If you want to ask me what kind of model has both style, personality, and talking points, then you must not avoid the "hunting car". Hunting trucks originated in the United Kingdom at the earliest. It is said that in the 11th century, the French brought their hobby of hunting to England, and because the objects of hunting were rabbits, deer and other animals that were relatively fast, so it was necessary to hunt horse-drawn carts, not only to run fast, but also to be able to carry hunting tools and trophies.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the automobile began to gradually replace the horse-drawn carriage, so the hunting carriage gradually evolved into the hunting car. Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Bentley, Volvo, Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and others have all launched hunting models, creating generations of classics.
The hunting vehicle entered the country and attracted attention back to 2012. That year, Mercedes-Benz launched the CLS Shooting Brake, a classic butterfly tail light with a soft tail line, which is unforgettable. Some media commented: Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake interprets the word "elegant" to the extreme.
In addition to the special appearance, the most distinctive feature of the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake is the luggage compartment floor made of American cherry wood, smoked oak veneer and aluminum alloy guide rails mounted on the floor to form a contrast, very European "old money style". Of course, this set of luggage compartment flooring is optional, and it is said that the optional price is 45,000 yuan. The author believes that it is still worth the money, after all, the biggest talk point of this car is here.
Hunting vehicles in the new energy era
Nowadays, the car has come to the new energy era, and the hunting car with the highest attention in China is ZEEKR 001, which should be called "luxury hunting coupe" more rigorously. As the first mass-produced car of the ZEEKR brand, it has won the recognition of many consumers with its beautiful appearance, excellent performance, long battery life, and leading intelligence.
The shape design of ZEEKR 001, the shape of the tail is more like a coupe, and the lines are more dynamic and sharp, which is obviously different from the roundness of European hunting vehicles. ZEEKR officially calls it "classic design of hunting suit", which has the elegant proportions of a coupe, and the space and passability of an SUV.
The birth of ZEEKR 001 has created a precedent for 300,000-level "luxury hunting coupe", and it is difficult to find the same type of product at the same price. Judging from the sales volume of the terminal, the contribution of ZEEKR 001 has been enough to support the entire brand, and even in individual months, it has become the monthly sales champion of domestic C-class sedans, surpassing the main volume models of traditional luxury brands such as Audi A6L, BMW 5 series, and Mercedes-Benz E-class. Just like its brand name, ZEEKR 001, which is full of "geek" spirit, is not only difficult to find the shortcomings of the product, but also achieves the ultimate in all dimensions at the same price.
On February 27, 2024, the all-new ZEEKR 001 was officially launched, as the first facelifted model, the car has upgraded the 8295 chip, 800V high-voltage system, high-performance silicon carbide electric drive system, magic carpet dual-chamber air suspension, standard LiDAR for all series, NZP high-speed autonomous navigation assistance, LCC+ enhanced lane centering assistance, 100kW Kirin battery pack, etc., to further enhance the competitiveness of the product.
During the official launch of the new ZEEKR 001, the ZEEKR brand also announced that Zhou Guanyu, China's first F1 driver, became the chief control officer of ZEEKR 001, and previously invited F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen to serve as the chief performance consultant of ZEEKR. Two super popular F1 drivers helped the ZEEKR brand, endorsing the excellent performance of ZEEKR 001, and witnessing the rapid development of China's automobile industry in the new energy track. Such a strong linkage is also unprecedented in the history of China's automobile industry.
Encounter a Vacheron Constantin antique hunting pocket watch
Not long ago, I saw a batch of antique watches in the flagship store of Vacheron Constantin Nanjing West Road in Shanghai, the oldest and heaviest of which is a 14-carat pink gold hunting men's pocket watch with collection number 10926, produced in 1899, 125 years ago, spanning three centuries, experiencing two world wars and dynastic changes.
It is a veritable antique pocket watch, and the first time I saw it was in Vacheron Constantin's official book, The Artist of Time, which also has a separate page illustration. The ornate carving of the shell, with the dark background, and the shine of the 14-karat pink gold, seem to tell the prosperity of a hundred years ago.
In Europe in the 19th century, hunting was the entertainment of the aristocracy, and hunting carriages were "standard". If it is said that the hunting carriage is a mobile tool for hunting; Then the hunting pocket watch is a timekeeping tool for hunting. The feature of the hunting pocket watch is that it has an "outer protective cover", which is a bit like the "general's bottom" in the watch, which is used to protect the clock itself. For such a "strenuous sport" as hunting, the "stamped" design of the hunting pocket watch is easy to understand.
Returning to this hunting pocket watch, it is made using the "intaglio" process, which is a process in which goldsmiths carve indents on the surface of a metal substrate with a copperplate engraving needle or carving knife. The peculiarity of this process is that when engraving by hand, the metal material is not removed, but is piled up around the mouth to form metal barbs, which are then polished or retained. In this way, precious metals are not wasted, and higher requirements are placed on the design and craftsmanship.
Extremely fortunate to see this vintage pocket watch was not in the window, and being able to get up close and personal with it and feel the art of time through the centuries was an unparalleled experience in my limited watch career. The double-sided intaglio carving technique can be seen with pigeons, human heads, wheat grain patterns and classical European textures, and its artistic attainments are breathtaking.
Under the operation of Vacheron Constantin's Class 10 watchmaker Pierre-Maire, you can admire the different forms of hunting pocket watches after the lid is "opened". On the bridge of the pocket watch movement, Vacheron Constantin's "Maison stamp" and the number are clearly visible, and the information about the original pocket watch can be found in the Vacheron Constantin archives. This is what makes the Vacheron Constantin Maison admirable and the foundation of its almost 270-year history of uninterrupted Haute Horlogerie.
Write at the end
With the discontinuation of hunting cars such as the Ferrari FF, GT4 LUSSO and Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake, those who like these models can only look for traces of them in the second-hand car market. For domestic consumers, the only new hunting cars on sale that can be selected are ZEEKR 001, Volkswagen CC hunting version, Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake, and the terminal price is mostly between 20-330,000 yuan. The feedback from the market is the most powerful proof that Qu Gao and Low can only become a niche after all, and eventually disappear in the long river of history.
Whether it's automobiles or watches, the industry is constantly moving forward. The hunting culture left by the old European aristocrats has also imperceptibly influenced these industries. In my opinion, the so-called European-style "old money style" is not a complete replica of the drunken gold fans of a hundred years ago, but to inherit the essence of culture while being able to keep pace with the times and create a lifestyle that conforms to the current aesthetics and values, so that there will be a future. What do you think?