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gwhite · 01-29-2004, 05:16 AM

If by popular you mean "trendy among 20 and 30 somethings," the Volvo wagon was the first "popular" wagon in the States, and this beginning in the mid 70's; at least in the Northeastern part of the country. It was quite the thing for those, having put aside the herb and acid, to have a Volvo 145 or 245 parked in front of a new suburban home, alone with 2.5 children playing in the yard. There were even terms like "soccer mom," and "Yuppie Conestoga wagon" for the young, upwardly mobile moms and their square but cool Volvo wagons (Conestoga refers to a popular horse drawn wagon used by White settlers in US and Canada http://www.mhsc.ca/index.asp?content=http://www.mhsc.ca/encyclopedia/contents/C6621ME.html).

Wagons may never have otherwise been hugely successful here; nonetheless, as Americans have begun now to scale back on the use of Earth Movers and Land Crushers to go to and from the corner store (we Americans have certain unresolved Power issues), wagons are again becoming the vogue, especially Suburu, Audi and to a lesser extent BMW and Benz wagons.

It's indeed a relief to note that sales of the ridiculously large SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) are falling. We've had lots of terrible accidents, have wasted millions of gallons of petrol and other resources with these stupidly large vehicles. And - for those of you who don't live in the US - most SUV owners would never dream of taking their darling monsters off-road - my word; and get mud on them!!? I think not...

Glenn White
Cottage City, MD
[8D]

01-29-2004, 05:16 AM	#37 (permalink)
gwhite BenzWorld Junior Member Date registered: Jan 2004 Vehicle: 1993 300TE, 2006 E350 4-matic wagon Location: USA Posts: 47	RE: wagons in US If by popular you mean "trendy among 20 and 30 somethings," the Volvo wagon was the first "popular" wagon in the States, and this beginning in the mid 70's; at least in the Northeastern part of the country. It was quite the thing for those, having put aside the herb and acid, to have a Volvo 145 or 245 parked in front of a new suburban home, alone with 2.5 children playing in the yard. There were even terms like "soccer mom," and "Yuppie Conestoga wagon" for the young, upwardly mobile moms and their square but cool Volvo wagons (Conestoga refers to a popular horse drawn wagon used by White settlers in US and Canada http://www.mhsc.ca/index.asp?content=http://www.mhsc.ca/encyclopedia/contents/C6621ME.html). Wagons may never have otherwise been hugely successful here; nonetheless, as Americans have begun now to scale back on the use of Earth Movers and Land Crushers to go to and from the corner store (we Americans have certain unresolved Power issues), wagons are again becoming the vogue, especially Suburu, Audi and to a lesser extent BMW and Benz wagons. It's indeed a relief to note that sales of the ridiculously large SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) are falling. We've had lots of terrible accidents, have wasted millions of gallons of petrol and other resources with these stupidly large vehicles. And - for those of you who don't live in the US - most SUV owners would never dream of taking their darling monsters off-road - my word; and get mud on them!!? I think not... Glenn White Cottage City, MD [8D]