The Arteon is nice but the A4 Allroad does everything better.

280 SL. Nice ones seem to start @ $90k. Limitless headroom & class.

*chortles, spits out mulled cider, briefly removes custom diamond-encrusted Smith Optics monocle*

That’s a sweet 2-car setup, and I bet most of us Jalop’s, if nobody was listening, would say the same thing!

Summer & Winter Modes for my daily (and only). 2015 V60 R-Design w/Polestar , bought in 2020 w/ 50k miles, now 60k miles. A smidge more cargo space and clearance would be nice, but XC70 prices are on crazy pills at the moment. As is, it’s great for what it is: a Swedish Golf R that’s worse in the twisties but better…

The only thing unaccounted for in your otherwise very good argument is roof height. One of the [admittedly few] ways a wagon, lifted or otherwise, trumps an SUV is the roof stays nice and low for loading and, perhaps more critically, fitting inside a garage.

I guess it’s a chicken-or-the-egg thing, but when the ML-/GLE- class started to undercut the E-class wagon on price, the wagon’s fate was sealed. Cost-wise, it probably doesn’t help that ML-/GLE-’s are built here in the USA and the E’s are built back in ‘Yurp.

piping-hot take: Crosstrek is very good, but Volvo quietly made the best version, in the form of their 2015-16 V60 Cross Country with the tried-and-true 6-speed A/T + 5-cylinder turbo (skip the newer 4-cylinder). If you can find one of those, that’s the one to get, and a really good value.

Wildcard choice: Volvo V90 Inscription (but not the Cross Country or R-design). Buy loaded CPO, and insist on an Inscription (their full loaded model) and not an R-design, which has needlessly big wheels.

I believe these non-CC V90's are now discontinued in the US and wagon fans like me will keep their resale quite…

Mike, what a beautiful tribute to your friend. “A relationship so well earned” really got to me. RIP.

I’m enjoying this sub-thread as I’m in a somewhat similar boat, trying to figure out what my next car could be. I’ve owned my ‘06 Legacy GT 5-speed wagon since ‘09, and while it’s been terrific and there’s nothing currently wrong with it, sitting currently with a relatively low 110,000 miles, I’ve been on the hunt for…

2 things: 1) The Z8 is a good choice - but if you want “easy to drive” the Z8 Alpina with the automatic (and those beautiful wheels) would be even better.

Exactly. It also has the faintest whiff of “the old Landie’s in for repairs again and Dotty’s out to the shops in the Daimler so I nicked The Help’s car. It’s a fun little thing isn’t it? Never driven an automatic myself - it’s rather relaxing. I’ll see if Bertie can see about throwing one in the Landie for me.”

Forgive the [potentially idiotic] question, but why has it taken 35 years to beat Bellof’s record? Haven’t race cars only improved with time, year over year, such that even a year or two after that initial record, shouldn’t someone have beaten Bellof with a better/faster car? Or did constructors stop producing the…

You seem angry. It’s impossible not to admire what Shane Smith has done business-wise, but McInnes was the artist and the idealist. Still is.

You mean for selling his share in Vice for tens of millions while not actually selling out? I’d go with “not sad at all.”

Thanks, good to know re: the "@" sign and its use – I guess I’m still getting the hang of the new commenting system. I'm going to ignore your weird hostility and try to focus on the meat - or lack thereof - of what you're trying to say:

Honestly @PaulJones, I don't know where to begin - nut thank you for your weirdly catty reply.

Great news - and the photos have it looking heaps better than the overly curvy styling of the outgoing model.

With respect, @PaulJones, how have you arrived at your conclusions?