Saloon cars, why?

For a given car the quoted boot capacity is almost always greater for the saloon than the hatch version (the volume will be calculated under the parcel shelf for the hatch).  For something like a golf vs Jetta, the difference is obvious, less so for a mondeo hatch vs saloon.

Hatches have a bigger opening, and you can obviously remove the parcel shelf, which is why they are more practical.

Just noticed that the above is the most patronising thing ever, sorry 😜

the quoted boot capacity

Which is pretty irrelevant if it only includes the space under the removable parcel shelf?

Some saloons just worked, though; if you needed more space, buy the state version:

Then there’s the Opel Manta Series-A, a really lovely looking car that could only work as a saloon coupé. I had one for a while, the steel ‘parcel shelf’ under the rear window was ideal for mounting big stereo speakers to the underside with a cloth cover, making them more or less invisible from the outside.

I’d love another one.

Yep, but it explains why the quoted capacities for the saloons are larger.  Largely irrelevant in practice.

Step aside Nova, I give you Clio:

https://flic.kr/p/27sB3aU

Feel free to imbed

The Sweeny used a big saloon, so there you go…thankfully BL never made a Maestro saloon, that would have trumped the Nova.

They did – ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Austin Montego.

My Uncle had one as a company car. Just as black trim was getting trendy. Austin just painted the chrome trims black (I kid you not). Funnily enough that flaked off pretty quickly.

Saloons are notmaly quieter at speed becsuse of the bulkhead between the passenger compartment and the boot.

That Clio saloon…. words fail me.

That Clio saloon…. words fail me.

Then you’ll love the Chevrolet Corsa sedan:

Brazilians lap that shit up. For reasons that elude me.

I know IA!

I spotted it in Poland, I’d never seen one before .

Whilst looking for pictures of aestheticallypleasing saloons I found this. https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/lotus/carlton/241020 How much?! Nice though

I alos like this.

I had not one but 2 orions 🙂 I loved mine especially when you put the foot down the back end dipped !! Felt sporty to a young lad 🙂

The only saloon cars in the BTCC are Audi A4’s and they’re in the bottom 10% of the race.

Which for an Audi is odd, because you’d expect it to be superglued to the outside lane and the driver on the phone whilst holding everyone up 😜

But no, it’s slow.

All the vehicles are hatchbacks or estates, the surprising vehicle is a Prius which came 3rd in the last race from back of the grid.

So.. evidence suggests hatchbacks and hybrids are quickerer 👌☄️🔥🍆👌

So.. evidence suggests hatchbacks and hybrids are quickerer

No, it suggests manufacturers competing in BTCC want to sell hatchback hybrids.  Go back 25 years and they were all saloons, with the exception of Volvo who decided to bring a brick-shaped estate to the party.

I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years they’re competing with SUVs.

The only saloon cars in the BTCC are Audi A4’s and they’re in the bottom 10% of the race.

There are only racing cars in BTCC which have saloon, estate and hatchback shaped body shells on them. Pretty much like a Tamiya.

No, it suggests manufacturers competing in BTCC want to sell hatchback hybrids.

There are only racing cars in BTCC which have saloon, estate and hatchback shaped body shells on them.

🙂 Some of you are not great at picking up on humour and frippery. I ‘suspect’ he knew exactly that already – it’s not rocket science.

Saloons – hit and miss aesthetically. That Alpha posted on the first page is grim to my eyes and the Lotus Carlton in the link a few posts up is daft money but also grim (because it looked like a Carlton, obvs). The nicest cars posted here have failed my ‘what is a saloon car’ test – i.e. 4 doors and crossed over into coupe territory.  A BMW 240i for example might have a second row of seats, a picnic bench out the back and a static parcel shelf and rear window but BMW call it a coupe. Because it is.

I’m struggling to think of a model that looks better as an estate than it’s saloon sibling mind. BMW 5 series saloon to my mind looks worse than the 240i I mentioned previously but a lot better than the estate version which (again, to me) looks awful.

I’m struggling to think of a model that looks better as an estate than it’s saloon sibling

merc w205

just gopping as a saloon. Just about works as an estate.

Some of you are not great at picking up on humour and frippery. I ‘suspect’ he knew exactly that already – it’s not rocket science.

Phew 💋

Saved me from having to type some wildly expressive deep and meaningful reply.

Thank you.

Bensales – you forgot the Civic tourer from a few seasons ago, heavier than the hatchbacks. So logically the heavier the car the faster it is.

@TiRed, I was a Vento owner too (petrol) so I can second that, boot was cavernous had done 64k miles when I bought it and 220k when I sold it. Could comfortably get a bike in with the seats down.

I think most Audis and Volvos work better as estates but that is because they have been building “lifestyle” vehicles for the middle classes for donkeys years. Their markets are people who do outdoor stuff and who have dogs and move antiques etc (volvos!) as well as families.

Audi A4 and S70 look terrible but the A4 Avant and V70 look so much better.

Saloons do seem to be popular with certain types – men in their 20’s who like sending their disposable income on their cars and older men who see saloons as “normal” and don’t “need” and estate. Saloons are generally cheaper 2nd hand due to being common company cars hence them being good purchases for people wanting a car in the A4/3 series segment with a 2 litre engine and lots of toys that you dont get on the level below.

Saloons are generally cheaper (less glass, smaller tailgate, lower rated suspension and a bit more secure n so popular as company cars. They are quieter for people in the back and less weight high up makes them better handling.

Saloon versions of what we buy as hatchbacks in the UK are popular in hotter countries I think due to the boot staying cooler and being a good place to put your shopping. I think hatches are very popular in the UK due to looks (we are more obsessed with cars being a status symbol) and reduced length for easier parking and possibly being a bit more sporty due to less weight/overhang or maybe that is just the looks are sportier.

Boot size for an estate is under the load cover + the whole volume with the seats flat and parcel shelf removed. I think my estate is 600 litres under the parcel shelf and just under 2000L (2 cubic metres) with the seats down and load cover removed. The saloon version has a very similar capacity to the first figure as it is the same length for my car (a lot are not) but obviously you have the very restricted access but I guess the thing you need to be able to do is fit luggage or golf clubs. If you need to slide in big 1m cubed boxes you get the estate.

The maestro saloon was basically the montego.  Sort of.  Shared lots of parts anyway.

There was talk of it being built in the South Wales valleys and being renamed the Maestego.

( 😂 )

It’s all pretty simple.

Saloons are for men, hatchbacks are for doing the shopping and estates are for those who have dogs.

Blurgh!! 🤮🤮🤮

Mmmmmm.