Showing posts with label CLS Shooting Brake. Show all posts

SPY: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake (X 218) scooped in Stuttgart

By Adji | Published Saturday, 12 May 2012

Even though we were expecting a NYIAS 2012 premiere for the newest addition to the Mercedes-Benz' niche lineup, the CLS Shooting Brake will make the first stage appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012 at the end of June. The estate version of the business 4-door coupe will most likely become a hit, given Europe's appetite for special types of vehicle which combine multiple attributes from various automobile classes.

However, being the first 4-door wagon coupe on Earth gives the CLS SB in some serious challenge as entitling yourself as trendsetter is a risky attitude no matter how many successful past experience you have. This difficult task is somewhat eased as the X 218 project builds its confident package on the winning formula of its coupe brother, which meant design over practicality to stand visibly above the crowd.

The heavily dropping roofline is transposed on a longer wheelbase body without many efforts, in a true Mercedes-Benz style that would make even classy the CL 2-door coupe feel envious about. Other than that, the entire styling you find on the standard CLS is carefully adapted to the new version. Inside, one should find the same aristochratic atmosphere as in the C 218 thanks to the high-quality, premium touch, the minute attention to details and the exquisite equipment. COMAND Online, top performance audio system, 6-DVD changer video entertainment system, THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control with 4 areas and several of the latest assistance solutions by Mercedes-Benz, like the ATTENTION ASSIST or the PRE-SAFE, complete and further refine the essence of this car.

The new CLS Shooting Brake comes standardly equipped with rear-driven traction, but in the future the 4MATIC will also be available, probably beginning with spring 2013. The engine range is made up of BlueEFFICIENCY units, in both diesel and petrol variants. The basic models are the CLS 250 and CLS 250 CDI with 204 hp, whereas the high-end versions are the CLS 500 with V8 power and probably 435 hp instead of the current 408 hp and the supersporty CLS 63 AMG with no less than 525 hp, which is set to arrive later this year. There's no indication if Mercedes-Benz plans to sell this car Stateside, but in Europe, prices for the new CLS SB could start from around € 64,000-65,000 in Germany.

Photo Credits: Autoblog

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in 2012, CLS SB, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, spy, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: A near-series 2012 CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake (X 218) vehicle captured in Affalterbach

By Adji | Published Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Affalterbach, a beautiful town in the Baden-Württemberg region, is home of the prestigious Mercedes-AMG GmbH and the perfect location for spotting their newest performance cars. Just recently, photographers were able to get pictures of a production-ready CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake prototype featuring light disguise while the vehicle was being manouevred in the company's backyard.

Even though the media was expecting the all new CLS Shooting Brake to be officially unveiled this month at New York or Beijing, it seems the launch of the new 4-door wagon coupe will happen during summer this year, around June or July. Obviously, in comparison with the CLS Coupe, the Shooting Brake features a station wagon design which has been evenly combined with a sporty, dynamic 2-door silhouette. The roofline seems even more sloping and, together with the traditional Mercedes-Benz window line on the profiles, further highlight the streamlined shape.

As the technical package and the entire equipment list come from the CLS Coupe, the AMG variant of the Shooting Brake is a must. Following the introduction of the standard version, the new CLS 63 AMG SB comes this September and will boast AMG's new twin-turbo V8 rated at 525 hp and developing a peak torque of 700 Nm. If these numbers sound inconvenient, the optional Performance Package improves figures to 557 hp and 800 Nm.

Hopefully, the greater mass and the estate-ish body won't affect the ride and the sports abilities of the car, so the 0-100 acceleration should not take more than 4.5 seconds. One of the many categories where the 5.5-litre engine excells at is fuel economy, expected to settle at approximately 10 litres/100 km (combined). Efficiency measures further include a very precise fuel injection with spray-guided, high-pressure technology and the ECO start/stop function. For more driving convenience, the impressive power will be handled via AMG's 7-speed MCT gearbox and properly sent to the rear wheels. Last, but not least, the AMG RIDE CONTROL and bespoke assistance systems take care to ensure maximum agility in supreme, all-round safety.

Image Credits: WorldCarFans

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in 2012, cls 63 amg, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, spy | Leave a comment

SPY: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake (X 218) shines at Nurburgring

By Adji | Published Monday, 2 April 2012

In short time, Mercedes-Benz will introduce the new CLS Shooting Brake at the New York Auto Show 2012. This model is reinterpretation of the classic shooting brake style and, at the same, announces the advent of a new automotive species: the 4-door wagon coupe. Initially designed to preview the new generation CLS, the Concept Shooting Brake of 2010 was very well received by the public, so Daimler executives decided to approve the daring project.

The basic styling is shared with its brother, but the CLS Shooting Brake boasts a distinctive aura for the tail section. The rakish roofline dramatically descends towards the rear end and together with the beautifully arched side windows add up to the overall coupe effect. Compared to the standard CLS (C 218), in the case of the X 218, the LED lamps at the back feature refinely shaped accents to ease the differentiation between the two variants. Inside, there's nothing to worry about, as the CLS Shooting Brake is a true Mercedes-Benz: expect premium quality materials in attractive combinations - metal, wood and leather upholstery are on the choice list.

Safety package will include the latest assistance systems and modules, such as the ATTENTION ASSIST, the PRE-SAFE crash anticipatory system, the Blind Spot Assist and the DISTRONIC PLUS radar with Brake Assist Plus. The digital experience will be enriched through the addition of the internet-based COMAND Online telematics. The newest version of the infotainment system handles each function of the car and helps you and the car stay in permanent contact with the ever-changing world thanks to the implementation of internet technology.

The BlueEFFICIENCY engines will be borrowed from the CLS Coupe: top diesel model is the CLS 350 CDI rated at 265 hp, while the high-end gasoline variant is the CLS 500 with up to 408 hp. A hardcore CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake is currently under development and, when it's unveiled in late 2012, it will be powered by a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing 525 hp (557 hp with Performance Package). Moreover, a 4MATIC all-wheel-drive option will be available beginning with 2013. At launch, the standard CLS SB will be priced above the CLS - in Germany, base price could start at around €64,000. The car hits European markets beginning with fall 2012, whereas US residents will have to wait until 2013 to get their hands onto the new CLS Shooting Brake.

Photo Credits: Motor Authority

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in 2012, CLS Shooting Brake, cls-class, mercedes-benz, spy, spyshots, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake spotted for the first time

By Adji | Published Tuesday, 20 March 2012

After it reinvented the coupe with the introduction of the CLS, Mercedes-Benz moves one step ahead of the competition and rewrites the image of estate models. The Germans sensed the market opportunity for such niche variants after showcasing the Concept Shooting Break prototype at the Auto China 2010. As initial expectations were surpassed by the rising public enthusiasm to this exciting design proposal, the wagon coupe was approved for series production and now we are just days away from the official premiere, set to happen on the stage of the NYIAS 2012.

During summer this year, the AMG version is destined to arrive, as Affalterbach engineers couldn't miss the chance to play with the stylish estate. When the CLS 63 AMG SB hits streets, it will boast a 5.5-litre biturbo V8 engine cranking out 525 hp and 800 Nm. If the Performance Package is chosen, output and torque figures rise up to 557 hp and 900 Nm. All this furious power reaches the rear wheels thanks to the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed automatic gearbox, while the top speed is electronically restricted to 250 km/h. Further technical appointments are borrowed courtesy of its CLS 63 AMG Coupe sibling.

Image Credits: Carscoop

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in 2012, cls 63 amg, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, NYIAS 2012, spy, spyshots, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: A fleet of 2012 CLS Shooting Brake (X 218) prototypes spotted in Sweden

By Adji | Published Saturday, 11 February 2012

In two months time, the new CLS Shooting Brake (X 218) will celebrate the world premiere at New York, during this year's edition of the famous automotive show (6th - 15th April). Development for this model is in the final stages and, given the winter season, it is currently undergoing the usual extreme weather testing in Northern Scandinavia. Last series of scoops comes from, you guessed, Sweden, where spy photographers managed to capture not one, but three CLS SB test vehicles altogether out on snow.

Check out more spy shots after the jump!

Image Credits: WorldCarFans

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in 2012, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, spy, spyshots, Sweden, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: Winter work-out for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake (X 218)

By Adji | Published Thursday, 9 February 2012

During April this year, Mercedes-Benz is set to launch the all new CLS Shooting Brake, a niche allrounder which announces to combine the elegant design of a coupe with the solid design of a wagon car into one very attractive, stylish and well balanced model. The decision to greenlight the new addition to Merc's portfolio was made after the Concept Shooting Break was officially showcased in 2010 as a preview for the second generation CLS. Baring the X 218 internal codename, the 'shooting brake' will moderately resemble the concept car, meaning no freakish or extreme styling details. The powertrain and all the other bits and pieces come from the 4-door coupe. There's no word on a possible CLS 63 AMG SB variant with up to 557 hp, but the standard "500" version with a total output of 408 hp should be just fine until a final decision is taken. After the jump, besides the usual spy shots, you will also find a spy video featuring the new CLS Shooting Brake while being tried and tested on what seems to be an off-road course. Which tells us one important aspect: the new model could also be equipped with the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive platform, just like its 4-door coupe sibling.

Enjoy!

Posted in 2012, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, spy, spyshots, testing, winter, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake showcases its voluptuous physique

By Adji | Published Monday, 24 October 2011

In 2004, Mercedes-Benz was unveiling the CLS-Class, a groundbreaking model that combined the rakish lines of a coupe with a four-door architecture. The first 4-door coupe in history was born; the immediate global success which followed is the solid proof of the passion the daring minds at Stuttgart put to create this amazing vehicle. Eight years after, the Stuttgart-based carmaker will once again revolutionise the industry, with the introduction of the new CLS Shooting Break, a unique car boasting the streamlined coupe aura grafted onto station wagon body.

When Mercedes-Benz launched the Concept Shooting Brake showcar in 2010 as a preview to the second generation CLS, journalists and fans were amazed and quickly began wondering if the prototype would ever make it to serial production. After having received a positive response, the German constructor announced that it has greenlighted the series model, set to arrive in spring 2012. The new niche car in the portfolio also rewrites the principles of a classic shooting brake, in addition to creating a whole new class of vehicles. Don't expect too much luggage space, because this unique CLS will serve entirely as VIP shuttle. There will be four comfortable individual seats inside for an added coupe feeling; through the finest leather upholsteries, high-grade finish aluminium and pure essence wood trims in various combinations, the premium atmosphere will be entirely ensured. Programmed for a Geneva 2012 premiere, the new CLS Shooting Brake could be a bit pricier compared to the CLS Coupe - expect a basic tag of around € 63,000 to € 65,000 (in Germany).

Posted in 2012, CLS Shooting Brake, mercedes-benz, spy, spyshots, X 218 | Leave a comment

SPY: The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake (X 218) - first scoop

By Adji | Published Wednesday, 12 October 2011

In November 2010, the executive board of Daimler AG approved the serial production of the Concept Shooting Break, the showcar which previewed the new-generation CLS. Codenamed X 218, it will mark the birth of a new species in the niche vehicle class - the break coupe, which is in fact Mercedes-Benz's reinterpretation of the shooting brake shape. The first spy shots revealing partially camouflaged test prototypes of this model in action were captured near the firm's R&D centre in Stuttgart.

The carmaker will roll off the new CLS SB during spring next year, with a Geneva Motor Show premiere being highly possible. The latest addition to the prestigious CLS-Class lineup will boast a unique design, strongly inspired by its 4-door coupe sibling. The powerful, fast-back lines applied to a dynamic wagon aura will certainly attract a lot of views from passers-by. The technical package will be borrowed entirely from the current CLS: upscale customization, quality feel, clever assistance systems, state-of-the-art, internet-based infotainment means, refined dynamism and frugal BlueEFFICIENCY petrol and diesel powerplants. While there's no official word on this issue, the new CLS Shooting Brake could spawn in 2013 a '63 AMG' variant with up to 557 hp delivered by the 5.5-litre biturbo V8 engine.