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The auto industry hasn't a single universal definition for a "shooting brake." Long story short, there's confusion between what constitutes a "shooting brake" from a stations wagon, 2+2, coupe, hatchback, sports wagon, etc. So, this article was inspired by the hopes of settling the confusion and informing enthusiasts about the history and evolution of these automotive body styles that began as horse-drawn vehicles.
The Shooting Brake Archive
Part 1
Part 2
1951 Peugeot 203 Pathé Marconi
1952 Ferrari 212 Export Shooting Brake
1952-1954 Allard P2 Safari Shooting Brake
1953 Bentley R-Type Shooting Brake
1954 Chevrolet Nomad Concept
1954 Miller Shooting Brake
1956 Pontiac Safari
1956 Fiat 1100 TV Speciale Shooting Brake
1958 Porsche 356 Kruezer
1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I
1959 Jaguar XK150 3.4-Litre 'Foxbat' Sports Estate
1959 Bentley S2 Shooting Brake
1959-1978 Saab 95
1958 Tornado Cars LTD Typhoon Sportsbrake
1960 Sunbeam Alpine Shooting Brake
1960 Bentley S2 Wendler Shooting Brake
1961-1967 Ford Anglia 105E Estate
1961 Ford Thunderbird Custom Wagon
1962 Ford Thunderbird Wagon
1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB 'Breadvan'
1962 Lagonda Rapide Shooting Brake
1964-1965 Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake
1964 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Wagon
1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Wagon
1965 Plymouth Valiant Barracuda Wagon
1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake Vignale
1965 Ford Mustang Shooting Brake by Cumberford
1965 Iso Rivolta Breadvan
1965 Ogle Triplex Scimitar GTS
1965-1967 Aston Martin DB6 Shooting Brake by Harold Radford
1966 Ford Mustang Shooting Brake Prototype
1966 Ford Galaxie Magic Cruiser Concept Car
1966 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Estate
1966 Lamborghini 400GT Flying Star II
1966 Mercedes-Benz 230 SLX Shooting Brake by Frua
1967 Aston Martin DB6 Shooting Brake by FLM Panelcraft
1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 'Navarro' Drogo
1967 Fiat Dino Parigi
1968-1975 Reliant Scimitar GTE (SE5/ 5A)
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Shooting Brake
1968 Jaguar XK150 Estate
1968 Fiat Dino Ginevra
1968 Fiat 125 Station Wagon
1968 Opel Kadett L Shooting Brake
1969 Intermeccanica Murena 429 GT
1970 Cadillac Eldorado Station Wagon Concept by George Barris
1970 Porsche 914 by Eurostyle
1970 Chevrolet Camaro Kammback Concept
1970 Mazda RX-500 Shooting Brake Concept
1970 Aston Martin DBS Shooting Brake
1971-1973 Volvo P1800 ES
1971 Cadillac Eldorado Wagon
1971 Dodge Challenger Wagon
1971 Opel GT 24 Hours of Lemons Breadvan
1971 Glibern Invader Estate
1971 Isuzu Bellett Sport Wagon by Ghia
1971 Toyota RV-1 Concept
1971 TVR Zante (SM-250)
1971 Lotus Elan Hexagon Shooting Brake
1971 Peugeot 504 Break Riviera
1972 Chevrolet Vega Kammback
1972 Reliant Scimitar GTE Ferguson 4×4 Prototype
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB 4 Shooting Brake
1972 Toyota RV-2
1972 Citroën SM Break de Chasse
Part 3
1951 Peugeot 203 Pathé Marconi Shooting Brake
1951 Peugeot 203 Pathé Marconi advertising Shooting Brake was converted for the Tour de France. It was designed by Philippe Charbonneaux and bodied by Antem.
1952 Ferrari 212 Export Shooting Brake
The first known Ferrari Shooting Brake is based on the 212 Export Spyder. It was converted into a shooting brake in 1952 and served as a support car during the 1952 Carrera Panamericana. Unfortunately, it was converted back into a Spyder soon after. The conversions were done by the Italian coachbuilder Paolo Fontana.
1952-1954 Allard P2 Safari Shooting Brake
Allard was never known for producing cars in great numbers, and the P2 is no exception, with only ten examples being built from 1952 to 1954. In fact, out of the ten originals, only four survive to this day.
The P2 could be ordered with a wide range of engines, built by Ford, Mercury, and Cadillac, the latter being a 5.4 litre V8. The latter produced 160 horsepower, or 119 kilowatts, but made up for the lack of horsepower with almost 270-foot pounds of torque. These engines are also very easily modified, making the Safari a prime candidate for a fantastic sleeper.
1953 Bentley R-Type Shooting Brake
This particular R-Type was converted into a shooting brake in the early 1960s – it is believed to carry gun dogs – by W M Collett & Sons of Gloucester. The accompanying original logbook shows that the car was first registered to H A Fox & Co Ltd, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Retailers of London W1, while its first private owner was Frank G Andreae of London W2.
1954 Chevy Nomad Concept
At the 1954 General Motors Motorama in New York City, GM introduced their Chevrolet Nomad show car. It was a sporty wagon with two doors, pleasant smooth flowing curves, a trademark Corvette grille, and a forward sloping B-pillar. Five examples were produced for the auto show circuit, and it is believed that three are still in existence. The response to the Nomad was positive and convinced Harley Early and his Design Studio to apply the looks and the name to the following year's station wagon. Production of the Nomad would remain from 1955 through 1961.
The two-door station wagon was a popular item among the 'surf culture' of the late 1950s and later with hot rodders. The Nomad name would return in 1965 and 1965 as a two-door Chevelle station wagon. Throughout the rest of the 1960s, the name was applied to the low-level Chevelle station wagon. In the 1970s and early-1980's, it was even offered as a G-Series full-size van model.
1954 Miller Shooting Brake
Geoffrey Miller of Cornwall, England was a craftsman who had earlier built his own motorcycle when he decided to build himself a station wagon. This is the result, and it is the only such example. Most homebuilt cars look, well, home-built. However, this has all of the look of a series production car from 1950s England.
Somewhat Allard-like in its appearance, a 2.9-liter Austin-Healey straight-six powers the four-door woodie wagon. He used some production parts that were readily available but is said to have done the body and woodwork by hand.
1956 Pontiac Safari
The sporty Nomad/Safari wagons started with a 1954 General Motors Motorama concept car, a two-door hatchback built from the newly introduced Corvette. It was a hit at auto shows, but GM officials decided to get more buyers by basing the stylish wagon look on the Chevrolet Bel Air and Pontiac Star Chief, the automakers’ top models. The then-radical design proved popular, but with more admirers than buyers, most of whom ended up with more practical sedans and four-door wagons instead of Nomads or Safaris. The style lasted through the tri-5 era of 1955-57, with the names later recycled for “normal” station wagons.
1956 Fiat 1100 TV Speciale Shooting Brake
This Fiat 1100 TV Speciale was an advanced idea for a “shooting brake” model, one of the first seen in Italy, an ideal car for the golf players like Sergio Pininfarina. Unveiled at the Pininfarina stand of the 1955 Turin Auto Show, it didn’t follow a production series.
1958 Porsche 356 Kreuzer
In late 1955, the 356 A was introduced with more powerful engine options, a newly standard front sway bar paired with softer front springs, longer rear shocks, and a windshield gently curved to allow for improved outward visibility. The updates were subtle and didn’t dilute the 356’s personality, though they did alter its character for the better. These cars retained the purity of design of the original 356, a look that would become slightly more complex when the car was updated again in late 1959. What didn’t change through the 356’s entire production run was its usability, for it was a sports car that could be second as a practical touring car.
For John Dixon of the Taj Ma Garaj, what passed for utility in Zuffenhausen was only the starting point. Working with artist Byron Kauffman of Daytona Beach, Florida, Dixon sketched out a 911 with a sedan delivery body that would provide the rear-engined car with a relatively vertical, side-hinged cargo door and plenty of storage behind. After deciding that the low-slung 911 didn’t lend itself to the concept as well as the 356, Dixon entrusted Bob Bennett of Bennett’s Rod Shop west of Dayton, Ohio, with bringing his idea to life. The car would eventually become known as the “Kreuzer,” a Germanized version of “cruiser.”
