[MonaroSS]

.

Holden Statesman (Buick Park Avenue) Shooting Brake Estate

Most here agree that a lot of people who drive SUV's only need a sedan-based vehicle. Unfortunately many people actually like the easy loading of lifting a tailgate or the extra space of dropping down the rear seat for longer cargo.
But the old-fashioned Family Station Wagon still seems a bit too uncool after an SUV.

So..... What about a cool Shooting Brake?

Is this an interesting transition vehicle?

Here is my concept of the new Zeta WM Holden Statesman/Buick Park Avenue done as a hatchback "Shooting Brake". Now while Americans don't normally like hatchbacks, that's in small cars. These cars are BIG and that makes the proportions a whole different style to say a VW Golf/Rabbit hatchback.

Here you have a large car with huge rear legroom or by electrically sliding the rear seat forward, the massive trunk is made even larger. Or by folding the rear seat, making the load area larger than most full-size SUV's (these are long cars).

 

[member12]

The car looks great, but hatchbacks in the US are typically small cars. You might be able to make that fly at higher prices, but it would have to be a sporty car. The Mazda 6, Lexus IS wagon, and older Saabs come to mind.....

No doubt, though, that that chassis will sell based on it's merits.

 

[Butz]

Not that it's a horrible idea but it doesn't make much sense to me, a VE Commodore Wagon and Hatch make more sense.

 

[Diesel/_]

Overall good job...but,

Hmm, looks kind of awkward, I think a Spoiler would even it out better.
That is NOT a shooting brake, we can still see part of the trunk lid, personally
I think you should get rid of that. People who drive SUVs are used to having third row seats now too- are you going to add those? Most people will go to crossovers and then maybe cars (and maybe wagons too-why not?), but I do see that you had a good idea, and I don't mean to bash it. Keep going with it, take it a little further, because It's almost perfect. Just trying to give some
constructive criticism, hope you won't take it the wrong way.

 

[camaro_freak]

nice job but I agree with Diesel ... perhaps also add teh rear view wiper that is usually standard on hatches...

something to break up the large window.

 

[MonaroSS]

Not that it's a horrible idea but it doesn't make much sense to me, a VE Commodore Wagon and Hatch make more sense.

That's if they make a wagon. They haven't committed to that yet.

Holden are trying to see if the (Daewoo) Captiva SUV can replace the wagon.

The sense this makes to me is that it doesn't look like a wagon yet has 90% of it's carrying capacity. So the question then is:

Is there are market for customers who want larger family carrying capacity and can even take the dog in back (which can't be done in a boot/trunk) but where the parents or just Dad want a vehicle that's cooler looking than a family wagon?