Anyone know this car?

[Bobby Dazzler]

I reckon once you've owned an estate it would be hard to go back. The space is for ever coming in useful and I think they look awesome too. As people have said, the juxtaposition of a practical estate and crazy amg engine is a beautiful thing.

Some people just mesh with a body style like some do with brands. SUV drivers seem to go from one to the next too, once they’ve had one it’s difficult to go back.

Auto gearboxes are a bit like that too. Our neighbours were adamant they wouldn’t like an auto, but tried one of ours, and now they’ve replaced all their cars with autos.

I’ve only owned one estate. It was likely to be the only Audi I’ll own, so for me it “had” to be an Avant. My wife really didn’t approve of it being either an Audi or estate though!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Some people just mesh with a body style like some do with brands. SUV drivers seem to go from one to the next too, once they’ve had one it’s difficult to go back.

Auto gearboxes are a bit like that too. Our neighbours were adamant they wouldn’t like an auto, but tried one of ours, and now they’ve replaced all their cars with autos.

I’ve only owned one estate. It was likely to be the only Audi I’ll own, so for me it “had” to be an Avant. My wife really didn’t approve of it being either an Audi or estate though!

My wife and I have both had lots of ML/GLE though, the combination of subtle Mercedes looks, stonking AMG engines, outrageous performance, sensible practicality, excellent driving position, better than most in difficult conditions, and the ability to tow make them perfect for us …but awful for others!

 

[sgregory124]

To me its just the heavy clumsy look of them....

Here's one of those "Heavy", "Clumsy" looking estate cars:

Anyway, let me correct your previous statements for you:

"Fast"
"Spacious"
"Desirable"
"Road presence"
"Hugely capable (in all weathers)"
"Fast"

 

[ALFAitalia]

I give you that.....that's a good looking car,.....but Id still have a saloon! Problem with that more aero styled estates like that is that (until you fold the seats down) they often have LESS boot space than the saloon version due to the flat floor. A big dog gets next to no headroom either. Merc estate look way more practical if that's your thing.

 

[Rich764089]

I give you that.....that's a good looking car,.....but Id still have a saloon! Problem with that more aero styled estates like that is that (until you fold the seats down) they often have LESS boot space than the saloon version due to the flat floor. A big dog gets next to no headroom either. Merc estate look way more practical if that's your thing.

Yep, Audi Avants have never been able to compete with Mercedes estates for boot space!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Here's one of those "Heavy", "Clumsy" looking estate cars:
View attachment 125047
Anyway, let me correct your previous statements for you:

"Fast"
"Spacious"
"Desirable"
"Road presence"
"Hugely capable (in all weathers)"
"Fast"

I bet the Predator drives one just like that when he’s on planet Earth! Bad to the bone.

 

[sgregory124]

Yep, Audi Avants have never been able to compete with Mercedes estates for boot space!

To be fair, the A6 Avant had more than enough space for 95% of people - I think the main issue with them is the boot aperture shape is less square than a Mere estate of the same ilk - leading to less available space.

 

[Rich764089]

Yeah

To be fair, the A6 Avant had more than enough space for 95% of people - I think the main issue with them is the boot aperture shape is less square than a Mere estate of the same ilk - leading to less available space.

Agreed. Unfortunately I'm the 5%

 

[ALFAitalia]

To be fair, the A6 Avant had more than enough space for 95% of people - I think the main issue with them is the boot aperture shape is less square than a Mere estate of the same ilk - leading to less available space.

....and the severe roof slope stopping you putting big square item like furniture etc in there....unlike the squarer estates.

 

[c3nturi0n]

 

[badgx]

View attachment 125054

Now that's class

 

[E55BOF]

SUV drivers seem to go from one to the next too, once they’ve had one it’s difficult to go back.

Not for me it wasn't. I'd owned lots of better cars before - all estates...

I liked the driving position a lot, mind.

 

[c3nturi0n]

Not for me it wasn't. I'd owned lots of better cars before - all estates...

I liked the driving position a lot, mind.

As with everything, a choice is very subjective.

So long as you have the opportunity to choose, that's what matters.

For me (at this day/age) - we prefer SUV purely due to practicality, driving position and the visibility it offers.

However, I'm still enjoying every min of my CLS63 s/brake (up for sale if anyone is interested?). AMG driving experience coupled with estate practicality is hard to beat .

 

[E55BOF]

I know; I've had one. I like my driving licence more...

 

[davymead]

Here's one of those "Heavy", "Clumsy" looking estate cars:
View attachment 125047
Anyway, let me correct your previous statements for you:

"Fast"
"Spacious"
"Desirable"
"Road presence"
"Hugely capable (in all weathers)"
"Fast"

As soon as the conversation suggested that estate cars maybe aren’t as aesthetic, my thoughts went straight to the RS6.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Not for me it wasn't. I'd owned lots of better cars before - all estates...

I liked the driving position a lot, mind.

Like I said “perfect for us, awful for others”.

We had one estate and never went back, that doesn’t make an estate a bad car, just thatthe “right” car is different for each person, preferences and use cases differ.

Vive la difference.

 

[Londonscottish]

I give you that.....that's a good looking car,.....but Id still have a saloon! Problem with that more aero styled estates like that is that (until you fold the seats down) they often have LESS boot space than the saloon version due to the flat floor. A big dog gets next to no headroom either. Merc estate look way more practical if that's your thing.

I kind of agree with you. I went from a 2 door coupe with folding seats (amazing how much stuff I could cram in) to a 4 door saloon when the 1st kid came along (ditto) then onto an estate and then a larger one (wanted the self-levelling) and then a newer version of that (with a bigger V8).

Whenever I start thinking about what the "best E Class would be for me if I could have the same or more power but didn't need the space" I'd go back to a 4 door saloon and, if possible, a 2 door coupe (if they actually existed). Why? Less weight, more rigidity, better handling.

The compromise I settled on (in my head) was a CLS63 (with folding seats, of course). Biturbo, please. i wouldn't mind a CLS500 5.5 but MB stopped importing them a long time ago. The CLS is not a light car by any stretch of the imagination but it's way lighter than an SUV, lighter then the equivalent estate, it doesn't have a massive hole cut out of the back and has the lowest CoG possible.

Not for everyone, but that's where my logic takes me.

 

[BigJase88]

I honestly can't remember the last time I saw an old couple in an estate, plenty in saloons though. Makes sense as when your kids are grown up you don't need the space.

I don't mind either. I have an estate as you can't put a dog in the boot of a saloon and I'm not having that hair in the cabin. Certainly get more choice of models with a saloon.

Im 33 with an estate

I love the look of an estate. Nothing cooler than a fast estate (mine is not fast) but something like an M5 estate / E63 Estate / RS6 Estate is just so cool

I always feel the estates look better than their saloon cousins. Just personal opinion

Also I chose the estate as i have a young family and did not want a cliche SUV. Do not like SUV's for that reason

 

[Londonscottish]

I honestly can't remember the last time I saw an old couple in an estate, plenty in saloons though. Makes sense as when your kids are grown up you don't need the space.

I don't mind either. I have an estate as you can't put a dog in the boot of a saloon and I'm not having that hair in the cabin. Certainly get more choice of models with a saloon.

I'm 58 in the summer and have an estate. I'll be driving my wife + 2 teenagers down to Bordeaux again in August. I'll either take my bikes down on the roof or just use what's there/hire them. E Class estates just smash that sort of trip.

Also, we've done 4 houses renovations since I bought my first estate and they've been enormously useful for that. It's like having a van at your disposal. With a V8

And just when I'm ready to hang up my estate boots and go back to a saloon I find I'm going on another European tour. And suddenly my wife is talking about getting a second home somewhere in the UK now. So I guess I'll stick with it.

Where I live, I can walk round the corner and get a ZipVan but I find I only ever do that when I'm buying some seriously large piece of furniture. Which is once in a blue moon.

 

[Steve84N]

58 isn't that old.

Some cars I prefer the saloon, some I prefer the estate and most I don't mind. I'd rather have something like a Gran Coupe than an SUV, they seem almost as practical as an estate if they are hatchback opening.