- Room for everything at 150mph plus.....

Uber Estates on a budget

Here are some super quick load-carriers you should consider swapping the family for

4y ago
65.7K

Volkswagen Passat R36 (from £8,000)

Madness with a VW badge.....

Madness with a VW badge.....

In 2008 Volkswagen had what some would refer to as a ‘mad’ moment, by giving the world this, the Passat R36.

Essentially it’s a hockey mask wearing; chain saw wielding version of a bog-standard Passat estate that’s had the madness level turned up to a hundred. You get a 3.6-litre V6 motor producing 299bhp; with all of this wonderful power going to all-four wheels via six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox.

This mad thing runs from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, and there is no doubt that all that power will help you confirm the 155mph limited top speed if you can find enough road. The major downside is that very few were sold, meaning that they are rare. A good example will set you back £8k with the very best a smidge under £13k.

Alfa 156 Sportwagon GTA (from £5,000)

Clarkson approved (maybe!)

Clarkson approved (maybe!)

Now for what could be one of the most stunning estates to ever roam the earth, the Alfa 156 Sportwagon GTA.

Power comes from a 3.2-litre 24V V6 motor which produces 250bhp. This is enough to get this work of art on wheels from rest to 60mph in 6.1 seconds; the top speed is again a limited 155mph.

Only 112 of these Sportwagons were ever sold in the UK, making it a very rare thing of beauty, with prices starting from around £5k, tell me you’re not tempted.

Audi RS6 Avant C5 (from £6,750)

So fast and so much power....

So fast and so much power....

In 2002 Audi delivered a complete hammer blow in the horsepower wars with this, the RS6 Avant. It laid claim to the title of being the world’s most powerful estate car with 443bhp being produced via its 4.2-litre V8 twin-turbo motor.

This very heavy car (1,880kg) was capable of 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds thanks to all that power and the Quattro four-wheel drive system. Back in 2002, this put it right up there in the elite supercar band – not too shabby for a car that can haul the family around at a blistering pace. The RS6 C5 was also ahead of the tech game for the time; it had steering wheel paddle shifters and massive eight-piston Brembo brake callipers on the front which were a first for a car of this type in the early 2000’s.

The price of entry for all this massive pace and power starts at around £6.75k upwards.

BMW 335i/335D Touring M Sport (From £12,000)

A sleeper with massive power

A sleeper with massive power

The E91 BMW 3-Series Touring may have less out and out presence than some of the other estate’s on this list, but for what it lacks in the looks department, it more than makes up with some stonking performance numbers.

Both the petrol and diesel variants are included here, why I hear you ask?

Because the difference between them is a wafer thin 0.4 seconds. The petrol 335i model is a 301bhp straight-six turbocharged sleeper capable of 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. And don’t think it's oil burning sibling is a slouch either, boasting 281bhp from its 3.0-litre turbocharged motor it will sprint to 60mph from rest in 5.9 seconds.

Both versions again adhere to the now familiar 155mph limit, and both can be had for a mere 11k upwards.

Subaru Legacy B4 2.0GT spec B (from £10,000)

Due to the import status, this was the only official image I could find - I still want one....

Due to the import status, this was the only official image I could find - I still want one....

Before you bring out the digital pitchforks for this choice, hear me out as to why I included the much-unloved Legacy. This rather humble looking estate gets a 2.0-litre flat-four twin scroll turbocharged engine, good for 276bhp.

All this power makes it to all four wheels via a proper manual gearbox. To make it even more hardcore, you get Bilstein shocks, STI exhaust, Brembo brakes and STI wheels. Despite its size the Legacy sprints to 60mph in 5.6 seconds which is a very quick time.

The GT Spec B 2.0 is sadly the Legacy we always wanted but never officially got. I was only able to find a small number of examples imported to the UK with prices from around the £10k mark.

So, have we made the right choices when it comes to Uber-estates on a budget?

Vote for your favourite below or let us know in the comments.

#wagon #estate #supercar #audi #RS6 #Volkswagen #passat #R36 #Subaru #legacy #alfa #alfaromeo #156 #sportwagon #GTA

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Comments (37)

  • Forgot about the swedes..... 9 5 Aero wagon is a fast absolute bargain, V50R volvo also and loads more...

      4 years ago
  • Have fun servicing them on a budget tho lol

      4 years ago
  • Dunno where you guys get your prices from, these seem slightly cheap for what they are, and they're still not on a tight budget! Show me the 5 best estates for under £5k, that's an actual tight budget

      4 years ago
  • X-type 3.0 AWD from£500😜

      4 years ago
  • Sorry to be that guy, but I'm afraid you've got a slight error with regard to the 335s. A touring is called an E91, not E92 as that is for the coupe. Thanks:)

      4 years ago
    • Well spotted - corrected, I was aware before so considered me reminded!

        4 years ago
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