Shooting brakes are such a peculiar concept in automotive design. They seem to bridge the gap between a sport-minded coupe and the pragmatic estate. This term originally comes to play when referring to horse drawn vehicles called shooting brakes, developed in England to offer carriage passengers space for sporting accoutrement, guns and hunting dogs in an extra storage compartment. It carried into the automobile and blossomed as an outlandish and undeniably cool body style.

Shooting brakes didn’t lose the sporty edge typical for non-wagon cars. Thanks to their long rooflines and rear ends, they could carry more load but never really gave up on proportions and a car to drive with the verve of a sports car. That unusual mixture captured the eyes of owners in search for something more peculiar than a coupe, a sedan, a crossover, or anything in between.

Over the years, manufacturers and specialist coachbuilders have designed shooting brakes ranging from rather sublime grand tourers to utterly absurd one-off supercars. While few were made in tiny numbers, some became incredibly familiar production models. Ten great shooting brakes that show just how diverse and frankly, silly, the formula can get.

1. Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake

The Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake is arguably the most ambitious example of the shooting brake concept to emerge recently. In association with famous Italian coachbuilder Zagato,Aston Martin endowed a V12 Vanquish super grand tourer with this elongated body; just 99 were ever produced.

Design And Performance Define Its Appeal:

• Limited production created exceptional rarity
• Double-bubble roof added distinctive character
• Extended body improved practical cargo space
• Powerful V12 delivered serious performance
• Grand touring design retained Aston Martin’s identity

Arguably the single most iconic detail on Zagato’s latest offering is the distinctive roof with its characteristic bubble top. Not only helps provide the body with a signature look, but the unique shape offers better rear interior space without negatively altering the roof’s shape overall; the elongated lines add that little bit more purpose to the Vanquish in a way that doesn’t subtract from its intimidating Aston Martin appeal.

A natural-breathing 5.9-liter V12 makes power to the tune of 592hp and 465 pound-feet of torque. The power hits the pavement via an eight-speed ZF Touchtronic III automatic to launch this vehicle from a dead stop to 60 miles per hour in a mere 3.6 seconds. Reaching a top speed of greater than 200 miles per hour, this car clearly demonstrates that additional cargo space isn’t solely sacrificed for true performance.

2. Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake

The Aston Martin Virage Shooting Brake, built by the Aston Martin Works Service between 1992 and 1993 was also an extremely rare car. The design abandoned the flowing lines of a typical sports coupe, extending and raising the rear, in order to make the grand tourer a much more versatile vehicle. Just a small number were completed making it one of the less common derivatives of the Virage.

Rare Luxury Meets Added Practicality:

• Extremely limited production increased exclusivity
• Extended rear improved interior practicality
• Upright profile created distinctive styling
• V8 power supported effortless grand touring
• High original price reflected its exclusivity

Its more upright styling at the rear makes it look unique, and the additional cabin space along with room for luggage. The design was intended for customers who desired an Aston Martin’s image and panache with something a little more practical than the coupe offered at that price, this package would obviously command a fantastic price and the original price was somewhere north of 165,000.

The engine is a 5.4 liter V8 producing about 330hp. Though less extreme than certain modern shooting brakes, the Virage was about smooth, luxurary, grand touring. With so few produced, and of such unusual specification the Virage remains a classic for Aston collectors looking for something more unique.

3. BMW Z3 M Coupe

Bmw z3 m coupe clown shoe Immediately noticeable for its bizarre proportions was the 1 BMW Z3 M Coupe. Originally, at least partly built by a BMW engineer named Burkhard Gschel who wanted to create greater structural stiffness in the already fun Z3 roadster, this roof-less coupé had an outsized posterior. These quirks led many enthusiasts to embrace the affectionately earned nickname “clown shoe.”

Unusual Shape Conceals Serious Performance:

• Structural changes improved chassis rigidity
• Powerful straight-six engine delivered strong performance
• Extended roof increased luggage capacity
• Limited production strengthened collector interest
• Distinctive styling created lasting recognition

Although it has a peculiar design, the M Coupe was a performance machine. It features the renowned straight-six engine of the BMW M series and generates a power of 321-325bhp depending on the generation and market. With such a compact body and a powerful engine, it has an agile feel on the road, while the long roof gives it about 410 liters of luggage room.

Production, which ran from 1998-2002, saw just 6,291 examples produced. That finite run has, in many ways, helped make the Z3 M Coupe into one of BMW’s most distinctive modern classic cars. It offers sports car performance with carlike hauling ability in a limited edition body style with a look all its own; quite easily one of the coolest shooting brake-like sedans ever churned out by one of the world’s automotive giants.

4. Callaway Cars AeroWagen Package

Callaway Cars turns this shooting brake idea on its head though-not with their own stand-alone vehicle, but by converting the Chevrolet Corvette C7 into a long-roofed sports car. They haven’t designed a new vehicle from the ground up but rather a body conversion that builds off of the existing Corvette’s rear-hatch design, thereby giving America’s sports car a whole new silhouette while maintaining much of its original engineering.

Corvette Performance Gains Wagon-Like Versatility:

• Long-roof conversion transformed the Corvette
• Added cargo space improved everyday practicality
• Original engineering remained largely intact
• Reversible design offered owner flexibility
• Supercharged option delivered extreme performance

Best of all is that this conversion offers extra, practical cargo space and yet it doesn’t completely ruin what makes a Corvette a Corvette. The long trunk opens up to a functional storage space and gives it a unique look all together, while giving potential customers peace of mind that at any time they can revert back to their stock C7 body.

Things get even wilder if the AeroWagen is fitted with Callaway’s SC757 performance kit. In that guise, the Corvette sports a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 capable of spitting out a brain-bending 757 hp. That package allows the decidedly odd shooting brake ‘Vette to take itself seriously as a performer and shows just how extreme aftermarket folk can take the long-roof wagon concept.

5. Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Vignale Shooting Brake

The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Vignale Shooting Brake is surely one of the most intriguing and desirable one-offs to come out of a Ferrari grand tourer. Designed and built in 1965 by Luigi Chinetti Jr. And Bob Peak at Vignale coach builders in the form of the now almost-unrecognisable Pininfarina 330 GT 2+2, the car’s long bodywork provided useful space in the back whilst retaining its exotic flair.

Exotic Ferrari Styling Takes A Strange Turn:

• One-off construction created exceptional exclusivity
• Vignale coachwork transformed the original design
• Extended body added practical rear space
• Distinctive proportions created unique character
• V12 power preserved Ferrari performance

It’s just weird. In fact, in its outlandish back half, it nearly looks as though it would be a luxury performance estate car born from some bizarre alternate-universe timeline in Maranello. It does have a far more upright profile than a typical Ferrari of this vintage, but that very long bonnet and thoughtfully rendered front end still speaks familiar, flowing grand-touring language. Elegant and odd-perfect.

The driving force comes from the 4.0L V12 used in the era’s 330 GT, rated at 300HP or so. While that was certainly stout enough to match those bizarre bodywork lines, there’s only the one unique 330 GT 2+2 Vignale Shooting Brake out there to consider it more as an artistic one-off than an alternative take on an existing production vehicle.

6. Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Shooting Brake

The story of this Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Shooting Brake starts, just like most others do, with a normal, well-loved 1972 Daytona. However, British coachbuilder Panther Westwinds then performed one of the coolest modifications the car would ever experience, all based on a commission from a rich developer who wanted a ride that truly stood out from the average Ferrari. When the conversion was done it’s thought that only the doors, the windshield, and the A-pillars survived their overhaul.

Radical Coachwork Creates A Unique Ferrari:

• Extensive coachwork created a unique profile
• Three rear windows transformed the design
• Increased cargo space improved practicality
• V12 engine preserved Ferrari performance
• One-off construction strengthened its exclusivity

The conversion resulted in a long rear end, dominated by three large glass panels. This made for a radical new look to the Daytona, and offered a huge amount of additional usable space. It looked like a fast Italian GT combined with an everyday estate, and it stands as arguably the most recognizable custom shooting brake of all time.

A genuine 4.4-litre, 352-horsepower V12 still powered it and helped the car into triple figures at over 170mph, which is exotic enough, but couple that to increased carrying space and you end up with something truly peculiar. This wasn’t some F-car made usable Panther Westwinds’ one-off is a genuine highlight of ridiculous coachwork.

7. Ferrari FF

The Ferrari FF proved that the shooting brake design can exist in today’s automotive market without being exotic. Debuted in 2011 and replacing the old 612 Scaglietti, the FF had all-wheel drive, the seating capacity for four, an enormous cargo space in the rear, and a unique shooting brake profile. Styled and penned by Pininfarina, it was a more functional answer to the normal Ferrari two-seater sports cars.

Supercar Performance Meets Everyday Versatility:

• Four-seat layout improved passenger practicality
• Large cargo area increased versatility
• Four-wheel drive enhanced all-weather capability
• Powerful V12 delivered supercar performance
• Shooting brake design preserved Ferrari’s character

With space for four adults inside, the FF offered around 450 liters of luggage capacity and brought significant technical innovation in becoming Ferrari’s first production four-wheel drive car, providing even more ability in adverse weather for the Grand Tourer.

The 6.3 litre V12 was naturally aspirated and produced 651hp, with this powering the FF from 0 to 62mph in an estimated 3.7 seconds. The car was faster than 208mph and this is certainly in the supercar range, even with its extra usability, the car was produced until 2016 and represented one of the most believable high-performance shooting brakes that was ever produced.

8. Jensen GT

Essentially a utility derived from Jensen-Healey sports cars, the Jensen GT arrived in 1975, with Jensen stretching the cockpit and adding a useful trunk to the front-engine British sports car, resulting in an impressive long-roof that still retained the character of the roadster-born car, with added practicality to the covered interior.

British Sports Car Gains Practical Character:

• Extended cabin increased everyday practicality
• Enclosed body improved passenger comfort
• Shooting brake profile added visual character
• Rear cargo area expanded usability
• Short production run made it uncommon

Naturally all of the changes resulted in added weight, and extra emissions gear took their toll on performance, but the Jensen GT was still undeniably handsome and undeniably British quite a combo in a sports car. The long roof clearly differentiated it, giving it a shooting brake character and the ability to pack a few more bags than a standard Jensen-Healey.

Power was supplied by a 2.0-liter inline-four rated around 144 horsepower driving the rear wheels, and production ran only from 1975 through 1976. The unique body configuration and very limited production have made this rare car something of a cult hero to enthusiasts in need of an overlooked classic British car.

9. Lamborghini Flying Star II

Created as the ultimate one-off demonstration of a stylish shooting brake, Lamborghini flew its Flying Star II Delayed until it was displayed at the 1966 Turin show the Lamborghini Flying Star II. The Flying Star II featured aluminum body construction over the 400 GTs shortened chassis, and illustrated how Lamborghini could apply its radical design to models outside the supercar realm.

One-Off Styling Showcases Italian Coachbuilding:

• One-off construction created exclusivity
• Lightweight aluminum body reduced mass
• Sleek profile blended practicality with style
• V12 engine delivered strong grand touring performance
• Touring Superleggera gave it historical importance

The Flying Star II, along with its predecessors The Flying Star, Touring Aero 37 and 1959 Flying Star, also introduced a low slung, elongated nose section leading into a sleek, almost unconventional body at the rear. Overall it looked far more dramatic than most real cars or estate, blending some attributes of an Italian tourer or even some of the “Shooting Brake” like a stylish long car, without the boxiness and more a look you can have as a coach built grand tourer car. Touring Superleggera is particularly special as one of their last significant creations before a period of non operation for coachmaker.

A 3.9-liter V12 pumped out around 320 horsepower mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The fully independent suspension is adequate support for any grand tourer and its lithe body helped carry the day as far as performance goes, of course. Being the sole prototype that the Flying Star II is, its one of the Lamborghini Lambourghanighast and most interesting tests of producing an everyday high performance machine that really made any sense.

10. Lancia Beta HPE

The Lancia Beta HPE, with HPE standing for “High Performance Estate,” brought the shooting brake philosophy into a more attainable production format. Introduced in 1975 as a derivative of the Beta range, it combined the sporty appearance of a coupe with an extended rear section and useful cargo capacity. Its sharp lines and boxy tail gave it a distinctive personality that separated it from ordinary family cars.

Italian Style Blends With Everyday Utility:

• Extended body improved cargo practicality
• Sporty chassis retained driving character
• Italian styling created distinctive appearance
• Multiple engines offered different performance levels
• Production run established it as a rare classic

The HPE successfully blended Italian styling with everyday practicality. Its long rear section allowed owners to carry more luggage while the low driving position and responsive chassis preserved much of the sporting character associated with Lancia. This combination made the car an interesting early example of how manufacturers could create practical performance cars without simply producing conventional station wagons.

Several inline-four engines were offered, including 1.6-liter, 1.8-liter, and 2.0-liter units producing roughly 90 to 135 horsepower. Production continued until 1979, and surviving examples have become increasingly interesting to enthusiasts. The Beta HPE remains a distinctive reminder that practical family transportation can still possess genuine Italian style and driving character.