1963-1967 Daihatsu Compagno 800 Van/Wagon

1950s-60s Conversion Car Bodies Estate

"This was one of the many options to put a modern body an ancient Austin or Ford (8 hp or 10 hp) bases, sometimes with a newly developed chassis as well, sometimes with sporty aspirations in mind, sometimes less so like this production by Conversion Car Bodies Ltd., Naco Works, Lindsey Street, Epping, Essex, UK, who called themselves 'The 'Four Seater' Specialist' offering spacious estate and confortable saloon bodies easily fitted to Ford running gear (a lower radiator is the only modification needed)."

Sad News: Hemmings S&EC Dead

Call it the K2 Curse. Anytime I get involved with endeavors like this, I seem to be a part of the demise.

1998-Present Lada 111

Also known as the VAZ-2111, production ended in 2009. After that, it was picked up by the Ukrainian company Bogdan. It was primarily powered by a 1.6 gasoline engine and 5-speed manual transmission.

Click on settings to translate to English and then turn the closed captioning on.

1948-1950 AWS Elsbett

Here's a German car that I'd love to own. Purely a pipe dream, though.

Autowerke Salzgitter primarily manufactured Jeeps, but decided to jump into the passenger car market in the late 40s. The Elsbett was named after the (last) name of the guy who designed it and featured a 50 hp 2.0 2-stroke diesel 4-cylinder, 8 passenger seating and no radiator grille. Another car that I have very little data on, production was very low and the company tanked before it could really make a lot of them. So it's doubtful that more than a handful were sold. Some sources even suggest that the Elsbett (sometimes written Elsbeth) never even got past the prototype stage, but most evidence suggests otherwise. You could also buy one of these in a van or truck configuration.

1998-2006 Geely Haoqing SRV Estate

Being a Volvo fan, I've always had an interest in Geely. This is one of the company's models that I've had trouble tracking down data on; the Geely Haoqing SRV, their station wagon. Most sources only list a 1.3 Toyota 4-cylinder, but some also include an optional 1.0 Daihatsu 3-cylinder and there was nothing but a manual transmission available (no slushbox!). I'm not entirely sure that the entire production run included the long roof or not, too.

1970s? Autocars Carmel Station Wagon

Yesterday's focus on the Israeli-produced Sussita station wagon generated some interesting off-blog conversations, so why not take a look at another one of the company's other long roof offerings? Again, I don't have much info gathered on the Carmel, but I believe it was far more successful and there are ties to British influences, which you can clearly see. Enjoy!

1960s+? Autocars Sussita Station Wagon

Autocars was Israel's first car company, not that that's saying a whole bunch. I don't have much data gathered on their station wagon, the Sussita, but I believe it enjoyed at least two generations and it was possibly sold with a Sabra nameplate on it. According to Jalopnik, these were actually briefly sold in the US, but I've never found actual proof of that. Maybe you can!

It's a little hard to get to the actual information in this video, but there's some interesting stuff in it.

Never Was: 1962 Lincoln Continental Station Wagon

This popped up a couple of years ago on BangShift.

2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi

Here's a tiny break from our station wagon roundup. I don't post hilarious CL ads because they don't generate much interest, but this one's a doozy. Is it real? I don't know. If it is, I don't ever need to meet the owner. There are no pictures (surprise!) of this "300mph" vehicle and I haven't changed a single word...

alright here is the deal. if you are not 100% down with the red white and blue I want you to get off this patriotic post.
now for those of you who are American, I have a panty dropping, heart stopping, neck breaking piece of machinery for you. This fine piece of american art is top of the line. under the hood we have a full on beast. Im talking supercharged baby. and no Im not lying. it even says it in cursive, its like a tattoo for the engine, because tattoos are badass, and this car is nothing short of badass. I'll show pics to prove it.
its got 164k of the best miles you can get in this world, thats right, this puppy has been through at least 7 states. all of which are part of America. im going to run through the Pros and cons now.
Pros-
-premium wheels that dont add horse power, but add manpower. and ladies love man power.
-we have a sun roof that will open and close with a push of just one button, so when you pick up 4 ladies in this five seater you can stare into the American view of the stars.
-only two windows work. the driver side and sun roof. thats all the windows you need to show the middle finger to every sorry ass who gets in your way when your leaving everyone in the dust.
the other windows dont work but thats because the aerodynamics of this speed demon.
-front right quarter panel theres what some call a dent. i call it a place where a womans rear can have a nice place to rest.
-traction control and anti lock brakes are off. permanently. but whos needs those? when you're pushing 300mph down the great i95?
-it only gets AM frequencies and plays CDs. so the good news is you can put in good old nickleback and blast Rockstar while passing through foot traffic wearing your sick Oakleys that only baseball players wear.
-theres an oil leak but i put it in for weight reduction when i want to go real fast.
-the dashboard looks like a club dance floor with all the lights blinking and warning signs. so you know this beast is the life of the party.
-theres a message that says service stability system, but who needs stability in life when you can just hop in your car and drive away from it?
-if your making a left turn, dont worry about using the blinker. it doesnt work but you'll be ahead of everyone anyway, you wont even have to check your blind spots.

Cons- none. this is a monster and needs to go to someone who is just as badass as the vehicle itself

Take away jet planes and spacecrafts and the only thing this car isn't passing is inspection
call or text.
if you turn this down. you might as well leave this country because you just committed an act of treason.

AAT 1953 CE Wagon Kit Car

And speaking of station wagon (well, shooting brake) kit cars...you'll never guess what car this kit is based on. Go ahead, guess; you get three guesses and the first four don't count. Good old Advance Automotive Technologies out of Michigan is producing these wonderful kits. Here's a nice write up in Corvette Enthusiast magazine. Personally, I love it. What do you think?

1964 Ford Aurora Concept

"Yes, but but"...I can hear you REVolutionaries mutter. And you're right (as usual); there was an Aurora I and there was a station wagon variant. Skip to the 1:32 minute mark in the video. Then I'm done with the concept vehicles for a while, I swear.

1969 Ford Country Squire Aurora II Concept

Ugh. We're still on concept vehicles. Whining about them being nothing more than pipe dreams aside, here's a beauty from Ford that woulda, shoulda, coulda happened. Interested in learning more about this wonder wagon? There's plenty o' info online and I'll leave it to you to discover on your own, should the fancy strike you.

1984 Chrysler Family Wagon Concept

It's well known that I'm anti-concept car; they're just flotsam in the world of cars until they go to production in my book. Pipe dreams and putty tat tails. But it's interesting to note that if Chrysler had chosen this direction instead of the mighty minivan, our roads would have looked a lot different. Or, maybe not. Surely another maker would have picked up the baton and run with it. There were, after all, other companies already doing it; it's just that Chrysler perfected the formula.

Love the Pentastar hood badge.

1983-1995 Alfa Romeo 33 Giardinetta/Sport Wagon

The successor to the Alfasud, the 33 was essentially an update of the same platform with some brake and suspension upgrades. But if you liked the previous car, you'd like this one. This was a very successful car for AR and rightly so. Gasoline engine displacement ranged from 1.2 to 1.7 and there was a 1.8 turbodiesel. The default was front-wheel drive, but you could also get four-wheel drive. One option was a Scottish plaid interior. In 1990, the Giardinetta was redubbed Sport Wagon (aka Sportwagon).

1971 Jeepster Commando Station Wagon Hurst Edition

Here's one from Bolo - many thanks!

When is a station wagon not really a station wagon? When it's an SUV, of course.

Nowadays, that's not really much of a distinction and don't get K2 started on the subject, if you value your time and sanity (Hey, now!). So it's odd that the corporate marketing department and the powers that be chose to create the Station Wagon Hurst Edition trim level of the Jeepster Commando. The later part I get; what car enthusiast over the age of 20 hasn't heard of Hurst. But why label it a station wagon?

Despite the marketing, this wasn't a vehicle aimed at families even if they did live in rugged terrain, which is now the tres chic outdoor mall parking lot these days.

500 were planned, but supposedly only about 100 were produced. Actual production numbers are shrouded in mystery and lost in the mists of time, much to K2's chagrin (Hey, again!). The promised performance never lived up to the stripe job; the handling and braking were atrocious and dangerous in emergency situations. And the engine was woefully under-powered, despite six cylinders and a eight thousand redline. So much so that engineers addressed these issues for the 1972+ model year. But by then the Station Wagon Hurst Edition was gone and quickly forgotten.

1985 Autonique Stiletto

This just in from Nessa; thanks!

This is a vehicle that I've pursued for many years, trying to determine if they'd actually produced any and if so how many. To my best recollection, there's been no proof that I've found that any were actually made and sold to the public. Offered as a kit for Pinto owners, I knew this would interest you K2 because there have never been many station wagon kit cars offered. Here's one, even if it probably never got past the prototype stage. I know how much you love one-offs!

Apology

Hello REVolutionaries.

As most of you know (and if you didn't, now you do), I've adopted yet another dog. This time he's a Galgo (Spanish Greyhound) from Madrid. I've had my hands full and I've slacked off on my duties here. My apologies and a promise to return to our regularly scheduled programing soon.

In the meantime, if you have an idea for a station wagon post that I haven't covered yet or any other suggestions, please send them in! Thank you and woof woof!

He's cute, but he's a handful.

"Road" by Niky Nine

This great 80s retro synthwave song has so many remixes, it boggles my mind. But here are couple, starting with the original version.

Reliant Kitten Register

We've been focusing on the long roofs offered by Reliant over the past several days, so it's high time I linked to the wonderful Reliant Kitten Register. If you're looking to fill some of your time with some great car-oriented reading, check out the site and the oodles of "Mewsletters" (ha ha!).

1983-1990 Reliant Fox Estate

Remember when Nissan offered the Sportback option for the Pulsar? That neat little change turned your coupe into a shooting brake with a few simple tools and a little help from a friend. Many enthusiasts raved about the idea, but the option sold about as well as black bean yogurt.

Interestingly, only a few years earlier, Reliant was doing exactly the same thing overseas. The aptly named (after the Kitten) Reliant Fox was a fiberglass-bodied pickup with several optional hard and soft tops that could be installed, turning it from a micro-truck into a convertible, cargo van or long roof. Only about 600 of these were built in the UK and it has a fascinating history, including a collaboration between Reliant and Greece, where another 3000 were produced. Also, I came across a neat video about the history of Reliant and linked to that for you. Check it out, if you're interested!

1988-1992 Ford Telstar Estate

We've previously focused on the Ford Cortina and this was the replacement; the Ford Telstar, which was indeed named after the satellite. Basically just a rebadged Mazda 626, the Telstar was as long-lived as the Cortina. Even more so, actually.

The Telstar was introduced in 1982 and the long roof variant appeared concurrent with the release of the second generation in 1988. All of the other generations (five in total) were available as sedans and 5-door liftbacks. Production officially ended in 2001.

This is another car that I don't have production numbers specific to the station wagon. If you have or find them, please let me know! Here's a video of one in a junkyard, a 2.0 diesel no less. I love the "Pressure Wave Super Charger" badge.

Halo 2 War of Wits: The Sale

I promised several of you a little break from the nearly yearlong exploration of the history of the station wagon. Here it is; enjoy!

1975-1982 Reliant Kitten Estate

The successor to yesterday's Rebel, the ridiculously named Kitten was definitely a step up in power, handling and sophistication. But not a huge leap; I mean c'mon, we're talking about Reliant here. Don't get crazy now!

1964-1974 Reliant Rebel Estate

A relatively rare car in the first place (~2600 produced), the estate is even rarer. In fact, I don't have exact numbers on the long roof. If you do, please share them with me. And yet, the model existed for ten years. Powered by a rough four-cylinder, this tiny car was extremely lightweight. Remember when cars were like that?

1981-1982 Ford Granada Station Wagon

Only the second generation of the Fox-based Ford Granada offered a long roof variant. Short-lived, this car is nonetheless extremely well known to REVolutionairies. For you trivia buffs, this was the return of the blue oval logo, which had been MIA on Ford vehicles since the 30s. Sorry about the lack of audio quality in the video.

1982-1990 Nissan Sentra Station Wagon

The first and second generations of the Nissan Sentra offered a station wagon variant. I write that with hesitation because, in my eyes, it was really a 5-door liftback. But whatever; some sources list it as a station wagon and so we'll roll with that assumption. The Sentra (aka Sunny) is another car well known to REVolutionaries, so I won't go into details. But I will leave you with this bit of trivia; in the Philippines, the Sentra wagon was badged the Nissan California. Tubular...!

Never Was: 1971 Lotus Elan Hexagon Shooting Brake

Here's another coachbuilt long roof. Built by Hexagon, only two were produced. Other than the conversion which features a Renault GTE rear window, they were essentially stock. At least one still exists overseas; it pops up in car shows.

1968-1986 Ford Belina

The Brazilian Ford Corcel (and related Del Rey) enjoyed two generations and it included a long roof variant called the Belina. It was basically a Renault 12 underneath, with Renault and Ford engine options. Here's some neat trivia for you; the Corcel was the first car in Brazil to enjoy a recall due to quality issues.

1970-1975 Opel Ascona Caravan

Only the first generation Opel Ascona included a three-door estate variant. Here in the States, we knew this car as the Buick-Opel 1900; a well-known car to the REVolution crowd. Let's take a look at a customized car this time.

1958-1974 AMC Abassador Station Wagon

Several of you have contacted me and said, "Don't forget the AMC Ambassador station wagon!" How could I?!? It had a long run and production numbers are high. I won't get into details, because so many of you already know all about it. Here's a video from the final model year. I love it because it's really nothing more than some dude washing his car.

"Station Wagon Blues" by Thad Johnson

1973-1982 Volkswagen Brasília

Our final Brazil-designed long roof (for now) is the 3- and 5-door Volkswagen Brasilia. It was intended to replace the Beetle and sold in markets outside of Brazil, too. As is VW's way, the car wasn't anything new in comparison to its predecessors, combining bits and pieces of the Beetle and Karmann Ghia with a newish body. Performance was absolutely pathetic, but at least it was economical to run. Also as is VW's way, the formula was very successful, with over a million Brasilia sold over the course of production. There's a famous legend that goes with this car; a photographer tried to take some photos of a preproduction model and Volkswagen security tried to shoot him (or her). Nice! I the spirit of those frightening and violent antics, I give you this video which features a potential customer who is blindfolded as if he's about to be lined up for the firing squad.

1969-1992 Chevrolet Opala Caravan

The Chevrolet Opala Caravan was once again based on an Opel, featuring styling by the house of Holden and American-sourced engines, including two 4-bangers and the infamous 250 six. For you trivia hounds, this was the first passenger car built by GM in Brazil.

1989-? Chevrolet Ipanema

Another Brazil-only wagon, we knew the Chevrolet Ipanema here in the States as the tragically named and conceived Pontiac LeMans, which was really a Daewoo. If you want to get completely confused, look up the history of the Opel Kadett E. Another ridiculous video, too. I've never been able to nail down what the last year for the Ipanema was so if you find it or already know, let me know!

Was there a girl from here?

1969-1971 Chevrolet Veraneio

Before the word crossover ever even existed and SUV became more than a marketing term, Chevy sold the Veraneio in Brazil. Had they sold it here, I think it would draw the same crowd that currently covet cars like the AMC Eagle. But fear not, for they actually did sell it here; as the Chevrolet Carryall (Suburban). There's a lot more history behind the Veraneio and I encourage you to seek it out if you're interested. For example, it still exists to this very day. I've just focused on this generation, because it's the least SUV-like in my opinion.

It can be argued that the Veraneio is more SUV than crossover and you'd certainly have a point. But it was classed as a station wagon, so it gets included in our seemingly endless exploration of the long roof.

1980-1994 Chevrolet Chevette Marajo

Another Brazil-only variant. There are better Marajo videos on YouTube, but I got such a kick out of this wacky Chevy commercial that I had to feature it. As you'll see, it begins with a woman highly confused and concerned by a window rolling up...

"The Heat Is On" by Mitch Murder

1992-1998 Chevrolet Omega Suprema

Only the first generation Chevrolet Omega was offered as a station wagon in Brazil and it didn't differ much from its Opel and Vauxhall stablemates, other than the badges.

1975-1978 Chevrolet Constantia Station Wagon

GM sold the Holden HJ as the Chevrolet Constantia in South Africa.

Never Was: Volkswagen Corrado Magnum Sport Kombi

Two prototypes were built by VW, featuring a stock drivetrain. Both are currently in the USofA, I believe. More info.

Never Was: Jaguar XJ6 Avon Estate

Bobinott writes in from the Great North; "Do you have this one on your "Never was" list? In this case, maybe "never should have been". Seems like these guys did this more than once; 20 examples, some with V-12, according to this."

No German jokes, please.

I really love how this turned out, even if it isn't all that attractive.

Neat stuff. I did not have this on the list. Thanks, Bobinott!

Never Was: 1982 Audi Quattro Artz Kombi

The same fella that made the 924 Kombi, Gunter Artz, also made this one-off Ur-Quattro station wagon.

Never Was: Datsun 240Z Sport Wagon

Never Was: Triumph TR7 Tracer

Another "never was", as far as I can tell. If you have more info on this, please let me know. There couldn't have been more than a very few ever produced by the coachbuilder that created them.

Unicorn.

Never Was: Porsche 924 Kombi

Two "never was" Porsche shooting brakes in a row, you say?!? Believe it!

I love it.

Never Was: Porsche 944 DP Motorsports Cargo

JJ asked me about this one the other day, another "never was" car. I'll let you do your own research, if you're interested. Such a great custom estate/station wagon! And just to clear things up; by "never was" I mean there never was a variant quite like this produced in any real numbers from the original manufacturer.

Never Was: Citroen 2CV Shooting Brake - Bobinott's Take

If Bobinott were a pinata and you hit him with a stick, all sorts of Citroen candy would fall out*. I brought up a pair of '65 Citroen 2CV wagon conversions yesterday and this is what he had to add. Awesome!

Here's an article about the conversion. I (K2) note that the words imply that this is a one-off, but I said it was part of a pair. I have no proof other than what I've read.

There will be no "thumb a ride" jokes here.

B writes, "That German name translates roughly to Gangster Duck Wagon. The 2CV is affectionately called "The Duck" in many countries," and noted the vanity plate.

B added, "Although the car K2 has shared is a custom, there were wagon-bodied 2CVs in some markets. For example, 2CVs were built under license in Iran, and they produced a really attractive wagon (well, to my eyes anyway) with three rows of seats! There is photo here (below): Personally, I like that Iranian design because it retains the enclosed rear fenders. I find anytime you open up the rear fenders on a 2CV, people immediately confuse them with VW beetles."

That's just plain awesome.

He added one last comment (hopefully, there will be more), "Oh, and just one more thing. The hood and grill treatment on the car K2 posted was an accessory kit for the 2CV. The kit was popular in France in the 1980. It mimics the famous Citroen Traction Avant cars that were produced from 1934 to the mid-50s. Those cars were popular with French criminals, so I guess that is where the "Gangster" portion of the custom's name came from."

And before you yell at the messenger, know that I've tried time and time again to get Bobinott to write an article (short, or otherwise) for the REV. The man is busy, I tell ya!

*Don't hit Bobinott with a stick, for any reason.

Never Was: 1965 Citroen 2CV Shooting Brake

I don't know a lot about these and hopefully Bobinott can fill in the details. Apparently, two were produced and the alterations were done in fiberglass. Other than the exterior, the rest of the vehicles are stock, I believe.

I've got a couple more of what I think of as "Never Were" wagons, so keep coming back to the REV for more over the next couple of days!

1975-1979 Alfa Romeo Alfasud Giardinetta

Thanks Nessa, for reminding of the Alfasud estate! The model is so well known to most REVolutionaries, that it would be insulting to discuss the specs. But it should be noted that it did live on in some countries past 1979, just in very limited numbers. How long and how many exactly, I've never been able to precisely ascertain. Regardless, it's worth recalling the two-door wagon, dubbed the Giardinetta.

1986-1992 Nissan Pintara

The Australian-built Nissan Pintara enjoyed two generations, but only the first featured a true station wagon. Basically a long roof Skyline, it always had a 2.0 four-cylinder and wasn't particularly powerful or sporty, but many of them have been made into relatively low cost drift demons due to the RWD layout. My fearless prediction is that many REVolutionaries will bemoan the stick in the example shown below.

1990-2005 Nissan Avenir

We've already discussed the Nissan Primera Estate, but in the home market it was sold as the Nissan Avenir. Across two generations, there were estate and cargo variants available, as well as Salut! GT Turbo and Blastar trim levels.

"Jesus Built My Hotrod" by Ministry

Hang on to your helmet!

1969-1988 Chrysler Town & Country Station Wagon

Time has a habit of getting away from us. And it's especially clear in this case, because I promised you the second part of the quick exam of the lifespan of the Chrysler T&C station wagon yesterday. Ah, well; here it is now! I got there...eventually.

1969-1973..."and uhhhhh..." Enjoy the video; holy moley.

1974-1977

1978-1981...sadly, another vomit video.

1982-1989...proof of an actual K-car enthusiast!

And that was it. Nearly 50 years of the T&C long roof and an impressive production total. Not a bad ride, if you ask me. Long live the wagon!

1941-1968 Chrysler Town & Country Station Wagon

Young gearheads can be excused for associating the Town & Country plate with minivans. But long before the name was applied to those, it lived a long and storied life as a series of station wagons, among other variants. Note that it didn't run consecutively from year to year; there was a war going on. Once again, the history behind this vehicle is fascinating and I implore you to do your own research. You'll be glad you did!

1941-1942

1946-1950

1951-1959

1960-1964

1965-1968

Stay tuned...for part two, tomorrow!

1961-1969 Fiat 2300 Estate

The 2300 is historically notable because it (specifically the sedan) was the first to offer an automatic from the company. Here's one that you could put in your virtual driveway for just $75. Make sure you don't accidentally run it over on the electronic autobahn.

1946-1962 DeSoto Diplomant Wagon

Always intended for overseas sales and never sold on US soil (or Canada, for that matter), I could write an entire book just on the Diplomat. Needless to say, the model enjoyed a convoluted and fascinating history. The wagon/estate version came with 2 or 4-doors and in a wide variety of trim levels, including Commercial Utility, Suburban, De Luxe, Special and Custom, to name just a few. There has been some discussion among certain REVolutionaries that there was a gap in production somewhere along the line, but that's still open to confirmation either way.

1953 DeSoto Commercial

1950-1952 DeSoto Custom Station Wagon

The Custom was the DeSoto premium model. But it wasn't graced with a station wagon variant until the very end of its' run, when it was replaced with the Firedome.

1957-1959 DeSoto Fireflite Station Wagon

Originally the top of the line, the Fireflite was slightly downgraded in 1957, which is also when the wagon variant was introduced. A #2 condition 1959 DeSoto Fireflite 9-Passenger Explorer Station Wagon is valued at $39.5K by Hagerty. Add 15% for a/c. Only 433 were produced. The Fireflite lived another year until 1960 ('61 if you're Ms. Jackson), minus the wagon variant, when the brand was dissolved by Chrysler.

1957-1959 DeSoto Firesweep Wagon

When the Firedome moved midway up the line in 1957, the Firesweep took over as the entry-level DeSoto. That's not to imply these were cheap cars to buy; they weren't. The wagon variant could be had in four trim levels, including this Shopper. Haggerty values this '57 in #2 condition at $31.7K and lists production at just under 1200.

1952-1959 DeSoto Firedome Station Wagon

Some people have all the luck. As his first car, Bolo inherited a DeSoto Firedome station wagon. I remember thinking, "Now that's a heck of a first car." I loved riding in that car; it was simply marvelous.

The Firedome was initially the entry-level DeSoto, but it graduated upwards to mid-grade in later years. Known primarily for the sedan (6- and 8-passenger!), coupe and convertible variants, the wagon was nonetheless a fairly steady seller. I don't have the actual sales numbers, but I recall that it was somewhere around 2K sold a year, on average. BTW, "entry-level" was still pretty expensive for the time, at around $3K-$4K. For comparison, you could buy a '52 Ford Mainline Ranch Wagon for about $2K.

Here's another unfortunately painfully shot video that contains some really great info on the Firedome long roof.

1981-1988 Plymouth Reliant/Dodge Aries Wagon

All this recent talk of K-cars brought memories of the Plymouth Reliant station wagon bubbling to the surface of my tiny reptilian brain. Here it is; suck eggs if you've forgotten how successful these were.

Lynk & Co

Volvo owners Geely have created another brand; the ludicrously named Lynk & Co. Painfully hipster marketing aside -"Think Air bnb. For cars."...really?!?- the real news is that while there are no current plans for the Lynk & Co brand to attempt to sell a conventional (arguable!) station wagon, all of the cars will ride on the shared-and-developed-by-the-Swedes platform labeled the CMA.

The CMA platform will produce a new straight-up long roof; the 2018 Volvo V40. That might seem a little odd because the current model was just released a couple of years ago, but in fact, it's been on the market since 2012 and is overdue for an update.

So now we have another brand to cross-shop, folks. Which is good, even if it really is just a Volvo. Both companies seems to be shooting for the same demographic, though. Well, maybe L&C are gunning for the rich dotcom younger hipsters that live in the city...?

Just don't say the brand name quickly, or you'll have Ford lawyers all over you.

My apologies, I got too lazy to find a proper picture of the upcoming 2018 V40. It's probably out there, but every one I looked at was either the current model (sold overseas) or a conceptual image of the XC or Coupe offspring.

Somebody got paid to come up with the model name "01". Mother of pearl.

2017 Lincoln Continental Black Label

Has Blue botched it once again? In an attempt to return Lincoln upmarket, the new Continental returns an old name with very little cache left to anyone other than limo drivers. What's shocking about that is that it appears that Ford is pricing it into the atmosphere. The Conti may be a good car, but it's not an E-class or similar vehicle and never will be. Base price starts at the $50K mark, which is acceptable in my opinion, but I just went to the Lincoln site, loaded one up and got a price of over $80K! That's crazy money.

No, this is not the new Chrysler XJ.

"Stickshifts and Safety Belts" by Cake

1977 Monteverdi Sierra Kombi

So you have a thing for international bastards like the Pantera, Chrysler TC by Maserati and others of their ilk. Well, for one year only, the tiny Swiss coachbuilder Monteverdi took Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volares and turned them into the Sierra. Surprisingly, that also included the station wagon variant, dubbed the Kombi. The interior on these were as different from the original production models, as well.

I've never been able to track down a production number on the Kombi, so this could be nothing more than a concept. And yes, Chrysler did end up creating a LeBaron version, but it was nowhere as stylish as the Sierra. Here's the other weird thing; according to my records, the Kombi was a '77 model only. But the sign in the picture below says 1980, so who the heck knows.