|
Price |
|
-- |
Production |
|
-- |
|
Engine |
4.6
liter V8 |
Weight |
-- |
|
Aspiration |
twin
turbochargers |
Torque |
443
lb-ft |
|
HP |
408
hp @ 5000 rpm |
HP/Weight |
-- |
|
HP/Liter |
88.7
hp per liter |
1/4 mile |
-- |
|
0-62 mph |
5.3
seconds |
Top Speed |
155
mph |
(from Mercedes-Benz
Press Release) Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake: Independence
at its most beautiful
Stuttgart. With the new CLS Shooting Brake, Mercedes-Benz is once
again setting an example when it comes to creativity of design, and
as such highlighting its leading role in this area: in terms of its
proportions, the new CLS is quite clearly a coupé, but with five
doors and a roof which continues through to the rear, it promises
some remarkable new possibilities. The idea of the four-door coupé –
successfully introduced in 2004 with the first CLS and long imitated
in the meantime – has now been taken to new heights and to
innovative effect. The result is automotive independence at its most
beautiful.
According to CEO Dr.
Dieter Zetsche: "Any memorable machine is equal parts art and
science. A car has to first deliver in function – the ticket of
entry – and then in fascination: the ticket to real excitement. The
CLS Shooting Brake excels on both accounts – unlike any other car in
the market".
The proportions of the CLS Shooting Brake are surprising but clearly
those of a coupé, and create a basic stance which makes it look
ready for the off: the long bonnet, narrow-look windows with
frameless side windows, and dynamic roof sloping back towards the
rear. It is only when taking a second look that it becomes clear
that the Shooting Break actually has five doors and offers "more" in
terms of function.
In essence it represents
an unprecedented version of a sports car with five seats and a large
tailgate. It is a special proposition for people looking to
differentiate themselves from the mainstream, and who do not wish to
compromise on either sportiness or stowage space when it comes to
travelling in style. The Shooting Brake is a further highlight in
the innovative luxury vehicle series from Mercedes-Benz and, like
the CLS Coupé, has the potential to become the role model for a new
market segment.
"The CLS Shooting Brake is based on the great tradition of stylish
sportiness which has always characterised Mercedes, and takes these
unique icons an exciting step further", explains Gorden Wagener,
Head of Design at Mercedes‑Benz. "It stands for the enhanced design
idiom of Mercedes-Benz which is oriented towards aesthetic,
avant-garde principles". This is seen in the impressive series of
market-defining new vehicle concepts, such as the SLK for example,
which in 1996 established a genre as the first Roadster with a
retractable steel roof, the M-Class as the first premium SUV in
1998, or the first four-door CLS Coupé in 2004.
Exclusive innovation in the
interior: wooden luggage compartment floor
The second generation of
the CLS set high standards in terms of the design and quality of the
interior: straightforward elegance combined with innovative details
and handcrafted perfection. The Shooting Brake also applies this
same aspiration in the luggage compartment. It is lined with
high-quality carpet, and the hand-stitched material is also
incorporated into the sideliners in conjunction with leather
appointments. Optional designer loading rails made of aluminium give
an even more exclusive look.
An extravagant and
unique feature for the automotive industry is the designo wooden
luggage compartment floor, which serves to underscore the
hand-finished nature of the interior. Cherry tree wood is a classic
among fine wood species and contrasts perfectly with the inlaid
smoked oak and aluminium rails. This affords the luggage compartment
a touch of elegance normally found on yachts, combined with the
exciting worlds of technology and precision craftsmanship. The wood
is characterised by its flexibility and elasticity, as well as its
density and fine texture. For the luggage compartment floor made of
American cherry tree wood, selected veneer sheets are glued and
pressed together by hand in five cross-bonded layers to achieve high
dimensional stability. The blanks are milled into their precise
shape using a CNC machine, and the surfaces sanded to a smooth
finish and waterproofed to maintain the natural beauty of the wood.
Inlaid work using darker smoked oak, precisely cut into three
millimetre strips using laser technology, helps to enhance the
design of the wooden floor. The lavishly produced aluminium rails
have a brushed finish and rubber inserts, and not only help to
protect the wooden floor but also feature anti-slip properties.
The CLS coupé already
set new standards in interiors with its wide variety of
individualisation options. The Shooting Brake also offers five
interior colours, five trim designs and also three qualities of
leather to choose from. Customers have a choice of three exclusive
wood types: high-gloss brown burr walnut, high-gloss black ash and
satin-finish light-brown poplar. The interior is given an even more
progressive look with the addition of piano lacquer or AMG carbon
fibre/black piano lacquer trim elements. A completely new addition
comes in the form of porcelain interior appointments which afford
both CLS models a sense of luxury normally found in the S-Class. The
CLS Shooting Brake also lives up to its role as a design icon thanks
to the innovative nature of the materials used. These comprise a
mixture of satin and high-gloss finishes used on the metal surfaces.
A new dimension in vehicle
concepts: the four-door Shooting Brake
No-one likes to have to
compromise: even when the focus is not on the practical elements of
the design of the Shooting Brake (length x width x height: 4956 x
1881 x 1413 mm), the new CLS model still has some trump cards up its
sleeve. With a load volume of between 590 and 1550 litres, the
luggage compartment offers a lot of room despite the flat, sporty
lines of the roof, and is easy to use thanks to the automatically
opening tailgate fitted as standard. A load compartment cover also
protects luggage from prying eyes.
The standard air
suspension at the rear helps to ensure optimum road holding at all
times. For additional flexibility, the rear seat backrests can be
folded down from the luggage compartment as standard. The rear seats
themselves provide room for three people, with individual seats on
the outsides and a third seat in the middle. The three saddle-type
head restraints on the rear seats barely affect the view towards the
rear, and can be lowered at the touch of a button by the driver. An
optional trailer coupling is also available.
Dr. Joachim Schmidt,
Board Member of Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Sales &
Marketing, sums it all up: "The new CLS Shooting Brake represents a
new dimension in vehicle concepts and offers discerning customers
independence at its most beautiful."
Lightweight construction and
aerodynamics: important contributions to efficiency
Intelligent lightweight
construction plays a decisive role in bridging the classic conflict
between the objectives of low weight and high strength in the CLS
Shooting Brake. The model features frameless, all-aluminium doors
made from deep-drawn aluminium panels with extruded sections, and in
comparison with conventional steel doors, are some 24 kilograms
lighter. The tailgate, bonnet, front wings, various support profiles
and substantial parts of the suspension and engines are all made of
aluminium too.
The aerodynamics also
make a significant contribution to the efficiency of the
Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake. With a frontal area of 2.30 m² and
a Cd value of 0.29, the drag area is 0.67 m².
Drive system: powerful and
efficient
The CLS Shooting Brake
is available with four different engine variants – two diesel
engines and two petrol engines. Features common to all engines
include the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission as well as the ECO
start/stop function. In addition, two models are available with
all-wheel drive: the CLS 350 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY and the CLS
500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY.
The entry-level model is
the CLS 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY producing 150 kW (204 hp). Combined
fuel consumption is 5.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, an
excellent level for this performance class and equivalent to CO2
emissions of 139 grams per kilometre. Coming in above this are the
two six-cylinder models: the CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY producing
195 kW (265 hp) and the CLS 350 BlueEFFICIENCY producing 225 kW (306
hp). The top-of-the-range model is the CLS 500 BlueEFFICIENCY with a
V8 biturbo engine producing 300 kW (408 hp).
Efficiency is also increased by the standard electro-mechanical
power steering EPS (Electric Power Steering). EPS is a radical move
in the relationship between the driver, car and road surface. This
is because for the first time, it gives engineers the freedom to
choose and programme many of the parameters that influence steering
feedback. So they defined a Mercedes-Benz feeling behind the wheel.
In addition to fuel economy, the result is a considerable
improvement in handling and agility. The electromechanical power
steering also enables another innovation to be implemented – Active
Park Assist. The CLS Shooting Brake is not only able to detect
parking spaces, but can also park automatically.
Another world exclusive: dynamic
full LED headlamps
The CLS was the first
passenger car in the world to offer optional dynamic full LED High
Performance headlamps, which combine the exciting colour elements of
LED technology – similar to those of daytime driving lights – with
the performance, functionality and energy efficiency of today's
bi-xenon generation. Some 95 percent of all customers have opted for
these lights in the CLS Coupé. Of course, as the world's second car
to feature this optional extra, the CLS Shooting Brake also offers
the new light system. For the first time ever, it provides the
Intelligent Light System already proven in Mercedes models fitted
with bi-xenon headlamps in combination with LED technology. The
headlamps, with their 71 LED lamps in total, look exciting; and they
serve to underline the unmistakable appearance of the CLS. The light
specialists from Mercedes-Benz have for the first time been able to
use LED technology in the innovative Adaptive Highbeam Assist,
resulting in an entirely new quality of illumination when driving at
night.
In contrast to the first
vehicles equipped with LED headlamps, no compromises are now
necessary with respect to the functionality and performance of the
lighting technology. There are further arguments for LED-based
lighting technology: the average operating life of an LED is around
10,000 hours, around five times longer than that of a xenon light;
moreover, LED headlamps most closely approximate to the colour of
daylight. This means that LED light is in keeping with the normal
human perception patterns and that the driver experiences
significantly more brightness on the road at night. Studies have
shown that the closer the colour of artificial light comes to
daylight, the less the strain on the eyes. With a colour temperature
of 5500 kelvin, LED light is closer to daylight (6500 K) than xenon
light (4200 K).
More than a dozen
driving assistance systems help to prevent traffic accidents and
reduce the severity of an accident. Active Blind Spot Assist and
Active Lane Keeping Assist are available as part of the Driving
Assistance package Plus, in combination with DISTRONIC PLUS, BAS
PLUS and the PRE‑SAFE® Brake. Both assistance systems are not only
able to detect an unintentional lane change or vehicles in the blind
spot, but can also correct the direction of travel by gentle brake
intervention if the driver ignores the visual or audible danger
warnings.
It's all in a name: the origins of
the name "Shooting Break"
Break, or the homonym
Brake, was the name once given to carriages used to "break" in wild
horses and also to restrict (or "brake") their urge to move, so that
they could be put to use as work horses. Since the carts could
easily be broken as part of this process, people tended not to use
ones which they may have urgently needed for other purposes. Where
necessary, "Brakes" were often fitted out with variable bodies,
which were only really used to carry along anything that may have
been necessary for the hunt, for example. Any such vehicle which was
used when going out shooting was called a Shooting Brake or Shooting
Break. Motorised Shooting Brakes were popular in England in the 60s
and 70s – exclusive two-door sports cars, which combined the luxury
and style of a coupé with a larger load compartment and large
tailgate.
