Station wagons never really caught on the way sedans or SUVs did. That’s a downright shame. Not only are station wagons practical, but they can also be serious performers and muscle wagons. CarBuzz has a list of some of the wildest performance-oriented station wagons that can gap a sports car.
Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is a tail-happy family hauler with a Detroit pedigree
Cadillac CTS-V – Up to Speed | Donut Media
What happens when you add a supercharged 6.2L LT4 Corvette engine to a family hauler from Cadillac? You get the wildest wagon on this side of the pond. Enter the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, a fire-breathing, rear-wheel drive (RWD) V8-powered muscle wagon with a manual transmission. In addition to the beating heart and transmission, GM added performance brakes and a performance-oriented suspension upgrade to ensure that the CTS-V Wagon was more than a one-trick pony. After all of that was said and done, Cadillac had a station wagon with 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque. Cue the eagles.
Audi RS6 Avant is a spiritual successor to the larger than life RS2 Avant
Audi RS6 Avant | Pradeep Gaur, Getty Images
The soul of the Audi-Porsche collaboration-born Audi RS2 Avant is alive and well in the more modern Avants. For instance, the Audi RS6 Avant is an all-wheel drive (AWD) rocketship. The newest Avant isn’t your dad’s wagon with nearly 600 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. CarBuzz reports that Audi is saying the RS6 Avant will snap to 60 mph in a mere 3.6 seconds. That is mind-blowingly quick for something that you can use to move furniture.
Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 is a performance station wagon that can definitely still gap sports cars
Mercedes-Benz AMG E63S Wagon Review | TheStraightPipes
Do you hear that? Of course, you do; it is a twin-turbocharged V8 AMG Mercedes. What you weren’t expecting was that powerplant to reside in a station wagon. The Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 Wagon is a 603 horsepower brutish muscle wagon with a hatch in the rear and more than enough cargo volume. Not only will the AMG E63 Wagon accommodate all of your shopping day needs, but you’ll hit 60 mph in a painfully quick 3.4 seconds. We’ll wait for you to find a faster way to go to the big-box store.
Dodge Magnum SRT8 is a fun, smoky V8 station wagon
Dodge Magnum SRT8 | Getty Images
The Dodge Magnum was a ram badge-brandishing bully version of the Chrysler 300 sedan. Instead of a mild-mannered powerplant, Dodge dropped in a 5.7L Hemi V8 in the Magnum R/T. Dodge didn’t stop there, though. Dodge endowed the Magnum SRT8 with a 6.1L V8. The result of all that displacement was a 425 horsepower wagon capable of hitting 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.
Saab 9-3 Turbo X is a Swedish family hauler with fighter jet DNA
The Saab 9-3 Aero was a sensible vehicle with a reputation for being a trendy alternative to mainstream European cars. However, Saab decided to up-end that sensibility when they boosted the 2.8L V6 engine to 280 horsepower and tuned the suspension for more aggressive handling. In addition to the power and handling, Saab gave the Turbo X a more substantial set of disc brakes and AWD, making the wagon a dignified sleeper.
You can still buy a performance wagon that will be as practical as it is quick
Holden Commodore Sportwagon | Drive.com.au
The station wagons on this list are fast, fun, and useful, a formula that is difficult to come by. The list doesn’t stop there, either. In addition to the cars listed above, these performance wagons will roast tires and prompt smiles: Holden Commodore Sportwagon RS-V, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Volvo 850R, and multiple generations of the BMW M5 Touring.
Keyword: Station Wagons That Can Smoke a Sports Car