Yes, the shooting brake body style has made a brief comeback in recent years largely thanks to a certain brand from Stuttgart, but it appears to be short lived since Mercedes-Benz announces plans to drop the more practical version for the future CLS model.
If you find yourself among those who thought the shooting brakes were a welcome addition to an already appealing car like the CLS (and the CLA, of course), then you can blame the Chinese and the Americans for Daimler’s decision.
CLS 400 Shooting Brake (X 218) 2014; Exterieur: Sport Paket AMG, designo manganitgrau magno; Interieur: design Leder Exklusiv Semianilin sattelbraun/seidenbeige
CLS 400 Shooting Brake (X 218) 2014; Exterieur: Sport Paket AMG, designo manganitgrau magno; Interieur: design Leder Exklusiv Semianilin sattelbraun/seidenbeige
CLS 63 AMG S-Modell Shooting Brake (X 218) 2014; Exterieur: Night Paket, palladiumsilber metallic; Interieur: Leder Passion Exklusiv schwarz
CLS 63 AMG S-Modell Shooting Brake (X 218) 2014; Exterieur: Night Paket, palladiumsilber metallic; Interieur: Leder Passion Exklusiv schwarz
CLS 63 AMG S-Modell Shooting Brake (X 218) 2014; Exterieur: Night Paket, palladiumsilber metallic; Interieur: Leder Passion Exklusiv schwarz
These two are currently the largest markets for Mercedes-Benz and its future plans have to take into account the fact that this situation does not appear to change pretty soon. We may love practical cars over here in Europe, but we’re not that important anymore. And even if we were, let’s face it, not even we go sufficiently nuts about stations wagons even when they look as good as the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake.
And it does look good. It’s always hard to say a two volume car is more attractive than a three volume one, but the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake could make a strong case for itself. It loses none of the refinement of the coupe version and adds some undeniable practicality, so what more can you ask of it?
Well, the answer to that question can only be found by speaking with CLS customers in China and the US.
We do know the CLS Shooting Brake (as well as the CLA SB) is not really a shooting brake per se, since it has two more doors than it should, but do you really want to start that argument? Because if you do, the standard CLS might beat for a hasty retreat concerning its equally large number of doors for the coupe status.
The next CLS model is expected to break cover sometime during 2018 and amid all the uncertainties regarding it, one thing is for sure: there will be no CLS Shooting Brake version. And that’s a shame.
