Mercedes-Benz won't sell the Shooting Brake version of its CLS model in the United States due to "the continued aversion to wagons by U.S. car buyers," according to a company spokesman.
The CLS Shooting Brake extends the four-door coupe shape of the E-class-based CLS to offer extra practicality in the form of a larger trunk and a tailgate.
The car goes on sale in Europe in October with the choice of two diesel engines and two gasoline units, depending on the market. The entry 250CDI diesel has fuel economy of 5.3 liters per 100km and a CO2 emissions figure of 139g/km.
Launched at the same time will be a performance AMG version with a 5.5-liter turbocharged V8 engine.
The car's trunk has capacity of 590 liters or 1,550 liters with the seats down and comes with the option of a wooden boot floor inlaid with aluminum rails.
The Shooting Brake name goes back to the horse-and-cart era when it referred to practical hunting vehicles. It continued in the UK where during the 1960s and 1970s it was applied to bespoke station wagon versions of luxury sports cars.
In a statement, Mercedes CEO Dr Deiter Zetsche described the car as functional and exciting. "The CLS Shooting Brake excels on both accounts – unlike any other car in the market," he said.
