Back around 1960 or so, one of my grade school pals recoiled in horror when his dad threatened to buy an International (Harvester) Travelall, a forerunner of what would now be called an SUV. "But, Dad, that thing's just a truck." Just a truck; that pretty much said it all. Back in 1960, none of us would have predicted that well within 5 decades thinly disguised trucks would be a mainstay of the Cadillac and Lincoln lines, and that station wagons as we knew them (rear-wheel drive, simulated wood siding, thrumming V8 power, and a low enough profile that you ducked your head when getting in) would eventually vanish from the Ford, Chevy and Dodge lines. In the minds of mid-century kids, station wagons were just as cool as cars, only a little more useful when we wanted to go camping or canoeing. Trucks, though, were farm implements...
Two old friends called yesterday from their home near Stanford to ask what kind of new car they should buy. As their kids are grown and they already have a nice BMW coupe to drive to official functions like weddings and funerals, I told them to buy a new Mazda MX-5 Miata. Not too expensive, and the only car to make both Automobile Magazine's All-Stars list (the fun factor) and the Consumer Reports Top Ten (the reliability factor). "No", they replied, "we need something that will fit our tandem Jack Taylor bike." I knew better than to suggest a minivan, and before I could suggest an SUV, they clarified, "No SUVs. Those things are just trucks." Apparently the Mid Century Mind is still alive and well, even though some of us have trouble remembering where we left our car keys…
So I plowed through the online catalogs and car mag test reports, and leaving out the SUVs and crossovers realized there aren't many real station wagons left. First of all, I eliminated the Minis (too small for that bike) and, though I like my Subaru Legacy wagon, in 2016 you can only get it as an Outback (8.7" of ground clearance) and, come to think of it, my friends won't need the standard all-wheel drive either. I like the new Tesla Model 3 but there's a waiting list and I'm not sure the bike would fit. The VW Golf Sportwagen is smallish but might almost do the job. At $22k to $27k it seems reasonable, and the recent diesel scandal may have left VW outlets in a dealing mood. Passat wagons are no longer available stateside, and the Audi Allroad has mandatory AWD, and 50.5 cubic feet of space goes with a fairly steep tag of $42k to $45k. The tasty BMW 328 wagon has a similar wheelbase to the Audi at 110.6", more space at 53 cubic feet, 20 more hp at 240, and costs the same at $42,650. All-wheel drive's mandatory at BMW, which in my experience leads to more frequent tire replacements. So if it has to be a wagon, I'd settle on the Volvo V60 in the non- Cross Country, front-wheel drive version. The same 240 hp as the BMW, but easier on tires and easier on the starting budget at $36,150. Less storage space than the Audi or BMW at 43.1, but you can take the front wheel off the bike and stack the suitcases…
But my favorite program would still be to leave that Jack Taylor tandem (a lovely collector's item) at home and put two Moulton collapsible bikes in a new MX-5 roadster and then head for the hills, or better still, down Highway 1 to Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur. As an added benefit, having separate bikes for two people will allow those independent explorations so essential to personal growth. Right?
Photo credits:
1954 Chevrolet Nomad Motorama show car: General Motors
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