It all started in the 90’s. I became intrigued by the shape of the Volvo 850 Estate race cars that were competing in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). The longer and more squared-off Volvo’s were so unique by comparison to all the other race cars on the track, which were predominantly four-door sedans. And let’s not forget the super aggressive low stance of these cars made what was originally designed for the typical “mundane suburbia/grocery-getter” design of these Volvo’s, into a menacing looking race car on the track.

After the Volvo 850 Estate, my interests and appreciation for wagons from other manufacturers naturally grew. When Audi released the B5 RS4, it was simply love at first sight. Around the same time when the B5 Audi’s were available, I also fell in love with Volkswagen’s wagon offerings. Yup…I am referring to the VW B5 Passat Variant and the MK4 Jetta Wagon! With their sleek lines and subtle rounded fenders, it reminded me of why I love the B5 RS4 so much. Not to mention, the availability of a large W8 engine truly satisfied all notions of “No replacement for displacement.” All in all, it led to me purchasing my first wagon! A 2004 VW Jetta Wagon (1.8T, 5-speed manual). The adventure continues…