Wednesday 12th May 2010

Mercedes Shooting Break Vs. Brake?

PH kampaign for propur speeling targets M-B desing boss

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So should it be 'break' or 'brake'?

This website's editorial team has a hard-won reputation for rigour in all matters of speeling and grammer, as regular PHers will attest. So when the chance came to quiz Mercedes-Benz design boss Gorden Wagener about the name of his latest concept car, we weren't afraid to step up to the mark.

Was the Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break concept named that way by mistake, we asked? (Having been invited to a design workshop with the illustrious designer at Mercedes-Benz World yesterday.)

The aforementioned PH regulars will also know there was consternation in the PH ranks when we ran our recent story on the car, as forum posters rushed to claim 'Shooting Brake' was the only correct spelling.

Wagener: "Yeah, whatever..."

"To be honest, I thought it could be spelled either way," Gordon admitted with a grin, "but maybe you are right and Brake with just an 'A' should be the way to go."

'Shooting Break' etymology here and here

PS. We'll be sharing some more sensible insights from our morning with Herr Wagener on PH soon.

[GingerWizard]

ok then....

[teen_cerbera]

GingerWizard said:

ok then....

You know this has been irritating me since I read the article, at last I can get some sleep at night...

[bencollins]

Who are they kidding, everyone knows it is just an estayt.
A nice looking one too.

[beetroute]

I normally like to get this sort of thing correct, too - but for an estate which looks this good I just don't care. My E320 estate will be very tired by the time I can afford a previously cherished example but even if Mercedes decide to call it the "German Supreme Master-Race Plastic Slow Turd" I'll be there with my pennies ....

[teen_cerbera]

On another note, I thought "Shooting Brakes" had no rear doors?

This kind of shape:

[Papa Hotel]

So what's happening??

Is Mercedes changing the speeling because a load of pedants on t'internet made fun of it?

[NitroNick]

....and then i put my face between zhem and did ze motorboat....

[cronk-flakes]

Excellent work!

[Insight]

i don't like the car much but i do like him for not really caring about the details. "yeah, whatever" is brilliant. probably resonates more with the actual people who buy the up-market merc than any of the marketing bumf!

[morebeanz]

Pretentious marketing from Mercedes. They've produced an estate car, and want to call it the wrong thing - hardly surprising they don't care about the spelling, is it!

[Chris-R]

Insight said:

i don't like the car much but i do like him for not really caring about the details. "yeah, whatever" is brilliant. probably resonates more with the actual people who buy the up-market merc than any of the marketing bumf!

For the record, Gordon didn't actually say 'yeah, whatever', that's just our idea of an amusing caption.

(But he could easily have been thinking it.)


PH. Libel avoidance matters!

[Mr Gear]

morebeanz said:

Pretentious marketing from Mercedes. They've produced an estate car, and want to call it the wrong thing - hardly surprising they don't care about the spelling, is it!

^ 100% This.

That said, if Mercedes spell anything wrong I instantly lose interest.

Kompressor? "no thanks sausage-munchers, you can stuff it!"

Edited by Mr Gear on Wednesday 12th May 09:58

[loomx]

My biggest problem with it was that its 4 doors... so its not a shooting brake anyway. Its just a swoopy estate

[GreigM]

loomx said:

My biggest problem with it was that its 4 doors... so its not a shooting brake anyway. Its just a swoopy estate

This is important - I'm actually very disappointed in Mercedes for such a cynical marketing exercise...a shooting brake is a very rare and very special beast...don't dilute it with your wrong design and wrong spelling...

[samwise]

Shooting Brakes can have 4 doors, there were a few Rolls Royces and Bentleys and I believe even an Aston Martin with 4 doors and a Shooting Brake conversion.

[markreilly]

GreigM said:

loomx said:

My biggest problem with it was that its 4 doors... so its not a shooting brake anyway. Its just a swoopy estate

This is important - I'm actually very disappointed in Mercedes for such a cynical marketing exercise...a shooting brake is a very rare and very special beast...don't dilute it with your wrong design and wrong spelling...

Second that although brake/break can be spelt either way depending what country you are from,in France it would be break de chasse....hunting break.

[ShadownINja]

Maybe it's an estate for gun owners who like long weekends in the countryside.

[bencollins]

NitroNick said:

....and then i put my face between zhem and did ze motorboat....

[Nickellarse]

bencollins said:

NitroNick said:

....and then i put my face between zhem and did ze motorboat....

+1

[ar0u2211]

Motorboating Merc Exec said:

"but maybe you are right and Brake with just an 'A' should be the way to go."

Shooting Brak then