The Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake,a stylised wagon version of the company's four-door'coupe',has gone on sale in Australia.
Two models are offered initially,comprising a$129,000 CLS250 CDI four-cylinder diesel and a$173,000 CLS350 V6 petrol.
A CLS63 AMG performance variant will follow in May 2013,with five units of the'Edition 1'that was previewed at the 2012 Sydney motor show being delivered a few months earlier.
The regular Mercedes-Benz CLS isn't available with the four-cylinder diesel,but the CLS350 Shooting Brake carries a$8930 premium over its equivalent sedan sibling.
The CLS250 CDI Shooting Brake features a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel with 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque,feeding the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
Official fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per 100km makes it the most efficient of the coupe-wagons.
The CLS350 Shooting Brake is the petrol choice for now,offering 225kW and 370Nm from its 3.5-litre V6 that is also mated to a seven-speed auto.Fuel use,on the recommended premium unleaded,is rated at 8.2L/100km.
At 4956mm,the five-door CLS is only 16mm longer than the four-door and is the same width and height.Rear headroom,though,increases from 927mm to 974mm.Kerb weight increases by 65kg to 1865 kilos.
Mercedes-Benz Australia admits the CLS Shooting Brake isn't a high-volume model but says it will find enough customers to boost sales from about the 300-400-per-year range for the CLS'coupe'to between 500 and 600 anually for both models.
"We know it is a niche model,"says the company's general manger of sales,Richard Emery."It's for someone who would normally buy an E-Class or CLS[coupe]but with the capacity for storage.
"We think buyers will be previous Mercedes owners mainly,but younger than traditional owners because this is a vehicle for the family.So about 45-55."
Mercedes doesn't believe there is a direct rival for the CLS Shooting Brake,saying only the BMW 5 Gran Turismo comes close in concept.
The Shooting Brake's boot is 590 litres in size,expanding to 1550L when the rear seats are folded–via automatic-release levers in the boot.These figures compare with 520L for the coupe-sedan,which doesn't have folding rear seats unless you tick an option box.
The coupe-wagon also gains a tailgate,which opens and closes at the touch of a button,and self-levelling rear air suspension that maintains a constant ride height even when there's plenty of luggage in the rear.
One of the more interesting options for the Shooting Brake is a wooden luggage compartment floor,which is made from American cherry wood and costs$4900
Mercedes has added further features to the elongated CLS,including an AMG Sports Package that brings sportier-looking bodywork,sports suspension and 19-inch AMG alloy wheels.
Mercedes says the AMG theme is carried inside with the three-spoke steering wheel,Black Ash wood trim and stainless steel pedals.
The real deal AMG version,however,will be the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake,which sprints from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds thanks to its 386kW 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8.
It goes on sale in May 2013,with a price tag in the$270,000-275,000 vicinity.
