Ian Callum turns out stunning V12 Aston Martin Shooting Brake

Legendary automotive designer Ian Callum – best known for his work at Jaguar, Aston Martin and of course in Australia with Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) – has revealed the stunning VC25 Shooting Brake. 

The virtual design – there’s no physical, in-the-metal version yet – is based on the 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish, a 5.9-litre V12-powered grand-tourer coupe whose exterior was the work of none other than Ian Callum himself. 

Mr Callum was head of Aston Martin design from 1999, when the British brand was owned by Ford and sat alongside Jaguar in the now disbanded Premier Automotive Group.

In 2019, Mr Callum founded the design and engineering firm Callum, which has since turned out completed vehicles developed entirely in-house (the Callum Skye), consulted for major brands, and even produced a remarkable chair as well as its own whisky. 

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It also turned out a $160,000 restomod Mini in collaboration with coachbuilders Wood & Pickett.

The Scottish designer penned the 2001 Vanquish the Callum VC25 Shooting Brake is based upon, and has now sculpted on a wagon rear end with a new C-pillar and stretched rear haunches over massive alloy wheels and big brakes.

Typical of Callum, it’s a thoroughly executed factory look, with the trademark bonnet vents and front-guard flutes all speaking the same language as the fresh rear-end design.

The wagon addendum keeps the original tail lights but removes the rear chrome valance and adds a more aggressive lower rear bumper diffuser. 

The Shooting Brake is part of the Callum Portfolio of “projects that only exist on screen”, with a post on social media reading “For those who haven’t seen this before”, suggesting the design isn’t new. 

The company has not made any announcement on production, but features the VC25 Shooting Brake on its website where it has invited interested buyers to get in touch. 

While it doesn’t offer a wagon, Aston Martin introduced the four-door Rapide in 2010 – a rival to the Porsche Panamera – with its first SUV, the DBX, launched in 2020. 

MORE: Q&A with Ian Callum: Part 1

MORE: Q&A with Ian Callum: Part 2