Station Wagon

[Mr.Espinoza ♔♔♔]

 

 

Familiar is a type of body used in passenger cars. It is a body of two simple volumes in which access to the trunk is a door or gate with rear glass, and "five doors" is usually the general rule. There are also variants "three doors" with double rear side window, double side window being the false rear and body or with only one side moon; necessary are more oriented to mixed transport and are called commercial. [appointment required]

There are several synonyms for "familiar" in Spanish: "rural" (Argentina, mainly), "blonde" or "ranchera" (common in Spain), "wagon" or "guayín" (Mexico, specific to its size), "Station Wagon "or" Station (in Chile, Peru and Puerto Rico) and "Station Wagon" or "van" (in Colombia and Venezuela). In the latter country, it is also known as "Ranchera Pickup." 

Also the term "combi" is common in certain regions, particularly in German models such as Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz are often called the German Kombi combi, "combination vehicle", that is, a passenger and cargo vehicle combined. For example, when the rear seats can be removed or added or folded under the floor, for greater load capacity.

In the beginning, in the era of vintage cars, family bodies were common and independent models, they did not start from another model. Subsequently, when mass production became widespread in the era of classic cars, family members became big and crude brothers of other vehicles on which they were based and oriented to large families or commercial travelers. With the passage of time, they became much more expensive than their normal variants, due to the greater use of materials in their conception, construction, and so on. As a result, many brands began adding luxury ornaments to these vehicles, such as special chrome or side chrome wood, which "justified" the price increase by far

Despite entering the golden age of the family vehicle with the generalization of third row of seats folded under the trunk, raised roof and prominent roof racks, they continued to suffer from an increase in weight with respect to their normal variant, decrease in aerodynamics and, as a result, an increase in consumption. [citation needed]

With the arrival of the oil crisis, family members softened or eliminated the overhead roof, lowered the height of their roofs and began to incorporate aerodynamic grimaces at the back of the roof. They also decreased the increase in size with respect to the original car drastically. The rebirth of the family era came with the incorporation of new lighter materials, technologically more efficient engines and archaic computers capable of optimally managing the space gained to the base vehicle. Aesthetically, little was changed, but the trims that overload or the wooden side practically became extinct.

Differences with other bodies

Peugeot 508 SW.
The main difference between a family member and other variants is the size, it is always slightly larger -Alfa 156, Subaru Impreza- to much higher -Chevrolet Caprice, Renault Megane-. Most tourism models, from segment C to E (with the exception of supercars and super luxury saloons) have multiple finishes in their bodies: starting from the classic 4-door sedan (in the case of a saloon) or the classic liftback 3 doors (in the case of a compact), the possible intermediate hatchback option of 5 doors with two and a half volumes and above all the aforementioned family.

The difference with the original car is evident since we add a door in the case of the compact and a long side moon behind the doors both in this one and in the saloon. In both the result is: increase in total length, modification or creation of a chassis capable of supporting it and extension of the habitability of the rear seats, features that usually come in the hatchback version, if any: the difference between the family and the latter then lies in its boot capacity, which is achieved by increasing the rear overhang to a greater or lesser extent, but; especially, with a higher rear roof height and an inclination of the glass in the door or lower tailgate (almost vertical in some models), thus, it encloses much more space if it is decided to place objects above the line of the rear windows. In addition, almost all family members have folding rear seats, so the useful space is even larger and larger objects can be placed.

That is why; despite the tailgate and high roof; vans and vans both cargo, mixed or intended exclusively for people may not be familiar, being mono volumes vehicles. While there is a current trend to offer, in addition to the original, a "off-road familiar" converted with 4-wheel drive, increased ground height and reinforcements on the fenders, the classic and authentic all-terrain are not considered familiar.

Other denominations
The different brands use variations related to the native language for the commercial names of this body, these are the majority of them:

Alfa Romeo: Familiare, Sportwagon
Audi: Avant
BMW: Touring
Chrysler: Wagon, Station-wagon, Touring, Town & Country, Nomad
Citroën: Break, Tourer
Dodge: Magnum
Fiat: Panorama, Weekend, Adventure
Ford & subsidiaries: Wagon, Estate, Nomade, Country-squire, Turnier
GMC & subsidiaries: Wagon, Estate-wagon, Station-wagon, Grand-safari, Nomad
Mercedes: Kombi, Estate
Opel: Caravan, Sport-tourer
Peugeot: Break, 'SW'
Renault: Break, Nevada, Grand-tour, 'SW'
Seat: Blonde, Family, Various, 'ST'
Skoda: Combi
Volkswagen: Variant
Volvo: Wagon, 'V'