Mercedes confirms CLS estate

Mercedes has confirmed it will produce the CLS 'Shooting Brake' concept first seen at the Beijing motor show.

The low-slung-five-door-coupe-estate will likely hit showrooms in 2012, and will immediately take the crown of 'World's Sexiest Estate'.

See more pics of the Mercedes CLS estate 'Shooting Brake'

Look at it. With those looks comes compromise, though. That sloping rear-roofline means it won't be as Ikea-friendly as a regular E-Class estate (on which it is based), and you may have to downsize your Labrador into a Yorkshire Terrier via some dog-debigulater, but it'll be worth it.

The awfully German-sounding Merc chief Dieter Zetsche said: "The decision to build the CLS Shooting Brake underscores the leading role of Mercedes-Benz in regards of innovative passenger car concepts and design - and that is exactly what the customers expect from us."

The full raft of Merc's petrol and diesel firepower will be furnished in that attractive nose. And that's before AMG get their oily, dirty, steel-plated mittens on it. Imagine an AMG CLS estate - 19s, subtle bodykit, shotgun exhausts - with a 5.5-litre turbo'd V8, and you're imagining the only car you'll ever need in life.

Discuss.