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For the clutch of wagon fanatics, their preferred automotive shape is special because it’s practical, capable, and honest. It’s the anti-cool vehicle configuration. Mercedes-Benz’s pretty, absurdly powerful CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake isn’t anti-cool, and it’s not going to swallow 4×8 sheets of plywood. Like SUVs over the past 20 years, the wagon form is going from capable to capable-looking. That’s okay though; the CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake may be the harbinger of death of the utilitarian wagon, but it’s also a five-door Benz with up to 550 horsepower.
Plug-and-Play Powertrain
Building the CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake didn’t, on its own, require a work of genius. The drivetrain from the four-door CLS63—and a slew of other AMG models—is married to the CLS Shooting Brake body. An AMG body kit is added.
In more detail: The engine in this svelte estate is a 5.5-liter V-8 with two turbochargers. Standard output is 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. For other AMG models with this engine, a special Performance Pack is offered, which kicks those numbers up to 550 and 590, respectively. That option will be available for the Shooting Brake later on, but initially the more-powerful engine will be bundled as part of an “Edition 1” version of the car, which adds a whole bunch of cosmetic kit, too. (More on that below.)
As is the case across the AMG line, both versions of the 5.5-liter V-8 are paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Benz calls it MCT, and it uses a set of clutches instead of a torque converter to enable faster shifting. It’s a winner.
The rest of the AMG Shooting Brake’s underpinnings are familiar as well. AMG has worked over the suspension, installed its own wider front axle, and bolted on its own 14-inch ventilated brake discs.
2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake interior
Edition 1 For Some
Without the Edition 1 package, the CLS63 Shooting Brake includes all the leather and carbon-fiber dressing you’d expect from AMG. But for early AMG Shooting Brake shoppers—who also have an especially large budget and a keen interest in performance—Benz is offering an “Edition 1” package. In addition to getting the hotter engine setup, the Edition 1 cars gild the proverbial lily even more than AMG usually does. The interior is worked over by Benz’s in-house customization division, Designo, and includes some wacky options like “white pearl leather with metallised finish” for the seats and trim. Velour floor mats are included for added whimsicality, and a cherry-wood cargo area is available.
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