Niels van Roij of the eponymous design agency from London has delivered another piece of art, the Rolls-Royce Silver Specter Shooting Brake. The car joins a long list of exclusive and special British Shooting Brakes, ten of which we present today.
It should be clear that we are ignoring the very latest evolution of the concept of shooting brake, in which a sporty lined five-door wagon runs off with that term, today. These are real shooting brakes, the three-door variant. That is a form of body that almost every car enthusiast is immediately enthusiastic. Market enough, you might think, but few cars have been built in this form. With cars like the Volvo P1800ES and BMW Z3 Coupé, a shooting brake has gone into series production here and there, but more often it involved small series or even one-offs from tuners and body builders. There are many examples of this, especially in British car history. A small disclaimer: the list below is in a random order and is incomplete. We would of course like to see any additions or preferences reflected in the comments!
1. Rolls-Royce Silver Specter Shooting Brake
Niels van Roij has been successful in recent years to keep the attention of the car country. There was a Tesla Model S Shooting Brake (five-door) and the Dutchman decided to redeem a promise from Land Rover himself with the Adventum Coupé. The latest feat is called Rolls-Royce Silver Specter Shooting Brake and is a shooting brake based on the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Tastes differ, but in our opinion this body style fits wonderfully with the graceful Rolls-Royce. It is also historically responsible, because Rolls-Royce is mentioned among the very first brands where a classic ‘shooting brake’ body was one of the possibilities. These cars, which were often the product of coachbuilders, just as with the modern Rolls, still correspond to the literal interpretation of this special name. For example, Shooting Brakes had to accommodate a driver and a hunting party including equipment, so that the hunt could proceed as comfortably as possible. That is a somewhat different interpretation than the post-war variant, which in fact unites a station wagon and a sports car in one model. Nevertheless, the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost from 1910 – perhaps coincidentally – has some characteristics of what we call a shooting brake, among other things due to the long and doorless rear compartment.
Van Roij has not easily gotten rid of it with the modern interpretation. For example, the entire rear has been redesigned, with a different location for the number plate, a recessed rear window and of course a large hatchback lid as unique features. The immense roof has an illuminated starry sky on the inside, as Rolls-Royce also supplies. Although visible efforts have been spared, it is clear here and there that this is a conversion. For example, the tailgate hinges seem to be built up from a piece of the original and a special addition and the shape of the original side window is still visible in the firmly extended end result. Is that bad? No, in our opinion it only adds to the charm of this extremely exclusive car. In total, no more than seven copies must be made.
2. Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake
Rolls-Royce was earlier, but Aston Martin has succeeded in stealing the Shooting Brake theme from its compatriots. The Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake was allegedly created at the request of David Brown (yes, that DB) himself, mainly for practical reasons. The particularly tasty result was produced a total of twelve times, of course largely by a body builder. Successor DB6 was also fitted with a shooting brake carriage and was produced in that form in an even smaller edition.
3. Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake
Much less exclusive is Zagato’s most recent creation, the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake. With 99 pieces, the most practical of the four variants of the Vanquish Zagato is of course still very exclusive. Moreover, it is a true work of art to see, with many special details and yet a streamlined, elongated carriage. The roof that extends far to the rear features a glass-covered notch in the longitudinal direction of the car, a unique styling feature.
4. Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake
Wonderfully mysterious are the rarest body styles of the Aston Martin Virage from the 80s and 90s. In addition to a sedan and a five-door station wagon with the historical name Lagonda, shooting brakes have also been made based on this ancient British monster, although the name ‘golfing brake’ fits the model better according to the press photos. The same photos indicate that the Volkswagen Scirocco rear lights of the coupé here gave way to copies of the Renault 21 Nevada. Only six Virage Shooting Brake are reported to have been built. At the end of the 90s there was also a shooting brake based on the slightly smoother Vantage, the V8 ‘Sportsman’. Only two of these were built, which are also distinguished by the placement of the rear lights.
5. Lynx Eventer
Another ‘coachbuilder’, this time with the name Lynx. In the company on this page, the Lynx Eventer is one of the less rare copies, but that mainly says something about the rest. In total, about seventy XJSs are said to have been converted to shooting brakes, with the pre-facelifts with the old rear lights being the least rare.
6. Reliant Scimitar GTE
Okay, the Reliant Scimitar is actually a bit of an odd man out. This car is not exactly rare, but it is one of the best-known examples of a British shooting brake. The three-door GTE appeared in 1968. In good English tradition, the model was then endlessly developed, adapted and patched, so that the basic ancient design was able to last until 1990. This is also where the bit of exclusivity came into play, as according to tradition only 78 Scimitars were built under the rule of Middlebridge Scimitar Ltd., which took over the rights to build the car in 1987 from the ailing Reliant. . Anyone who finds such a Middlebridge-Scimitar can immediately register with the MESS. Correct: the Middlebridge Enthusiasts Scimitar Set.
7. Jensen GT
Say ‘Shooting brake’ and thoughts may soon turn to the Jensen Interceptor. The legendary Jensen with the heroic name does indeed have a shooting brake-like thing about it, but still doesn’t quite pass the Techzle shooting brake approval. The sloped butt with panoramic rear window makes it a bit of a doubtful thing. Fortunately, Jensen also has a real shooting brake in house, the GT. That was nothing more or less than a Jensen-Healey with a fixed, long roof, a hatchback lid and two (small) extra seats. It must be said: this suits it! The GT remained a lot rarer than its open brother, because in total only 511 copies were built. Given the small edition and the relatively friendly price tag, it is striking how well the GT is finished. The chrome-trimmed rear window serves as a glass tailgate and even has a real windshield wiper, a part that is obviously missing on the open roadster.
8. Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake Zagato Centennial
Another Aston Martin? Another Aston Martin. Another Zagato? Yup. The Virage Shooting Brake Zagato from 2014 should not be missing in our opinion. Zagato owes it to his stand to make something very special from such a one-off, and he certainly succeeded. Just like the Vanquish Zagato that can be found in place 2, the Centennial is one of a small series. Together with a coupe and an open Volante, the three-door formed a special trio, with the aim of celebrating the centenary of Aston Martin. Remarkable detail: the coupé is based on a DBS, the convertible on a DB9 and the Shooting Brake is based in the latest Virage. These three models are in fact different versions of the same car, yet it is striking that Zagato spread his creations across all three variants.
9. Bentley Continental Flying Star
You would almost forget, but apart from a unique body, the Shooting Brake shape also provides the necessary practical ease of use. Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is not difficult about this, and simply indicated in 2010 that the hyper-exclusive and very expensive Bentley Continental Flying Star has a luggage compartment of 400 liters. Throw the split-folding bench flat, and it even creates a luggage compartment of 1,200 liters. The Flying Star has been creatively made slightly different and, apart from the now well-known three-door carriage, can also boast a special interior and cleverly covered rear lights. Also special: instead of a coupé, Touring opted for an open GTC as the basis, so that the body itself is a lot stronger. Such a Flying Star cost 560,000 euros in 2010, with a maximum of twenty units built.
10. Lotus Elan S4 Estate ‘Elanbulance’
A Lotus in this list? Hell yes. In the early 1970s, an English garage had the idea that there would be a market for a slightly more practical version of the feather-light and extremely sporty Elan. The result is a car that, on the one hand, seems well thought out, but on the other, also clearly looks like a retrospective solution. To start with the well thought-out piece, the load floor is flat and the lift threshold is low, thanks to a flap that extends just above the bumper. The less harmonious aspect is best reflected in the roofline, which still shows the bulging of the original above the front seats. Afterwards, things continue straight back. The Elanbulance was not a success and in total it remained with two copies. Two 1: 1 copies at least, because it is surprisingly possible to purchase a scale model of this remarkable creation. A must-have for the shooting brake enthusiast, we say.
