PREVIEW: A glimpse of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake (X 218)

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If we are to trust what most of the automotive news sources on the internet have stated recently, then the all new CLS Shooting Brake should be officially revealed during the 2012 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed kicking off tomorrow in the United Kingdom. The X 218 project is a powerful proposal for those seeking a lifestyle tourer that offers both puristic elegance and sheer practicality.

The CLS SB started shaping on the agendas of Mercedes-Benz officials soon after the showcar was unveiled back in 2010 to preview the new C 218 CLS-Class series, that was bound to be introduced later that year. As in 2003 with the VISION CLS vehicle study, the Concept Shooting Break was a winner right from the start. The combination between a coupé and a wagon, carefully blended into a unitary and very progressive 4-door design attracted the public interest and, from that point onwards, there was a single step left to give the approval for serial production: back in November 2010 came the official announcement regarding this aspect.

Although first thought to debut at the NYIAS 2012 in April, the premiere of the new CLS SB was postponed for a later date to avoid any interactions with other new Mercedes-Benz models set for the reveal. The Goodwood FoS seems a logical moment, as many speculated, as it gives the new niche model the chance to capture the spotlight and impress the audience gathered at the show.

In the mean time, the special celebration event in honor of the 45th anniversary of Mercedes-AMG offered a sneak preview towards the new CLS SB and specifically to the AMG model. It is a known fact the newcomer is getting the entire underpinnings and technologies from the CLS 4-door coupé, so every engine choice beginning from the CLS 250 CDI up to range-topping versions like the CLS 500 and CLS 63 AMG will be identical. Moreso, the 4MATIC option will be added to the equipment list in the course of next year. However, we do expect some more and neccesary updates in the safety assistance and telematics departments, to put the car in complete accordance to the latest Mercedes-Benz breakthroughs and innovations.

As suggested by the photo, the new CLS Shooting Brake will offer various customization possibilities - look at the yacht-resembling wood panel and the metallic rails for the trunk floor which signal some great stuff to set your future X 218 Merc apart from the crowd. We expect several luxury features from the concept car will also find their way onto the series vehicle, such as the two-tone leather upholstery, the crystal wine glass set and the bespoke wheel designs. If the rumors are true, we should find out more in the next hours. Stay tuned!

Image Credits: Mercedes-Benz Passion Blog

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