Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

FINALLY, AFTER years of playing second fiddle to the family saloon, estate cars are starting to steal some of the limelight. It's long overdue. The day when estates were the preserve of the travelling salesman, with his book of carpet samples, are long over. The modern estate has all the panache of the regular model and 10 times the flexibility.

In fact, they offer a far more sensible motoring proposition than the silly high-roofed people carriers that litter the school driveway every evening. Estates offer the seating comfort and up front feel of a regular family car while there's often storage akin to a small van round the back. What's more, with the right engines, they can match all that practicality with some high performance fun.