When, in 2004, Mercedes presented the CLS four-door coupe to the world, it's safe to say the ruddy doors were blown off the desirable saloon car segment.
Now it's the turn of the estate: welcome the new Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake.
Lovely, isn't it?
This five-door coupe-estate is, says Mercedes, a representation of a "sports car with five seats and a tailgate", with that sloping, unmistakably CLS roofline rounding out a very neat design. It's slightly longer and wider than an E-Class estate, and features lots of aluminium to help keep it light on its toes. Yes, despite the extra length and girth, it can't quite match the E-Class estate's maximum boot space of 1950 litres; less a figure, more a black hole.
But you don't care about boot space, really. Not when it looks
this good. And it's light too. The doors are all-aluminium, saving some 24kg over steel ones, along with aluminium front wings, bonnet, tailgate, support profiles and ‘substantial' parts of the suspension and engine.
And speaking of engines, the CLS Shooting Brake will launch with just two diesel options: the 2.2-litre CLS 250 CDI, and the 3.0-litre V6 of the CLS 350 CDI. That latter engine produces 265bhp and 457lb ft of torque, good for a 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. All this, and it returns 47mpg and emits 159 CO2s.
Both cars come with stop/start, the 7G-Tronic Plus gearbox, and, somewhat worryingly, electric power steering. Mercedes reckons this allows engineers "the freedom to programme many of the parameters that influence steering feedback". Uh oh...
Still, it features a ‘high-quality carpet' inside and the option of cherry tree wood and brushed aluminium finishes. There's even porcelain interior ‘appointments' providing a touch of S-Class in the cabin.
Mercedes hasn't revealed prices for the CLS Shooting Brake, but we'd wager a smidge under £50k. Now, imagine this with four exhausts, a wider bodykit, 6.2-litres under the bonnet and NOISE. AMG, we're waiting...
Topgear.com
