The Top 10 Performance Estate Cars

Once a common sight on many roads, the estate car was the most practical way of getting you and your family around before the explosion in popularity of the SUV. If you had a large family or a dog, or both, and you wanted to get everyone in as well as all of your luggage, you had an estate car. There were safe and sensible ones, off-road crossover ones and practical family orientated ones, but even though Volvo took theirs touring car racing, there wasn’t that much in the way of performance.

In previous years, BMW tempted buyers with an M5 Touring, Volvo had the T5 favoured by motorway Police forces up and down the country, and Audi had their RS4 and RS6 options, but their popularity amongst the general public had been fairly stagnant. That was until the last decade or so when the estate has had a bit of a resurgence, so much so that despite the popularity of the SUV and the endless iterations available, there is even more estate choice than ever before. Especially for performance car fans.

A performance estate car certainly makes a lot of sense, especially with the number of hybrid and electric models on the rise. An estate car has a much lower centre of gravity when compared to an SUV so handling and ride are much improved, especially when being able to mount heavy batteries lower to the ground. The estate body style is also usually more aerodynamic and have a lower drag coefficient than a saloon, helping with both fuel efficiency for combustion engine cars and range possibilities for electric or hybrid varieties.

Whilst the numbers are on the up, just 110,000 estate cars were sold in the UK last year out of 1.9 million total, with 67% of all estate cars sold globally being sold in Europe. That figure is surely set to change with more estate cars than ever hitting the market, especially over the next few years.

With that in mind we have put together a list of the Top 10 Performance Estate cars that are perfect for everyone’s needs.

The Safe One – Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered

Think Volvo and anyone over the age of 30 think of the boxy estate cars that were a staple of motoring from the early 1980’s to the turn of the millennium. As well as their ability to carry more than anyone, their 740 of the 1980’s was famously able to fit a pallet in the boot, they have always innovated with safety systems. Since 1944 they have pioneered no fewer than 53 different safety systems that have been implemented as standard in their vehicles before anyone else, from inertia reel seatbelts to crumple zones, side airbags, whiplash safety systems automatic braking and much more.

These days their focus on safety is more abundant than ever, however the stylish Scandinavian brand is also now cooler than ever before, especially if you have a ‘Polestar Engineered’ performance version. Polestar is mainly known as Volvo’s designer electric-only brand, however before they took on Tesla at their own game, they used to also grace only the most performance minded Volvo’s in the range.

These days they also head up the fastest hybrids in Volvo’s line up, with a focus on handling improvements, suspension set up and braking more than anything else. A Polestar Engineered Volvo features gold calipers on performance brakes from Brembo, a sophisticated Ohlins suspension set up and even gold-coloured seatbelts. In the V60 T8 that is accompanied by over 400bhp and 670Nm or torque from their twin-engine hybrid set up, meaning a 0-62mph time of just 4.4 seconds. It is the perfect blend of safety, performance and handling in a sensible and stylish hybrid configuration.

The Aggressive One – Audi RS6 Avant

At the other end of the scale to the somewhat understated and subtle Volvo is the angry looking and aggressive Audi RS6 Avant. Audi have been offering a performance estate car longer than almost everyone else and as such have perfected their take on what a powerful estate should have. The abundance of space is obviously present however it comes with the renowned Audi interior blend of refinement, luxury and technology that they do better than most. The exterior styling with bulging wheelarches, long sweeping profile and large wheels give it purpose and an athletic looking stance. Then there’s the power lurking within.

To accompany the aggressive looks to the exterior the RS6 comes with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine and the brand’s famous Quattro all-wheel drive system to tame over 620bhp and 850Nm or torque that it produces. 0-62mph takes just 3.4 seconds in the RS6 ‘Performance’ and it will keep going to 190mph (for some models), and even then it has to be limited electronically. It also manages to be loud and fast, more than capable of enjoying a twisty B-road yet comfortable and capable at cruising down the motorway or in the city, whilst offering all the space you could ever need.

The Hybrid One – Mercedes Benz C63 S AMG E-Performance

As well as offering one of the most comprehensive ranges of petrol, electric and hybrid cars on offer, Mercedes are also pushing the boundaries when it comes to their performance hybrid models. Famously their AMG flagship cars used to mean growling V8 engines, tyre smoking cornering and boy-racer friendly bodykits to show they mean business. These days they seem to be taking a different approach.

Whilst the engine may now ‘only’ be a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol powerplant taken from the A-Class, it happens to also claim to be the world’s most powerful production 4-cylinder engine. Add to that an electric motor and the E-Performance hybrid set up produces over 670bhp and manages a 0-62mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds. Times are changing and V8’s aren’t the done thing anymore and Mercedes Benz are showing that their advanced technology means you can still offer their renowned performance from smaller capacity more clever set ups.

The Track Day One – BMW M3 Touring

The increasing popularity of performance estate cars means that BMW could ignore the fact that they didn’t make one for only so long. Audi’s RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes’ C63 and E63 estates had had the limelight for too long and in 2022 they decided to join the party. Despite offering an M5 Touring in previous generations, an M3 Touring was weirdly never previously a thing, but it was definitely worth waiting for.

The latest generation of BMW M3 is arguably one of the best ever and now offers performance that can outdo many a supercar on the road or around a racetrack. Adding the practicality of an estate variant does nothing to affect this impressive car, in fact the styling arguably looks even better in this body style than it does as a saloon or the M4 Coupe. The fact that its 6-cylinder 510bhp engine remains and a lot of work has been done to ensure the famed handling is unaffected creates the ultimate practical ‘M’ car. It also means that the M3 Touring can drive you and all your equipment to the racetrack, put in a few blistering lap times and then drive it all home again with ease.

The Speed One – Alpina B5 Touring

Whilst BMW’s M Division follows the gentleman agreement to limit their cars to 155mph (or 174mph with the M Driver’s Package), legendary modification company Alpina do not follow the same rules. For years Alpina have offered a connoisseur’s alternative to BMW’s M cars with a focus on grand touring refinement rather than racetrack thrills. That doesn’t mean that they skimped on performance however.

The Alpina B5 Touring takes the 5-Series base, adds refined aerodynamic styling tweaks to the exterior and their iconic multi-spoke alloy wheels, includes a more sumptuous setting to the adjustable suspension and throws the speed limiter in the bin. The result is a 4.4-litre 621bhp bi-turbo V8 that can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds and keeps on going to 202mph. Nothing on this list can match the comfort levels or get near that top speed.

The Electric One – Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo

In electric car terms 5 years is a very long time, yet nothing can match the Taycan in terms of dynamic ability or handling characteristics. Since its launch in 2019, the Taycan promised to drive just like a Porsche should and it has delivered on that promise, and then some. Not only that, but in ‘Turbo S’ specification it has more than enough power to beat everything else mentioned here for straight line speed. Thanks to almost 950bhp the Taycan Turbo S can accelerate from 0-62mph in a scarcely believable 2.4 seconds. That’s more than impressive even for an electric car.

What’s more, as well as the saloon variant it is also available in two forms of estate option, the go-anywhere rugged utility Cross Turismo and the stylish shooting-brake Sport Turismo body style. Both are arguably even better looking than the saloon and offer estate car practicality as well as supercar beating performance, with the added bonus of an engaging drive and a useful maximum 374km range. Whilst many so-called performance saloons offer straight line speed, the Taycan also delivers exactly where a Porsche product should, with an engaging drive.

The One That Shouldn’t Make Sense – Mercedes Benz CLA 45 S Shooting Brake

If any car was not to get an estate variant you would think that it would be a curvaceous coupe/saloon, but then again Mercedes Benz has a habit of going against convention. Much like putting a 585bhp V8 engine in a retro boxy SUV like they did with the G63 AMG sounds like a crazy idea, they have also done a performance estate, or shooting brake, version of their CLA 45 S AMG model.

It may not be the most spacious estate model on sale, yet the coupe styling morphed into a shooting brake body style strangely works well. Not only that, but if you were looking for an estate that is much less boxy and still appears to be very aesthetically pleasing, it is the perfect combination. In fact, despite being based on the A-Class chassis and with the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the A45 S AMG, the car actually drives better and is much more capable of being a grand tourer as well as an impressive AMG performance car with 0-62mph despatched in just 4.0 seconds.

The Futuristic One – Audi S6 Avant e-tron

The all-new Audi A6 Avant e-tron has taken a forward-thinking step in terms of design and technology to bring back the ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ as the CEO has stated. It promises to blend the latest advancements in technology, the renowned Audi refinement and luxury, and use aerodynamic design and impressive performance to get the most out of the electric vehicle platform. From the outside at least, the design certainly looks futuristic and streamlined and highlights the design direction of future models for the brand.

With the RS version of the A6 e-tron still on its way, the S6 Avant is the flagship performance version for now, however it promises an exciting drive nonetheless. The latest electric battery technology means a range of almost 390 miles, whilst a dual motor set up means a maximum 543bhp and a 0-62mph time of just 3.9 seconds. Adaptive air suspension means it will also handle the way a performance Audi should, whilst features such as augmented reality head up display satellite navigation, virtual door mirrors and the latest surround view cameras mean it will set new standards for driver aids.

The Most Anticipated One – BMW M5 Touring

When BMW announced the arrival of the M3 Touring it was only going to be a matter of time until it was joined by its bigger brother, an M5 Touring, the first since 2010. Only recently announced yet highly anticipated, the M5 Touring features hybrid power, the first in an ‘M’ car, to produce 717bhp and 1,000Nm of torque. A lot has been said about the weight of the new car, some 450kg increase over the previous M5, and whether it will handle the way an M Performance model should. The statistics are promising with all that power meaning a 0-62mph time of just 3.6 seconds thanks to its xDrive all-wheel drive system keeping the power in check, M adaptive suspension, rear-wheel steering and the active M differential should help in the corners.

Another talking point has been the price. A £23,000 increase over the previous ‘non-Competition’ M5 is quite a jump, yet with the hybrid technology and huge power increase some would say it is money well spent. The base price may be £112,500, however the M5 Saloon can easily be specified with £25,000 worth of options or more by the time it is ordered, so it may end up costing near £140,000 by the time you press order.

The Expensive One – Ferrari Purosangue

Technically not an estate car, yet Ferrari are adamant it is not an SUV. Those in the motoring press who have tried to define exactly what it is have claimed it is more like a raised GTC4 Lusso or Ferrari FF, which were both shooting brake / estate cars so we have included the Purosangue for that very reason. The first Ferrari with 4-doors and 4 seats, the brand have not differed too much from their usual formula elsewhere so it also becomes the first V12 (non-SUV) SUV since the Lamborghini LM002 or Audi Q7 V12 Diesel. A strange club to be a part of.

With 715bhp from the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine, Ferrari have ensured that it certainly performs and sounds exactly the way a Ferrari should. As well as the obvious advantages of the raised bodywork for space and practicality, the rear suicide doors also mean that passengers should be able to access the sumptuous rear seating easier too. The only issue for most would-be Ferrari customers? The starting price of over £310,000 and the actual order price well in excess of £400,000 by the time you have had a look at the options list. Probably not going to use this estate car to ferry the dog about or take your hedge trimmings to the tip.

Oracle Car Finance

If you are looking at purchasing your very own performance estate model, whether brand new, pre-owned or a classic , our expert team have over 19 year’s experience in sourcing tailored car finance products for performance models. Whatever type you are looking for, you can get in touch with us either by calling 0800 012 6666 or by clicking: Here.

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