It would appear that as the modern estate car slowly fell out of favour with the general public as they shifted towards SUV’s, MPV’s, Crossovers and other equally ridiculous creations, the classic estate car has in response slowly gained street cred and, dare I say, an almost trendy image among classic car enthusiasts. If you haven’t already got one, 2019 is the year you want to add a classic estate to your garage…
Personally, I’ve always been quite fond of estate cars and we’ve owned several as our family run-around. In fact, there’s still a 16 year old – so by ViaRETRO standards, much too modern – SAAB 9-5 estate on our drive. But I have yet to own a truly classic estate, and there are quite a few which I fancy. A Triumph 2.5PI Estate Mk1 has always been a big favourite of mine, and the Americans of course had a myriad of really neat and stylish Yank-tank estates up through the sixties. But at least within Europe, the absolute King of classic estates simply has to be Peugeot. It all kicked off with their charming 203 Break and Familiale which they introduced in 1950, from which one successful estate after the other left the factory gates in Sochaux in the very east of France. Practically every one of them that followed right from the 403 of the fifties to the small 204 of the sixties and up to the big 505 of the eighties, epitomises the textbook, rugged, practical, yet still elegantly styled European estate car. They were well designed, well engineered and tough as nails. Frankly, no other car manufacturer has a back catalogue of estates which can match that of Peugeot.
So if you want to join the trendy crowd at your next classic car meet by cruising in behind the wheel of an estate, may I suggest you look a little closer at the French connection.
I would quite happily make any of those Peugeot Break’s – or Familiare’s as they were called when their bigger estates received a third row of seats – my first classic estate. But I’ve always had a real soft spot for the little 204 introduced in 1965 and the facelifted and improved 304 of 1969. So much so, that when all of ViaRETRO back in July of last year dived headlong into a frenzy of all things Francophile, it was the 204 and 304 which I pulled out of that vast pot of fabulous French automobiles. On that occasion however, I choose to focus on The Chic Compact Coupé Which the World Forgot. Yet, while the Break perhaps isn’t quite as stylish as the Coupé, their unadorned and simplistic design is really every bit as charming and oh-so typically French.
Of course, if you’re going to buy a classic Peugeot, where better to do so than in France? That’s about as authentic as the experience is ever going to get, and as an added bonus – well, depending I suppose on where you live – you could treat yourself to your first roadtrip of 2019 as you drive your ‘new’ Break home. If all of that sounds appealing, you might want a closer look at this lovely blue metallic Peugeot 304SL Break from 1975. The seller states that the Peugeot is in good and clean condition and drives really well with no known issues. The cognac interior is beautiful even if there is one small tear on the driver’s seatback bolster. The engine bay looks remarkably dry and clean, while the period roofrack is the perfect accessory for the little Peugeot. While the seller’s description is somewhat thin, it really does look excellent on the pictures.
The little Frenchman is up for grabs at Euro 4,900 which currently equates to £ 4,400. Seems to me like a whole lot of trendy estate practicality, stirred with some French flair, at a rather modest outlay. Naturally, as with any classic car, please ensure you have it thoroughly inspected before handing over any cash, and then enjoy the summer with plenty of space for family and friends to join you in your classic estate…
You will find the full advert here: 1975 Peugeot 304SL Break
With our Saturday instalment of Prime Find of the Week, we’re offering our services to the classic car community, by passing on our favourite classic car for sale from the week that passed. This top-tip might help a first-time-buyer to own his first classic, or it could even be the perfect motivation for a multiple-classic-car-owner to expand his garage with something different. We’ll let us inspire by anything from a cheap project to a stunning concours exotic, and hope that you will do the same.
Just remember – Any Classic is Better than No Classic! We obviously invite our readers to help prospective buyers with your views and maybe even experiences of any given model we feature. Further to that, if you stumble across a classic which you feel we ought to feature as Prime Find of the Week, then please send us a link to primefindoftheweek@viaretro.co.uk