Mercedes C300 Diesel Hybrid Sport Wagon

While our main obsession is with the “Sport” aspect of wagons, at times we are left wanting a more efficient and practical daily driver: enter the Mercedes C300 Diesel Hybrid Sport Wagon. Utilizing nearly all the same components as the fantastic new C-Class Wagon, the C300 “Bluetec-Hybrid” shows the future of Sport Wagons. Mercedes has remained quiet about the specifics of the Diesel Hybrid, but we expect great things from a manufacture who spends a million dollars a day on research and development. Expect a combined MPG figure to be somewhere around fifty. With that efficiency and a taught, responsive, and sporty chassis, and you have the ultimate daily driver. Stay tuned, more details to come soon.

First posted: April 17th, 2008 (Source: Autoblog)

SWGreen: Volvo V70 Plug-In Diesel-Electric Hybrid

 

Has Volvo been listening to our prayers at night? Or maybe it’s been all the letters we’ve been sending? Either way, Volvo has created a prototype diesel hybrid wagon that aims to revolutionize sport wagons (and a lot of segments for that matter). Starting with their fairly new V70 Estate, Volvo engineers modified the diesel engine to run on renewable synthetic fuels that emit very low quantities of C02. While the diesel mill drives the front wheels, a 11.3 kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack powers the rear axle. The battery is charged in about 5 hours and improves the V70s performance and fuel economy. While this V70 is exactly what we’ve been dreaming of for quite some time, the technology will undoubtedly be further refined, and hopefully will be engineered to produce slightly more performance. Imagine if a BMW 335d Touring made sweet love with a Tesla Roadster. Welcome to our world. But for the time being, we’ll just say “Thanks Volvo,” its about damn time we entered the 21^st Century.

June 4^th (Source: Autoblog)

VW Golf GTD (Mk VI)

Diesel GTI

 

Here at the Sport Wagon Enthusiast we are all about utility, efficiency, and performance. VW’s new Mk. VI Golf GTD offers all this and more for a reasonable price. Marketed as a high performance diesel hatchback, and Golf GTD is essentially the GTI of diesels. Sporting VW’s proven 2.0L turbo-diesel 4-cylinder, the GTD produces 168bhp and an impressive 258lb-ft of torque. Offered with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed DSG transmission, the front-wheel drive Golf GTD sprints to 62 in 8.1 seconds and will continue to 138mph. These performance figures aren’t anything special until you consider that the GTD will return a combined (city and highway) 44.4 mpg (5.3L/100 km) on the European cycle. With a 14.5 gallon fuel tank, this means the GTD can travel over 620 miles on a single tank. No word yet on whether or not the GTD will be available in North America, but with fuel prices rising once more, it would certainly seem like a prudent decision for VW.

June 7th (Source: VAG)

SWGreen: Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel-Electric

Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Amps up the “Allroad” Segment 

Let us begin by admitting a known bias: we mostly report on German, American, and Swedish sport wagons. It’s not that we don’t enjoy other makes- but their models too often lack the allure we crave…until now. French automaker Peugeot has just released information about their super-efficient 508 RXH Tourer, a high-riding wagon that offers to put the Swedes and Germans on their toes. Based on the 508 Estate, the RXH model offers increased ride height and competes with the Volvo XC70 and Audi A4 Allroad. 

Utilizing a 2.0L turbo-diesel engine that powers the front wheels and an electric motor for the rear axle, the 508 RXH uses a similar diesel-electric design as the Volvo V70 plug-in diesel-hybrid. With this brillant set-up, the 508 RXH achieves an incredible 55.9 MPG combined fuel economy, despite its hefty mass and ride height. With the 2.0 liter diesel churning out 163 horses, and the electric motor providing an additional 37 hp, the 508 has a total output of 200 horses, but a much more important 332 lb-ft of torque (love those turbo-diesels!). Importantly, the 508 can run entirely on electric power for an unspecified distance (Peugeot promises more details are forthcoming). Like the Audi Allroad, the 508 RXH beneifits from a stronger suspension, new front bumper with integrated LEDs, 18-inch wheels with wheel-arch extenstions, and chrome roof rails.

Stay tuned as we expect to author a comprehensive review of diesel-hybrid sport wagons in the near future.

July 11th, 2011 (Source: CarScoop)

SWGreen: 875-bhp Bio-Powered Ferrari FF

The Ferrari FF is a revolutionary shooting brake. As the first four-wheel drive, four seat Ferrari, the FF had to overcome its birth as a pariah (to the tastes of Ferrari purists). But with its 651bhp V12 that revs to a stratospheric 8,000 rpms, most critics were quickly won over. To make the FF even more potent, several aftermarket tuners have advocated differing performance strategies. There’s the typical stage one tune with a revised exhaust, an intake, and an ECU flash. For even more power, many tuners (like Novitec Rosso) add forced induction in the form of twin superchargers. Yet, the FF has emissions befitting a twelve-cylinder engine, and these tuning schemes only exacerbate its carbon footprint. Enter the rarely seen and “green” performance tune: Bio-ethanol engine conversions.

Norweigan firm Customized.no offers this ethanol conversion for the new Ferrari FF. And the price is right too. For under $3,000, FF owners can install (or in all likelihood, pay to have installed) the full conversion kit. And don’t worry, it doesn’t require the installation of an LPG tank. Best of all, it appears that Ferrari is open to working with Bio-ethanol tuners, as a Ferrari dealership actually performed one of the first conversions.

By running E85 ethanol—85% ethanol and 15% gasoline—the modified FF produces an additional power output of 23%. That means the E85 FF yields a serious 875-bhp. Like the Koenigsegg CCXR (which produces 21% more power on ethanol—1,020 hp), the E85-powered FF gains power due to the higher octane content (between 100 and 113) and the cooling principles of ethanol (a cooler intake charge). With its revolutionary four wheel drive system (which weighs 50% less than conventional systems), a bio-fueled FF can surpass sixty miles per hour in under 3 seconds. Like the 950-bhp Essing Dieseltuning RS6 Avant, this FF can hang with a Bugatti Veyron. With a stock top speed of 208, we’d expect this 875-bhp Ferrari to easily eclipse 215 mph. Easily one of the world’s fastest wagons.

Aside from prodigious power gains, running bio-ethanol through the FF’s converted V12 results in 80% less carbon emissions than the stock model—an ever-present concern with the Euro 5 emissions standards. Of course, there are well-documented environmental problems with ethanol, so this solution is only “green” insofar as the cars direct emissions (rather than the total carbon footprint from growing, transporting, and refining ethanol). And for all the hype about extra power and lower emissions, converted gasoline engines require more ethanol than gasoline for traveling the same distance—the E85-powered FF gets worse fuel economy. We’d also be interested to see how the V12 holds up over time with ethanol, as E85 can deteriorate certain internal engine components. Bio-ethanol conversions certainly offer improved performance, but there’s always a downside.

The jury is still out on performance ethanol conversions—not just for the FF—but we’re always happy to see eco-conscious tuners trying to increase performance from their wagons.

  

January 19th, 2012 (Source: Carsuk.net)

Specifications

SWE Classification	Shooting Brake
Company Designation	Shooting Brake
Engine	65-degree V12
Displacement	6.3L (6,262 cc)
Aspiration	Natural
Output/ Horsepower	875 bhp @ 8,000 rpms w/ E85
Torque	Est. 604 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpms w/ E85
Drivetrain	Front engined, Four wheel drive
Transmission
Curb Weight	3,946 lbs
Weight Distribution	47 front/ 53 rear
Drag
Brakes
Tires
Luggage Capacity (Seats up)
Luggage Capacity (Seats down)
0-60	Est. Under 3 seconds (mfr)
0-100
1/4 Mile
Top Speed	Est. 215 mph (SWE)
Production Run
MSRP

Volvo V50 SC Concept

The V50R That Never Was

In 2004, Volvo unveiled one hell-of-a-wagon at SEMA. Called the “V50 SC,” the estate was specifically made to cater to “young enthusiasts” who wanted more from their grocery-getting haulers. Sadly Volvo only made one as a design exercise, and never intended to put the V50 SC into production.

 

If they had, the V50R would be one of the few enthusiast-oriented wagons from the “new” Volvo (read: Ford) that was deserving of the sport wagon moniker. Indeed, the V50 SC had a lot of “R” already, sharing its 300 hp 2.5L T5 engine and transmission from the epic V70R. The V50’s transplanted heart was then given an additional boost (literally an increase from 1.0 to 1.4 bar) to 340 horsepower, enabling the five-door to scoot to sixty in just 5.5 seconds. This performance was achieved thanks in part to a new front fascia with “massive lower air intakes.” Unlike the sometimes front-wheel drive only V50 T5, this concept put power to all four wheels via a V70R-sourced 6-speed manual.

 

In addition to the potent power plant, the SC benefits from a lower ride height of 12mm (thanks to an optional sports suspension, available only to Euro-spec V50s), AP Racing 4-piston front brake calipers, and a low-restriction performance exhaust that exhales through dual 3-inch chrome tips.

 

It’s really a shame Volvo never made a V50R, but the SC Concept provides a clear and awesome path for tuners looking for way’s to make their T5 faster.

August 8th, 2011 (Source: Volvo Circa 2004)

Specifications

Engine	2.5L I5 (V70R Engine)
Aspiration	Turbocharged and Intercooled
Horsepower	340
Torque	331 @ 1500-4800 rpms
Transmission	V70R 6-Speed Manual
Drivetrain	Front-Engined, All-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight	3399 lbs
Drag	.32
Tires	Pirelli 235/40 ZR18 Corsa (front and rear)
0-60	5.5 Seconds

Photos

 

Press Release

Las Vegas, Nevada (November 2, 2004)€“ The Volvo V50 SV, making its debut today at the 2004 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) tradeshow, is the first-ever high-performance car to emerge from Volvo Cars Special Vehicle department in Gothenburg, Sweden.

While Volvo has no plans of offering the V50 SV parts or materials through its retailer network, it gives young enthusiasts and the aftermarket companies that cater to them a thought provoking launching pad to get their creative juices flowing. Understated and refined, the Volvo V50 SV has what it takes to turn heads and handle well on the race track.

Drivetrain

What dominates the performance of the Volvo V50 SV resides under the specially fabricated hood: a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine lifted from Volvo's high-performance S60 R. But while the S60 R puts out a commendable 300 horsepower, the V50 SV ups the ante considerably by producing an eye-popping 340 horsepower – an increase of 122 horsepower from the standard 218 horsepower found in a production V50 T5.

As with any turbocharged engine, getting large amounts of cool air pushed through the turbo housing is what gets the job done. In the case of the V50 SV, a highly modified front end incorporates massive lower air intakes. The air is routed up into the engine compartment to the turbo through larger-bore tunnels. Turbo boost pressure has been bumped from 1.0 bar to a heart-pounding 1.4 bar.

Horsepower is nothing without torque and the V50 SV won't disappoint. Volvo's history of minimizing turbo lag and offering a broad torque curve from very low rpm is retained in the V50 SV. With 331 lb.-ft. on tap from 1,500 to 4,800 rpm, the V50 SV will sprint to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds.

A modified, low-restriction exhaust system with large-bore 3-inch diameter chrome tips adds the finishing touch-of-class at the rear end and also helps to boost engine performance. Its throaty note and distinctive burble give the V50 SV curb presence.

Putting the power to the pavement is a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission that is also borrowed from the S60 R. The V50 SV's clutch effort, however, is lighter and easier to modulate than the brutish S60 R. Volvo's electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system by Haldex routes power to the rear wheels almost instantaneously when the front tires begin to lose traction. In normal driving situations, the V50 SV primarily powers the front wheels. It is only when the system detects that the front wheels have lost traction and have begun to spin that it delivers power to the rear wheels.

Suspension

The Volvo V50 SV's aggressive stance is made possible through a European-tuned sports suspension that is available optionally on Euro-spec V50s. It 12-mm lowered ride height is accomplished through shorter, stiffer springs and firmer shock absorbers. The suspension system has been carefully reworked to maintain a flat stance around corners, while never becoming twitchy when off-throttle maneuvers may threaten to bring the V50 SV's tail around.

Filling the wheel wells of the V50 SV are sticky race-bred Pirelli 235/40ZR-18 Corsa tires mounted on 18-inch lightweight performance alloy wheels. To optimize handling, rear toe has been dialed in .50 inches, while rear toe angles out .70 inches. Front and rear camber angles are dialed in at 1.0 degrees.

Bringing the car to a stop in short order is an upgraded AP Racing brake package featuring large 13.9-inch disc brakes with four-piston calipers at the front wheels. At the rear are 11-inch discs with standard two-piston Volvo calipers. Of course Volvo's anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution is also on hand to bring the car to a swift, controlled stop in any situation.

Exterior

Refined, restrained and coordinated are the words that best describe the V50 SV. In fact, a buyer interested in the V50 can actually obtain several of the exterior styling pieces – something that's not normally found on a SEMA display car.

he Volvo Dynamic Trim Package (MSRP: $2,025) is available from any Volvo retailer and features body color front and rear spoilers, lower side sill extensions, a rear bumper valance and 17-inch Sculptor alloy wheels shod with Michelin MXM4 all-season tires. Additionally, 18-inch accessory wheels are also available through the retailer network.

The high-gloss one-off Sonic Blue paint is sophisticated and subdued, masking the V50 SV's performance potential. The standard roof mounted spoiler has been customized to create more down force at high speeds and the sculpted hood allows for improved engine compartment airflow. To slim down the V50's profile the standard roof rails have been removed. Massive black-mesh grille inserts and high intensity gas discharge headlamps nicely compliment the standard Volvo egg crate grille and badge.

Interior

Volvo's typical attention to interior ergonomics is retained with the V50 SV. Only modestly modified, what's most evident once the driver is ensconced within the cabin is the brushed aluminum finish around the instrument cluster. The material matches what's found on the innovative ultra-slim center stack and door panels, and lends a high-tech appearance to the cleanly styled Scandinavian interior. A small shift light has been incorporated into the panel and a turbo boost gauge has also been added, with a maximum boost pressure reading of 1.4 bar.

Rear seat passengers will enjoy the fully integrated Volvo dual screen Rear Seat Entertainment system. Twin 7-inch LCD color screens have been mounted into the backs of the front headrests with a DVD player providing the entertainment. The Volvo Dual Screen Rear Seat Entertainment system is available from any Volvo Retailer as a factory installed option on the Volvo XC90.

Other interior touches include Wetsuit upholstery, a Volvo accessory three-spoke sport steering wheel with aluminum inlays, an aluminum shift knob and custom built racing pedals. The awesome 425-watt Dolby Pro Logic II stereo system with an in-dash 6-disc player is retained from the stock V50.