These Wagons Keep on Rollin’
Station wagons today arent what your mother used to drive.
The Audi A3 wagon combines enough unfettered beauty and exhilarating performance to trump almost any challenge the road can throw at you. A dynamic vision, equally at home on city streets or the open road, the Audi A3 defies the rule that luxury doesn’t come in small packages. Sophisticated and practical, the A3 sports a host of innovations perfectly balanced to deliver a ride like no other. Standard features on the base model include 17″ five dome spoke cast-alloy wheels with 225/45 R17 all-season tires; six-speed manual transmission; Audi Concert II AM/FM stereo with single in-dash CD player; backlit instrument cluster with automatic brightness control including tachometer, electronic speedometer, odometer, voltmeter, digital clock with date, service interval indicator, and fuel and coolant temperature gauges; brake pad wear indicator; dual climate control air conditioning with separate driver and front passenger controls; dual-stage front airbags with occupant sensing for passenger side; electronic stabilization program; head restraints for each of the three rear seats; load-through facility including rear center armrest with beverage holder; outdoor temperature gauge; satellite radio preparation; Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering, and Sideguard head protection airbags for front and rear occupants.
The new BMW 328i sports wagon boasts a new, more powerful 3.0L 6-cylinder engine, as well as new double-pivot front suspension and 5-link rear suspension. It offers such incredible performance, it’s easy to forget it’s a wagon – until you have cargo to load. That’s when the hatch with easy access through the rear glass, split-folding rear seats, and large rear cargo area remind you that you’ve got the dynamic drive and fuel efficiency of a BMW sedan, plus the utility of a wagon. The 328i offers an almost embarrassing wealth of standard features, including dynamic stability control with dynamic traction control featuring brake drying, brake stand-by, brake fade compensation, and start-off assistant features; front and rear anti-roll bars; twin-tube gas-pressure shock absorbers; double spoke, light-alloy wheels with 205/55R-16 run flat all-season tires; rain-sensing windshield wipers with automatic headlight control; eight-way adjustable front seats; burl walnut wood trim; advanced vehicle and key memory; automatic climate control that includes micro-filter, automatic air recirculation left/right temperature control, temperature and volume-controlled rear outlets, fan, and recall of individual user settings.
The 2007 Saab 9-5 SportCombi is a station wagon in wolf’s clothing. Because the 2006 9-5 underwent a thorough refresh, changes for 2007 are minimal. An Anniversary Special Edition will debut midyear featuring Ice Blue Metallic exterior paint, a leather interior, and 17-inch wheels. The SportCombi is powered by a single 2.3L I-4 turbo with 260 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque (350 Nm), mated to a manual five-speed or optional automatic Sentronic transmission. The front suspension benefits from increased spring rates on the sport chassis, increased damping on the sport and standard chassis, and a larger anti-roll bar on the standard chassis. The power steering system has been recalibrated to increase steering effort and improve feedback and precision. The rear suspension features a larger anti-roll bar and softer springs on the standard chassis, reduced toe-in for more predictable behavior, and increased track. Damping has been increased on the standard and sport chassis. It rides on new 235/45 R17 all-season tires and 17 x 7.5- inch alloy wheels. Standard equipment includes cooled and lockable glove compartment; dual-zone automatic climate control with cabin filter; power-adjustable front seats with drivers side three-position memory; CD audio system with six-disc in-dash changer; integrated audio controls on steering wheel; Saab Information Display with trip computer; no-charge scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.
