All Entries Tagged With: "Shooting Brake"
Explaining The “Shooting Brake”
By Gunnar Heinrich
LOOKING back to June 12th, I published a post covering what I thought was the oddest Ferrari I’d ever seen; the 330GT Shooting Brake.
Since then, I really hadn’t given it much further thought. I figured it was one of those flights of whimsy ordered by the same people who want to see a Bentley pick-up truck in their 50 car garage somewhere in the Near East.
Not entirely so, apparently.
Yesterday, I received an email from a gentleman named Vassilis Daramouskas who writes for a Greek automotive publication called Car & Truck. Mr. Daramouskas took the time to explain the relative importance of the shooting brake and how it fits in the automotive marketplace.
“If my memory is correct, Audi presented (Tokyo Motor Show 2005) the “Shooting Brake Concept” whose styling will be present [in] the future A1.
Shooting Brake cars were used by British aristocracy for hunting weekends: ample space for guns+game without having to use… “volk” cars. I believe Aston Martins, Ferraris, and other noble automobiles were the favourites for the niche.” He wrote.
Our kind informant went on to say that today the principal customers of these super niche models typically hail from Arabic states.
Efharisto poli, Mr. Daramouskas.
[Linked: Car & Truck]
This Week @ Coys > The Strangest Ferrari Ever
By Gunnar Heinrich
IF you mated a Ford Pinto with a Ferrari 308GTS this is what you’d get – an it-thing-whadjamacallit.
UK auto auctioneer Coys of Kensington is offering a mint condition 330GT “Shooting Brake.”
Not too sure what a “Shooting Brake” stood for, the online dictionary explained that it’s a distinctly British term used to describe any two door coupe with a station wagon’s backend.
Right.
So, in this Ferrari’s case, the 330GT Shooting Brake was warmly received by some of the auto press of its day.
“The late Paul Frere, the noted Belgian racing driver and automotive journalist, road tested a 330 GT 2+2 late in 1966. He came away suitably impressed: ‘In handling, this car is exactly like all Ferraris which I have driven before … It is close to being as neutral as one could want… But the most impressive feature of the handling of the 330 is the solidness with which it changes direction, particularly in S-bends, where it tracks with about the same precision as a modern race car’.” Coys’ site said.
As always, Coys is mum on the price.
To check out more pictures of this rare Italian albatross, tap the link.
[Linked: Coys]
