Official: Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake gets official

Official: Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake gets official:
Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, Diesel, Luxury


We've been anxiously waiting for the wraps to officially come off the 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake, and by golly, the wait is finally over. Our excitement, though, is tempered by Mercedes-Benz Manager of Product & Technology Public Relations Christian Bokich, who tells us, "Currently, there are no plans to bring the CLS Shooting Brake to the United States." To which we reply, "Boo!"

While we may take a bit of issue with Mercedes-Benz's assertion that "The proportions of the CLS Shooting Brake are surprising but clearly those of a coupé... but with five doors and a roof which continues through to the rear," we're still pretty keen on the exterior look. "In essence it represents an unprecedented version of a sports car with five seats and a large tailgate," adds M-B, and that much we can mostly agree with.

In reality, this is a low-slung station wagon, similar in execution to the Cadillac CTS Wagon, and it looks great. Based on our observations about the CLS four-door coupe sedan that the Shooting Brake is based on, we expect it to be a great car to drive, as well. Europeans will get two gasoline engines - a 3.5-liter V6 making 306 horsepower in the CLS350 and a 408-hp twin-turbo 4.6-liter V8 in the CLS500 - as well as two diesels - a 2.1-liter four cylinder in the CLS250 CDI and a 3.0-liter V6 in the CLS350 CDI.

All but the four-cylinder are available with either rear- or 4Matic all-wheel drive, the smallest engine making use of the rear wheels only. Acceleration comes in at 7.8 seconds to 62 miles per hour for the CLS250 CDI, 6.7 seconds for the CLS350 and 5.3 for the CLS500. Top speed is limited to 155 mph.

Emphasizing the increased utility over its four-door sibling, Mercedes has fitted the CLS Shooting Brake with optional aluminum loading rails and a wooden load compartment floor. Up to 1,550 liters (54.7 cubic feet) are available behind the standard power liftgate, and an automatically adjustable air suspension ensures proper ride and handling even with a load in place. There's even an optional towing kit.

We suggest you peruse the press release below for all the details, as well as a handy explanation of how the Shooting Brake got its name.
Continue reading Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake gets official

Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake gets official originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments