Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break Concept revealed ahead of Beijing
Sunday, April 25, 2010
As we reported late last month, it seems likely that Mercedes-Benz will use the upcoming Beijing Motor Show to preview its next-gen CLS, along with the introduction of what appears to be a production-ready shooting break design. While the moniker is more often spelled 'shooting brake,' MB is keen to point out that the correct spelling is 'break,' as in breaking a horse that draws a carriage. Whatever the name, we're liking what we see from this concept.
From what we can see in these pictures, which we presume show a conceptual shape that's awfully close to what a future production model will look like, the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break seems to be a much more successful design than that of the BMW 5 Series GT that it will undoubtedly be compared to. We'd also wager that the rear hatchback and flat load floor would prove fairly useful in real life due to a suitably tall roof without too much downward slope.
Powerplants for the next-gen CLS are also previewed by this concept. Expect a turbocharged and direct injected 3.5-liter V6 engine with over 300 horsepower along with an uplevel turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 that puts out around 435 horsepower and over 400 pound-feet of torque. Those engines will reportedly provide a 25-percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the mills they replace and will route power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Not powerful enough for you? Perhaps the 5.5-liter V8, complete with turbocharging and direct injection, in the AMG model will be more to your liking. How does up to 563 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque sound?
Expect to see a sedan (codenamed C218) in addition to this shooting brake (codenamed X218) when the next-gen CLS is finally ready for production. Either way, it appears buyers will be getting cutting-edge styling along with a nicely appointed and luxurious interior. As always, we suggest you take a peek for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.
