The station wagon seems to have all but disappeared.
Apparently, these practical cars have morphed into the current crop of tall CUVs.
In my opinion, the last ‘real’ wagon was Volvo’s V70, and that car went away in 2010. Volvo also offered their V50, a smaller wagon, up until 2011.
Happily, however, Volvo is returning to the wagon market, and Calgary got its first peek at the V60 Sportswagon last week at Valentine Volvo.
“The V60 is a nice alternative to the crossovers,” says Christopher Sage, Valentine Volvo general manager. “Some of our customers just didn’t want the bigger XC70 (wagon-based all-wheel drive), or the taller XC60.”
The V60 joins Volvo’s other 60-series cars, namely the S60 sedan and the XC60 crossover.
The V60 offers a mix of comfort, practicality and performance.
Jenn Pierce,
According to Volvo, the V60 was designed to deceive. Their website states: “The V60’s silhouette is a visual reminder that this is no ordinary estate – it is a wagon with a coupé-like appearance.”
Sage says the V60 offers a mix of comfort, practicality and performance.
“It will please the sport crowd, because it drives like a sports car with a great degree of practicality,” he explains.
Currently the V60 is available with the five-cylinder T5 engine, or the T6 six-cylinder. Both are turbocharged. Volvo has also answered calls for the return of the super sports R-car with the V60 R-Design. With a few software tweaks from Polestar Performance, Volvo’s motorsport partner, the T6 engine in the R-Design gains 25 horsepower to make 325 h.p. total and an extra 29 lb.-ft. of torque for 354 lb.-ft.
Pricing for the V60 was announced in January, and the V60 T5 AWD (250 h.p.) has an MSRP of $41,800. The V60 T6 AWD (300 h.p.) is listed at $46,050 and the V60 R-Design costs $50,950.
Sage says, “The R-Design is certainly an exciting car to drive.”
* * *
Psst.
I’m going to let you in on a secret.
It’s no mystery that Calgary’s International Auto & Truck Show is just around the corner. From March 12 to 16 at the BMO Centre at Stampede Park every major automaker will have their newest offerings on display.
However – and here’s the secret – one of the best ways to see the latest iron is to attend the 15 th annual Vehicles and Violins event on the evening of March 11.
Prairie Mountain Fiddlers artistic director Roxanne Young was among the performers at last year’s An Evening of Vehicles and Violins, the pre-cursor to the Calgary International Auto and Truck show.
Bill Brooks,
Hosted by the Calgary Motor Dealers Association, both the car show and Vehicles and Violins are major fundraisers. Approximately 85 per cent of the show revenue goes to charity, while everything raised during Vehicles and Violins goes directly back into the community.
“In the 14 years we’ve held Vehicles and Violins we’ve raised in excess of $2.5 million,” says CMDA executive manager Jim Gillespie. “And 100 per cent of that money has gone to Calgary and area charities.
“In fact, Vehicles and Violins has grown to the point that we can now support three charities as opposed to just two.”
Last year the event netted $375,000, and three charities were each given $125,000. In 2014, the three groups to benefit from Vehicles and Violins include the Canadian Cancer Society, Inn from the Cold and Kidsport.
During Vehicles and Violins attendees get unfettered access to almost every vehicle in the show halls, all while enjoying international cuisine, fine beverages, and, of course, as the name implies, great music. More than 50 musicians from the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra are spread throughout the venue, some soloists and others in small groups. They provide a soundtrack for the evening.
“It’s a unique event and you’re supporting local charities,” Gillespie says of Vehicles and Violins. “The cuisine is unbeatable, the live auction is a lot of fun, it’s a great night to get out and socialize, and the cars are the stars of the evening.”
Tickets are $150 each. To attend, call 403-974-0707 or send an email to cmda@telus.net
