Currently reading: Merc CLS Shooting Brake: latest pics
The Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake spied here reaches UK showrooms in November

These are the latest spy pics of the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, which has been scooped during winter testing in northern Scandinavia. The swoopy new estate reaches UK showrooms in November.

The Shooting Brake is inspired by the traditional custom-built, two-door shooting brake and is Mercedes’ stylish yet practical alternative to the Audi A7 and the BMW 5-series GT. It is among a series of new design-led niche models designed to help further build the firm's image, in a range of cars that will also include a smaller CLC Shooting Brake spun off the new B-class’s MFA platform.

The front styling mirrors that of the recently introduced second-generation CLS four-door, including its gaping grille and LED headlight design. The rear of the car is unique to the standard CLS, however, featuring a heavily angled rear window, top-hinged tailgate and large, LED-enhanced tail-lights extending well into the rear wings.

Although load capacity will be increased over the standard CLS, it’s clear from the pictures that the Shooting Brake will not rival the E-class estate in this department.

Engines will mirror those in the standard CLS, including four-cylinder 2.1-litre and 3.0-litre V6 diesels, and 3.5-litre V6 and turbocharged 4.7-litre V8 petrols. A fire-breathing twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 AMG model is also tipped for launch

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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Aly1000 17 March 2012

Re: Merc CLS Shooting Brake scooped

Is it just me or does it have that "Dog doing a 'number 2' look" ?? I thought this cat would look great as I like the saloon. Just a wierdo.

275not599 16 March 2012

Re: Merc CLS Shooting Brake scooped

I actively dislike a profile in which the line made by the tops of the side windows completely ignores the line made by the top of the roof. I can accept departures from practicality (in this case visibility) for the sake of style, but when the result looks bad it's lose lose. Honda tried it on the last CRV and it just looked contrived and stupid.

Uncle Mellow 16 March 2012

Re: Merc CLS Shooting Brake scooped

No. The A7 is stylish, the CLS tries to be stylish, but the 5-Series GT tries merely to be practical.

I like what Mercedes have tried to do with the 1st and 2nd gen CLS models - they just haven't quite cracked it yet.