Aston Martin estate revealed

24th May 2010

Ever wanted a Porsche pick-up truck or Bentely SUV? You might be in luck as German modifiers Xenatec - builders of the 57S Maybach Coupe we showed you last week - are hoping to build on that success with these new concepts from their “dream car” collection.

Some of the ideas work better than others, but these are not just flights of fantasy, the designs could give us clues as to what forthcoming models from the major manufacturers may look like. Xenatec are specialists in chassis and body alterations, so most of their plans involve widening or shortening existing cars.

Here is a run through of our favourites from the bunch, and their possible real world alternates:

Aston Martin Vanquish Shooting Brake: The Mercedes CLS Shooting Break concept unveiled at the Beijing motor show and the Bentley Flying Star we drove recently has piled the pressure on Aston to build something like this swept back Vanquish, although a more likely candidate for the conversion would be the four-door Rapide.

BMW 6-series four-door saloon: This saloon version of the BMW M6 might not look too different from the original car, but it does give us a hint of what the new ‘8-series’ –based on the Gran Coupe concept - might look like when it finally arrives.

Porsche 911 saloon: Many Porsche fans might prefer the looks of this stretched four-door 911 Carrera to those of the Panamera, although having the engine in the boot might limit its practicality as a long distance tourer.

Porsche Cayenne pick-up truck: If there is a niche that hasn’t yet been exploited by the car-makers, than this powerful luxury pick-up truck is here to fill it. Surprising handsome and undeniably versatile, we have to admit this one is probably unlikely to make production.

Bentley Continental SUV: With their reputation for beautiful build quality and proven four-wheel drive systems, a Bentley 4x4 is certainly isn’t too far away from reality, and it could compete well with the likes of the Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne.

Here’s one of those that might be best left stuck to the drawing board though:

Stretched Audi Q7: One of a number of straight limousine conversions penned by Xenatec, this could replace the stretched Hummers often seen ferrying hen parties into town centres across the land, or be used to transport a celebrity entourage in style.

Let us know what you think of the designs, and which is your favourite by leaving us a comment below.