Shooting Brake

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glojo

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What on earth has happened to the term 'shooting brake.?

This terminology always referred to what we now call the estate car, The estate car was a shooting brake, the shooting brake was the estate car.

I look now at the very latest 'shooting brake' and it looks like a saloon car without a boot. BUT.... The roofline slopes down terribly. can someone 6'6" sit in comfort in the back seat of the latest CLS? I have no idea but the slope looks awful.

Quick look at a very nice shooting brake which we would now call an estate car. Note how rear seat passengers do not have that awful sloping roof! Each to their own and respect to those that own a modern 'shooting brake' or estate car :dk:

Aston_Martin_DB5_Shooting_Brake.jpg
 
Must admit to always thinking a 'shooting brake' just had two doors and an 'estate' had four?
 
Must admit to always thinking a 'shooting brake' just had two doors and an 'estate' had four?
Tis all interesting as it appears it was a vehicle that could be used by folk wanting to go shooting and could plonk their guns in the back of the vehicle. Another term which in our country has gone out of fashion is 'station wagon' which once again is the estate car.

I always thought that two door saloon cars were sometimes called coupe but hey ho, tis something to chat about :)
 
My understanding of Shooting brake cars is just that , cars used to go shooting in. The story I heard is back in the day rich folk who went shooting had upper range cars modified by coachbuilders to carry guns , hampers and maybe even the odd dog in luxury . basically saying 'look how frucking rich I am mate ' . These things were of no use when going rough shooting so someone at LandRover started to pimp up the Range Rover...to the point where it is too nice (and expensive) to take off road and on 22 inch wheels with low profile tyres fitted pretty $hit at off roading :p.

A friend of mine shoots (a lot) refuses to get in the gun bus (when he can) as its always some scabby often ex war converted monstrosity with zero comfort, sometimes a trailer towed by a tractor, he follows in his new Range Rover Autobiography (with cream leather interior) a worse suited vehicle you could not imagine. He has got stuck on a few occasions only to have the gun bus tow him out, But he tells me after a long cold morning on the peg he likes to get in his car with electrically heated everything and is happy to pay someone to clean it afterwards. I think this is 4th or 5th one he has owned.

Sorry for going so far off topic. As you were.
 
Coupe would be just a two seater, two door, whereas a shooting brake would be a four seater two door.
Station wagons would just that, wagons used to convey luggage to and from railway stations. I think the term originated in the USA?
Estate cars would be larger saloons, possibly extended and used to take one to one's residence (family home or estate) in the country
 
Petrol Pete touched on the reasons but rather than the gentry having their vehicles modified by coach builders the cars cars were bodied specifically.

Customers would buy the chassis and have the bodies made and fitted by the likes of Hooper, Vanden Plas and Mulliner. They were built for a particular purpose.
 
Just been looking at a modern 'shooting brake'

CLA shooting brake.jpeg
 
Petrol Pete touched on the reasons but rather than the gentry having their vehicles modified by coach builders the cars cars were bodied specifically.

Customers would buy the chassis and have the bodies made and fitted by the likes of Hooper, Vanden Plas and Mulliner. They were built for a particular purpose.
I go along with what you are saying to a degree. If the wealthy gentry wanted a Bentley or Rolls Royce saloon then your wise words would still apply. The chassis would go to the coachbuilder of choice and the body would be built to order, be it a luxury saloon, coupe or perish the though estate car or shooting brake.

Whitenemesis.. Apologies foor disagreeing with your coupe definition
 
Tis all interesting as it appears it was a vehicle that could be used by folk wanting to go shooting and could plonk their guns in the back of the vehicle. Another term which in our country has gone out of fashion is 'station wagon' which once again is the estate car.

I always thought that two door saloon cars were sometimes called coupe but hey ho, tis something to chat about :)
Is there anything you do like?
 
I love the shooting brake shape and contours. In fact I love modern car designs. If you want/need the internal space that an old estate offers then better buy a van or trailer.
 
I go along with what you are saying to a degree. If the wealthy gentry wanted a Bentley or Rolls Royce saloon then your wise words would still apply. The chassis would go to the coachbuilder of choice and the body would be built to order, be it a luxury saloon, coupe or perish the though estate car or shooting brake.

Whitenemesis.. Apologies foor disagreeing with your coupe definition
Sorry fella but why have you simply agreed with what I posted and just re-written it? :dk:
 
Its amazing how words can change their meaning over time.

It makes me gay.
 
My understanding of Shooting brake cars is just that , cars used to go shooting in. The story I heard is back in the day rich folk who went shooting had upper range cars modified by coachbuilders to carry guns , hampers and maybe even the odd dog in luxury . basically saying 'look how frucking rich I am mate ' . These things were of no use when going rough shooting so someone at LandRover started to pimp up the Range Rover...to the point where it is too nice (and expensive) to take off road and on 22 inch wheels with low profile tyres fitted pretty $hit at off roading :p.

A friend of mine shoots (a lot) refuses to get in the gun bus (when he can) as its always some scabby often ex war converted monstrosity with zero comfort, sometimes a trailer towed by a tractor, he follows in his new Range Rover Autobiography (with cream leather interior) a worse suited vehicle you could not imagine. He has got stuck on a few occasions only to have the gun bus tow him out, But he tells me after a long cold morning on the peg he likes to get in his car with electrically heated everything and is happy to pay someone to clean it afterwards. I think this is 4th or 5th one he has owned.

Sorry for going so far off topic. As you were.
Your friend needs to learn how to drive his Range Rover then! I have owned 3 and never been stuck off road.
You get a free half day when you buy a new one and it is absolutely amazing what you can drive through on standard road tyres.
I have been up and down slopes that I do not think I would want or be able to walk over.
 
Your friend needs to learn how to drive his Range Rover then! I have owned 3 and never been stuck off road.
You get a free half day when you buy a new one and it is absolutely amazing what you can drive through on standard road tyres.
I have been up and down slopes that I do not think I would want or be able to walk over.
The bloke probably got stuck when it broke down. 😁
 
Sorry fella but why have you simply agreed with what I posted and just re-written it? :dk:
I am simply clarifying that saloons were also custom made and not just estate cats\shooting brakes.
I love the shooting brake shape and contours. In fact I love modern car designs. If you want/need the internal space that an old estate offers then better buy a van or trailer.


What a good idea.... Yes it is my 'van'





Vanc_JGS6266.jpg
 

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