Kammback shooting brakes are more practical and fuel efficient than their sedan or coupe counterparts, not to mention that they will also be faster thanks to having lower drag. It’s just a superior shape.
Let’s focus on Firebirds for now instead of going all Ferrari Breadvanny all of the sudden.
General Motors started toying with the idea of a new sportwagon in 1970 when they turned the Camaro into a Kammback, but as Kurt Ernst points out in his post on Hemmings, none of their mid-size shooting brake concepts made it past the prototype stage:
Chevrolet launched the Vega Kammback for the 1971 model year, giving buyers the option of a two-door station wagon on a compact platform. It would take nearly another decade before the option of a midsize two-door was explored again by GM, this time under its Pontiac division. The Type K (for Kammback) concept, originally shown in 1977, was developed by Gerry Brochstein under the direction of GM executive David R. Holls. The design did away with a conventional rear tailgate in favor of long, gullwing-style rear windows on either side that permitted easy access to the entire cargo area. Out back, a vertical rear window sat above a four-bar array that traversed the width of the rear, masking the taillamps and stop lamps unless they were illuminated.
While putting a Pininfarina-built halo wagon into production turned out to be impossible due to the high costs, Pontiac gave it another go with the next Firebird.
This time around, GM’s geniuses went for a much cheaper design, simply replacing the new Trans Am’s rear hatch with an extended roof. Several prototypes were made, and while you could grab one at auction, the lack of VIN numbers means you won’t be able to rock a Kammback on public roads.
The world might be full of one-off kammback shooting brake prototypes and Reliant Scimitars, but which is your favorite?
Photo credit: GM
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