Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake snapped winter testing
02-08-12, 04:38 PM
#18
Out of Warranty
The term "shooting-brake" came from an early 19th Century horse-drawn wagon that was specifically equipped to carry a party of hunters, their guns, and even their dogs into the fields for a day's hunt. The "brake" part supposedly originated with a bare frame that was hitched to a team of horses to train them to harness while providing the drag of a larger wagon. It is ultimately unclear whether that was meant as "brake" or "break", as in breaking horses. It is possible that one of these frames was modified for the hunting season with a couple of facing benches and a cargo area.
There have been a number of "shooting-brakes" manufactured, both as horse-drawn carriages and as early automobiles for the same purpose. Albion Motors, the maker of heavy trucks and buses in the early years of the 20th Century produced a whole line of "Estate Cars" and "Shooting-Brakes" that were basically a small bus with longitudinal benches for six or eight hunters plus gun racks and accommodations for ammo and game bags. Generally, these were two to four cylinder chain-drive chassis mounted with a custom carriage.
Other manufacturers of high-end vehicles soon jumped on the trend toward purpose-built hunting vehicles. Here, Rolls-Royce offers one of the popular shooting-brakes of 1910. Note the forward "doors" used by the driver - while entrance to the big ticket seats was through a rear door and step platform.
By 1936, the form had become more settled around a four-door chassis, but the "woody" trim remained intact. Here, a Bentley:
During the war years, the ostentation of an "estate car" for driving around one's property fell out of favor, but it was David Brown (of DB fame) who produced the modern interpretation using the DB-5 as his starting point. If you squint a little, you can see the origins of what we Americans call a "station wagon" that was originally intended to carry guests from the railroad station to a destination hotel or resort with plenty of cargo space for their luggage.
1942 Hudson
1951 Chevy Wagon
1976 Chevy Caprice Wagon
Notice how the wood trim carries through the years? It seems to have peaked about 1983 . . .
Wagon Queen Family Truckster
There have been a number of "shooting-brakes" manufactured, both as horse-drawn carriages and as early automobiles for the same purpose. Albion Motors, the maker of heavy trucks and buses in the early years of the 20th Century produced a whole line of "Estate Cars" and "Shooting-Brakes" that were basically a small bus with longitudinal benches for six or eight hunters plus gun racks and accommodations for ammo and game bags. Generally, these were two to four cylinder chain-drive chassis mounted with a custom carriage.
Other manufacturers of high-end vehicles soon jumped on the trend toward purpose-built hunting vehicles. Here, Rolls-Royce offers one of the popular shooting-brakes of 1910. Note the forward "doors" used by the driver - while entrance to the big ticket seats was through a rear door and step platform.
By 1936, the form had become more settled around a four-door chassis, but the "woody" trim remained intact. Here, a Bentley:
During the war years, the ostentation of an "estate car" for driving around one's property fell out of favor, but it was David Brown (of DB fame) who produced the modern interpretation using the DB-5 as his starting point. If you squint a little, you can see the origins of what we Americans call a "station wagon" that was originally intended to carry guests from the railroad station to a destination hotel or resort with plenty of cargo space for their luggage.
1942 Hudson
1951 Chevy Wagon
1976 Chevy Caprice Wagon
Notice how the wood trim carries through the years? It seems to have peaked about 1983 . . .
Wagon Queen Family Truckster
Last edited by Lil4X; 02-08-12 at 04:57 PM.
02-09-12, 03:42 PM
#20
Out of Warranty
^^ You and I are just easily entertained . . . 
That power rear window was really handy on wagons and the big-brother SUVs. With the side windows open in nice weather, you could play with the postion of the rear window to achieve still air in the cabin at highway speed. As you cracked the rear window, the less air buffeted you from the sides, while opening the tailgate window farther produced a nice breeze down the back of your neck that also removed cigarette smoke from the cabin via the side windows. Usually about a 1" - 1½" opening provided an optimal balance.
That power rear window was really handy on wagons and the big-brother SUVs. With the side windows open in nice weather, you could play with the postion of the rear window to achieve still air in the cabin at highway speed. As you cracked the rear window, the less air buffeted you from the sides, while opening the tailgate window farther produced a nice breeze down the back of your neck that also removed cigarette smoke from the cabin via the side windows. Usually about a 1" - 1½" opening provided an optimal balance.
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