepower, it’s believed that only around 1,673 units of these incredible Italian super estates were ever built, making them one of the rarest models on this list. Despite that, these awesome Alfas can still be had for a relative bargain, so don’t hesitate if you find a good example for sale!
Alpina B5 Biturbo (F11)
With hindsight, we can now safely say the F11-generation 5 Series Touring was one of the most handsome iterations of BMW’s big luxury estate, but if we were going to buy one, we would get if from Alpina instead. Based on the 550i Touring, Alpina added their signature multispoke wheels, gorgeous pinstriping, and modified the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 to produce a highly respectable 500 horsepower, with up to 533 horsepower available on the facelifted model. Combined with a luxurious Alpina-specific interior, and you have perhaps the ultimate Bavarian barge.
Audi S6 Avant (C6)
Who needs the brash full-fat Audi RS6 when for the C6 generation, the more reserved S6 still packed a whopping 430 horsepower, 5.2-litre V10? Unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, the C6 S6 instantly became one of the greatest sleepers in Audi’s history, capable of hitting 60 mph in just over 5 seconds before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Sure, that V10 will never be easy on the wallet to maintain, but it’s surely worth it for that V10 exhaust note.
Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon
Only available for the second generation of the Cadillac CTS, the CTS-V Sport Wagon was introduced at the New York International Auto Show in 2010. Offered with an automatic transmission or the obvious choice of a six-speed manual, this CTS-V Sport Wagon packed a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine, good for 556 horsepower and 4.1 second 0-60 mph time in a manual-equipped car. It even boasts the accolade of being the least efficient small station wagon on sale in the United States in 2014, which is certainly endearing in our book.
Jaguar XF S Sportbrake (X260)
Jaguar almost didn’t build an estate version of the final-generation XF S, but thank goodness they did, because there certainly will never be another supercharged 3.0-litre V6-powered Jaguar wagon. Sending 380 horsepower to all four wheels via ZF’s 8-speed automatic transmission, these Ian Callum-designed big cats were fast, handsome, and are now, unfortunately, extinct.
Mercedes-Benz E 500 (S212)
The Thomas Stopka-designed S212 generation E-Class looks better with every passing year, but if you want speed and subtlety from this era of Mercedes estate, don’t go for the ballistic E63, get the 5.4-litre V8-powered E 500 instead. Sure the E63 sounds like Thor’s hammer and goes like a scalded rat, but the E 500 is almost as fast with 383 horsepower on tap and looks far more subtle parked outside the grocery store.
Volkswagen Passat R36 (B6)
If flying under the radar is your idea of a good time, then the Passat R36 is up there with the greatest sleeper estates ever to emerge from Germany. Powered by a bored and stroked 3.6-litre version of the R32 Golf’s V6, the Passat R36 produced a considerable 296 horsepower and could hit 62 mph in just 5.8 seconds. However, the best aspect of these VW wagons is their subtlety, with little more than a chrome grille and a slightly altered bodykit hinting at the R36’s beefier heart.
Volvo 850 R
This is as close to a touring car with number plates that you’ll find on the list. Introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the limited-run T-R5 and available for a limited time with a heavy duty manual transmission, the 850 R produced 247 horsepower from a 2.3-litre turbocharged 5-cylinder engine. Despite being the marque of choice for pensioners across the globe, the 850 R rejected Volvo’s brand identity with a square-jawed bodykit, a rear spoiler, and bigger wheels, and for that we love it!
