Years produced: 1981-2003Original starting price: $5,158 Ford flopped with its first small car, the Pinto — which would explode in crashes. [66], Saab began producing station wagons in 1959, in the form of the Saab 95 two-door wagon, which was based on the Saab 93 sedan. But the Sable wagon seemed as ubiquitous as the Taurus version, and benefited from a V6 engine for hauling all 16 feet of families and their groceries, sports equipment, camping gear, and other items. The Type 3's rear-engine layout was retained for the station wagon models, but the engine profile was flattened, resulting in a small car offering interior room, as well as trunk space in the front. It came too late. [20], Eventually, car manufacturers began producing their own station wagon designs. The Chevy traverse, Buick traverse equivalent, Dodge Durango, and several other cars are really just rounded off station wagons with extra clearance. Jeep actually had to use a three-tone paint job to simulate the “woody” look, and that vehicle's faux wood grain, tailgate, and vast cargo space set the tone for all wagons to come. A two-door wagon at a time when that just didn't happen, the Commuter gave buyers a Lincoln V8 engine at a deep discount from the Lincoln brand. The Ford Country Squire is a model that was easily recognized by its simulated wood trim[47][48] and the "Squire" trim level was an available option in a few different Ford model ranges, including the Falcon Squire, Fairlane Squire, and in the 1970s the Pinto Squire. These wooden-bodied cars, produced until the 1960s, were amongst the most expensive vehicles at the time. Chevrolet Impala. Years produced: 1975-93Original starting price: $5,795 At this point in Volvo's history, people drove them primarily for their safety. The Roadmaster wagon can seat eight people: three in the front on the bench seat, three in the middle row, and two in the rear-facing jump seats in the trunk area, a feature stolen directly from family wagons of … Some station wagons were closely derived from existing commercial van models, such as the Austin A30/35 Countryman and the Hillman Husky. Elon Musk's Tesla Motors threw a swanky party this weekend to show off the upcoming Model S electric sedan, promising to build a version that could beat a Porsche 911 to 60 mph. In 1983, station wagons represented 15% of the passenger car market,[70] reflecting a trend throughout Europe of increasing popularity through the 1980s, with the vehicles becoming less cargo-oriented. The first Japanese station wagon was the 1969 Isuzu Bellel four-door wagon, based on a compact sedan chassis. Facing benches exposed you to parental supervision, via Dad and the mirror, or Mom rotated in the front seat. The 'Familiale' version had a front bench seat, a forward-facing three-space bench seat in the middle, and a folding forward-facing three-seat bench in the rear, providing a versatile nine-seat car. [21][34] While the K platform was also used for station wagon models (such as the Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries), the minivan would soon eclipse them in popularity. Imported station wagons, despite remaining popular in other countries,[37] struggled in the United States. A variety of other designs have been employed in the past. Now considered nearly indestructible, the 300TD has strong resale value among those who remember when wagons could be status symbols. The FD- and FE-Series Vauxhall Victors, built between 1966 and 1978, were very large cars by British standards and featured station wagon models in the style of an American station wagon with front and rear bench seats and large-capacity petrol engines. Based on a European model, the Escort was Ford's first front-wheel-drive model and its biggest step away from muscle cars as well as the undersized Fiesta. The Star Chief, Astre, Bonneville, Catalina, Executive, Grand Ville, LeMans, Parisienne, 6000, Sunbird, and Tempest all got the Safari tag as wagons, but the Grand Safari built on the Bonneville and Grand Ville body was the most impressive — more than 19 feet long, with 5.5 feet of interior space from side to side, and weighing nearly 5,300 pounds at its peak, which would become its greatest drawback. [65] The Duett two-door wagon was conceived as a dual-function delivery van and people-carrier, and is based on the chassis of the PV444 and PV544 sedans. “I loved rear-facing seats,” Kaufman says. Though the wagon version was somewhat rare, it was available through the entire run and was a thrill for kids, parents, and grandparents alike. They were originally called "depot hacks" because they worked around train depots as hacks (short for hackney carriage, as taxicabs were then known). Raising the manual gate required a 5 lb pull via a handhold integral to the top edge of the retractable gate. The commercial vehicle status was also reflected on those vehicles' registrations For example, there were special "Suburban" license plates in Pennsylvania used well into the 1960s, long after station wagons became car-based. The 900 Series ended production in 1998 and its successor (the Volvo S80) did not include any wagon models. Chrysler's 1957 models had a roof too low to permit a forward-facing seat in the cargo area,[citation needed] so a rear-facing seat was used for the third row. But kids of its era are more likely to remember it for side-facing seats, a magnetic checkerboard, optional CB radio, and hidden rear cargo compartment. Ford and Holden produced wagon models based on each generation of their large sedan platforms until 2010. Some larger station wagon models are available with a third row of seats, such as the rear-facing jump seat for two passengers in the cargo area of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon.[62]. Through the early 1960s, many nine-passenger wagons had a third row that faced forward, accessible through the rear side doors, like the Mercury Colony Park's "Stow-Away" seat and that in the new skylight-equipped 1964 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. The trend since the 1980s for smaller station wagon bodies has limited the seating to two rows, resulting in a total capacity of five people, or six people if a bench front seat is used. Buyers approved, and none of Dodge's other muscle cars matched the sales of this beast. Years produced: 1985-2016Original starting price: $21,340, $30,984 and $28,285 Most other automakers would take a successful vehicle brand and stick with it for decades at a time. 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