WagonFest returned to the Petersen Automotive Museum on May 3 for what organizers described as the “largest gathering of station wagons in the universe”, filling the museum grounds with everything from modern Audi RS 6 Avants and AMG estates to vintage longroofs and one-off coachbuilt creations.
photos: Denis Podmarkov / Avants
Unlike many Southern California gatherings focused specifically on modified or concours-level cars, WagonFest has always cast a wider net. The event is fundamentally about wagons of all eras and types rather than curated high-end tailoring specifically. Even so, the concentration of enthusiasts attending and the genre of cars makes for a solid tip-off that unusual specifications, limited-production models and highly individualized builds would turn up. And, in that, it did not disappoint.
Audi’s contingent alone included multiple Audi exclusive-finished RS 6 Avants alongside older imported Avants and RS models, while Mercedes-Benz included MANUFAKTUR-painted AMG estates and sedans. BMW representation ranged from modern Touring models to an Alpina E36 Touring and an especially striking vintage 5 Series finished in period BMW Individual paintwork – likely Daytona Violet.
Two standout Mercedes-Benz builds came from California-based CMS Motorsports & Restoration. The shop arrived with two big body coachbuilt projects that drew consistent crowds throughout the morning.
Another car that stood on its own quite literally as the only Ferrari there was a green over green Ferrari. Specifically, the car was what’s known as a 456 Venice. Of course, Ferrari doesn’t build wagons, but they probably would for the right buyer… say the Sultan of Brunei. This is one of those cars.
One was an especially convincing “what-if” interpretation of a Mercedes-Benz 500E wagon — effectively imagining the high-performance Porsche-developed W124 sedan as though Mercedes-Benz had officially built it in S124 estate form… which it never did. Finished in an eye-catching red shade and retaining factory-style AMG and 500E design cues, the car leaned heavily into OEM-style execution rather than exaggerated customization. The proportions, widened stance and subtle bodywork treatment gave the impression of something Mercedes-Benz could plausibly have produced during the early 1990s height of the super-sedan era.
Parked nearby was an even more unusual creation: a white Mercedes-Benz S-Class shooting brake conversion also built by CMS Motorsports & Restoration. Based on a large-body S-Class chassis and converted into an extended longroof configuration, the car blends traditional shooting brake themes with modern AMG luxury proportions. The conversion featured a fully reworked roofline and rear structure while maintaining factory-level surfacing and trim integration. While shooting brakes based on Mercedes-Benz coupes have appeared periodically through low-volume coachbuilders, seeing one executed from a modern flagship S-Class platform remains exceptionally rare.
Those kinds of cars helped reinforce why WagonFest has become more than simply a wagon meet. Events like this increasingly function as cross-sections of enthusiast culture where preservation, customization, rare factory specification and coachbuilt experimentation all coexist in the same space.
The 2026 Southern California event once again sold out its 400 vehicle allotment at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
