We just received a new set of spy shots starring the upcoming Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, a station wagon variant of the famous coupe from the house of the three-pointed star, and from what we can see the model is clearly into its final stage of testing. The very light camouflage worn by the pictured mule allows us to appreciate what we would expect to be the definitive design of the model, which retains the aggressive styling we had seen with the Shooting Brake Concept, a concept-car which anticipated this model and was firstly introfuced at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show.

The new model has been developed on the same platform that generated the Mercedes CLS, and will have the same engine range too: on the petrol side there will be a 3.5-litre V6 developing 306 hp, and a 4.7-litre twin-turbo V8 developing 408 hp, whereas on the diesel side we will have a 2.1-litre biturbo producing 204 hp with 500 Nm of peak torque as well as the recent 3.0-litre V6 delivering 265 hp and 620 Nm of torque. AMG and AMG Performance variants equipped with the well-known 5.5 litre twin turbo V8 engine are obviously also in the cards: the former will use a power configuration of 525 hp and 700 Nm, the latter will count on an output of 557 hp with 800 Nm of peak torque.

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A mule of the next Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake has been spotted in Northern Sweden during some cold weather testing, were these spy shots were taken. In the plans of the three-pointed star house this new model is going to pioneer a new niche of the market, that puts together the oomph of a coupe with the body of a sporty station-wagon. The final goal is to fill any gap that hasn’t been explored yet in the luxury car market.

This “station-coupe” model from Mercedes-Benz seems to have kept the bold styling of the Shooting Brake Concept, that was showcased for the first time at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show. Bodywork aside, this new variant will be identical to the classic CLS sedan, with the same platform and engine range.

Thereby the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake should come with four engine options: the petrol line-up includes a 3.5-litre V6 producing 306 hp and a 4.7-litre twin turbo V8 delivering 408 hp; on the diesel side we have a 2.1-litre twin turbo unit producing 204 hp and 500 Nm of peak torque and the recent 3.0-litre V6, with an output of 265 hp and 620 Nm. AMG and AMG Performance variants are obviously in the works too, equipped with the same 5.5-litre twin turbo V8 unit delivering 525 hp and 700 Nm for the former and 557 CV with 800 Nm for the latter. The new Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake is expected to show up at the next Geneva Motor Show.

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These new spy shots show us the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake stripped of almost any sort of camouflage. As expected, the luxury staion wagon based on the CLS sedan will be very similar to the Shooting Brake Concept unveiled at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show, creating a new niche in the market for cars combining the practicality of an estate with the exclusivity and performance of a premium coupe-saloon. Engine range and versions will probably be the same of the CLS line, including all the AMG editions.

The Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake is expected to debut in 2012, possibly at the next Geneva Motor Show.

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Doesn’t it look like this thing could just take off? Or at least swim? The Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake concept revealed at the Beijing show this year is going into production, to be released by 2012. It matches the best in Mercedes luxury wagons with a coupé-like roofline and CLS-inspired looks.

The high waistline, but extremely low roofline and long body is set to create the latest luxury niche after things like coupé-sedans got going with the various Panamera’s and Sportbacks of the world. The CLS Shooting Brake will be produced at the Sindelfingen plant, which already has an impressive line-up of Mercedes rolling off the production line.

Interestingly though, the attention given to the Chinese market on originally showing this concept has not been mentioned or expanded on in Mercedes’ announcement. We will be interested to see where the CLS Shooting Brake production version will be released and what its market spread will be like. Could it be a success in Asia and the US? Or is this a European vision?

After the jump you can read the slightly hyperbolic press release which says more about the Sindelfingen plant than about the car itself. But there are a couple of interesting insights into the CLS Shooting Brake design and its place in the larger Mercedes family, along with what the Shooting Brake name is all about. Read on!

Mercedes Shooting Break Concept

Continue reading: Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake to production: old school cart becomes new niche

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