The Shooting Brake is the estate version of the Mercedes CLS Coupe. The two ranges are almost identical - equipment levels are exactly the same, and while there's no Shooting Brake equivalent of the 3.5-litre V6 petrol CLS 400, you do have a choice of two impressively economical diesel engines and the high-performance CLS 63 AMG S.
Shooting Brakes are between about £500 and just over £1,500 more expensive than Coupe equivalents. Also, their extra weight and more compromised aerodynamics mean that they're also slightly slower and less economical. On the plus side, they have a great deal more luggage space.
The Shooting Brake was introduced in 2012 as an alternative to the second-generation CLS Coupe. Both models were revised in 2014.
Performance
With 577bhp from its 5.5-litre V8 engine, the CLS 63 AMG S is outstandingly fast. Even without the benefit of four-wheel drive (though the rear axle has a limited slip differential, which helps), it can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds. Its top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
The impressively quiet 254bhp 3.0-litre diesel under the bonnet of the CLS 350 BlueTEC also provides stirring performance. 0-62mph takes 6.6 seconds (one tenth longer than in the equivalent Coupe) and although it can't quite reach 155mph, you can take it up to 152mph if the opportunity arises. The 2.1-litre CLS 220 BlueTEC is the least powerful model, with a relatively modest 175bhp, but that's still enough to give it 8.8-second 0-62mph acceleration time and a top speed of 137mph.
Every CLS has automatic transmission. The 220 BlueTEC and the 63 AMG S specifications both have seven gears, while the 350 model has a nine-speed ‘box with almost imperceptible changes.
Ride and Handling
The steering isn't at all sharp, but it's very smooth and well weighted, as are the pedals.
Despite the performance figures mentioned above, the CLS is more of a comfortable cruiser than a sports car, happy enough to be pushed hard but less likely to respond the more you do so. The steering isn't at all sharp, but it's very smooth and well weighted, as are the pedals. The suspension appears to have been set up to provide maximum comfort, and the ride quality is excellent even on a CLS fitted with very low-profile tyres, though in this case the car can struggle on rougher road surfaces.
Interior and Equipment
'Shooting Brake', now simply another term for 'estate', originally meant a horse-drawn vehicle designed to carry shooting parties.
One result of the 2014 update was that heated front seats, ambient lighting and the COMAND online system, previously available only on the more expensive models, became standard across the range. The optional Premium Pack consists of an electric sunroof, front seat position memory, split/folding rear seats and a reversing camera, while Premium Plus has all of that along with a Harman Kardon audio system and keyless start. Nearly everything in Premium Plus is included in the list price of the C63 AMG S, which also has a powered tailgate. LED headlights with automatic beam adjustment is fitted to all models, as is an 8-inch tablet-style display screen. Various Mercedes-Benz apps can be downloaded. The interior is very comfortable, and there is a decent amount of legroom in the rear, though the headroom is better. Luggage capacity is 590 litres with the rear seats in place (well up on the Coupe's 475) and a useful 1,550 litres to roof level with the seats folded.
Cost
The C63 AMG S lets the side down here with 27.2mpg and 235g/km, though since it costs around £87,000 (a long way from the 220's £48,080) that's unlikely to trouble anyone who can afford to buy it.
As mentioned above, the Shooting Brake's fuel economy is slightly inferior to that of the Coupe. CO2 emissions are likewise higher, but this is an issue only with the CLS 220 BlueTEC: a CO2 rating of 132 rather than 129g/km means it costs £20 a year extra in Vehicle Excise Duty at £130. Combined fuel economy is 57.6mpg, though you'd be doing well to get close to that. The CLS 350 BlueTEC has combined economy of 49.6mpg and 149g/km of CO2, and therefore costs £145 to tax. The C63 AMG S lets the side down here with 27.2mpg and 235g/km, though since it costs around £87,000 (a long way from the 220's £48,080) that's unlikely to trouble anyone who can afford to buy it. As for Benefit In Kind taxation, the 220 is rated at 19%, the 350 at 22% and the AMG S at 35% for the remainder of 2014-15. The diesels will go up by 2% in each of the next four financial years, while the AMG will rise to 37% in April 2015 and stay there until 2018-19.
Our Verdict
Opinions vary as to the attractiveness of the CLS, but it's a comfortable car and notably pleasant to drive, though not as sporty as the power outputs suggest. The Shooting Brake is surprisingly practical - much more so than its looks suggest. The AMG S is of course the most dramatic, but the combination of performance, reasonable running costs, very high levels of refinement and an excellent nine-speed gearbox make the 350 BlueTEC our favourite.