Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2001

Luxury Station Wagon

Winner: BMW 5 Series

Wagons are making a comeback, and European automakers were the first to recognize the trend. For 2001, you can choose the 525i Sport Wagon, with its 184-horsepower inline six, or the 540i Sport Wagon, which has a 282-horsepower V8 beating under the hood. The 525i can be mated to either a five-speed manual or a Steptronic automanual transmission. The 540i gets only the slushbox, but still manages a 6.3-second sprint from zero to 60. Either car can be equipped with sport and/or luxury packages. A handy sliding cargo floor makes loading easy, though the maximum cargo capacity of 63.9 cubic feet is on the small side for this class of vehicle. Handsome, versatile, and with great performance to boot, the BMW 5 Series gets our nod as best luxury station wagon for 2001.