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I've got another question. Take a look at this picture, what term would be used to describe this car?

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Is it an estate wagon? Don't the British refer to wagons as shooting brakes also, or is that term reserved only for high dollar cars like a Rolls. It's almost like a Mini panel van. Just curious as to what this body style would be properly refered to as. This is a very cool car by the way, I'd love to have one like it. These pictures was taken at the Red Mill British show in Clinton NJ last fall. I've put up a few more pictures from this show on my Flickr account.

Red Mill photos

Some other things about the pics. This is the first time I've seen a Europa up close in the flesh, pretty unusual car and cool in a quirky sort of way. I've never even heard of Ginetta before this show. We talked to the owner of this car for awhile, nice English guy. Turns out his car was restored by Ginetta a few years ago and has a new Ford Zetec 4 cylinder with about 180 horsepower. Given the cars weight, the performance must be incredible. He said they had an option available for a 230hp Lotus motor, what a kick that would be. The 2500M is owned by a friend of mine, as is the D-type replica. The AM is as original, I don't believe it was ever restored. It has worn paint (or as they say, patina) and a well worn interior but is very clean overall and has aged gracefully. The sky threatened rain most of the day but it never actually came, so we had a good time even if the turnout was a little light.
 
I believe new Ginettas are available in the US using Miata drivetrains. Very, very cool cars - the essence of sports car. If I had the $, it would be very high on my list.
 
An Estate Wagon is just another name for Station Wagon, while it is used more in Britian than America, GM refered to many of its station wagons over the years as Estate Wagons. I believe that Shooting Brakes, are just sporty small wagons. I don't see why the mini couldn't be refered to as a shooting brake. Unless maybe having panel truck type steel panels, instead of windows in the rear would exclude it.
 
I would call it a Mini Panel or delivery van.

The Ginetta was at Clinton a few years ago also. I went to that show but it was COLD and rained. Not many cars. He let me sit in it to see if I could fit. I have a Seven and it had more room actually. Also seating position was slightly askew. Great car though.

Bruce
 
Nice pictures... That Mini is what is generally called a Delivery Van and/or Commercial Vehicle (I've noticed that the British use the term "Commercial Vehicle" most times in place of our term "Truck")

Also... I don't know the full history of Ginetta, but I do know that they still manufacture sports cars and race cars, and continue to re-build their older cars as well (using new powertrain of course).
 
Okay, from the horse's mouth........in the UK that was referred to as a Mini van. Two separate words. A wagon in the UK is termed an estate car. Shooting Brakes were usually vehicles of similar design to Morris Travellers, with exposed wood on the rear, intended for use in transporting dogs and guns to the site where you would be hunting. These had more headroom than an estate car would have.

A commercial vehicle can be anything from a Mini van to an "artic" or articulaed lorry. Big truck with a trailer basically.
 
I always figured that shooting brakes were generally two door vehicles with an estate-esque rear end, with a tailgate for transporting dogs, guns, wellies, etc. An actual estate would be a four door sedan with the tailgate, etc. Estates were more frequently available as a catalog item, whereas shooting brakes were custom built. But I get this idea from magazines that, when they label a car a shooting brake, show Aston Martins and Jaguars, the sorts of sports cars that one wouldn't usually associate with taking on a hunt.

-William
 
Thanks for the info Steve. Goes to show what I know. I have always seen shooting brakes in magazines or on websites as being Astons, or other high end sports cars. Always cars which I sure as heck would never take off hunting, thats what a good old $500 pick-up is for. More twisted car naming I assume, in line with 4 door coupes, and the like.
 
Ditto for me, great info here I was unaware of. So I guess technically it could be called a shooting brake right? It's got only two doors and the rear gates, although I think this car has ambulance style rear doors and not a horizontal tailgate with upward opening glass. Well, if I owned it I'd call it a shooting brake anyway, just to be arrogant, plus it's such a cool sounding name. I think I saw a picture once of an AM DB5 or DB6 in a magazine that they called a shooting brake, that was a really cool looking car. It said it was custom built, some guy purchased it for his wife so she could go shopping and have somewhere to put her packages and stuff.
 
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