RE: Merc CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake
Discussion
I really want to love the shooting brake but I simply cant because every time I look at it it reminds me of a hearse. The rear three quarter is quite awkward in my opinion.
Anybody else feel the same way?
Having said that I totally respect its capabilities. I just cant love the looks.
Anybody else feel the same way?
Having said that I totally respect its capabilities. I just cant love the looks.
Edited by umRacing on Thursday 20th September 09:45
umRacing said:
I really want to love the shooting brake but I simply cant because every time I look at it it reminds me of a hearse. The rear three quarter is quite awkward in my opinion.
Anybody else feel the same way?
Having said that I totally respect its capabilities. I just cant love the looks.
Yep, the Grim Reapers ride... Thought it the first time I saw it and totally agree with you.Anybody else feel the same way?
Having said that I totally respect its capabilities. I just cant love the looks.
Edited by umRacing on Thursday 20th September 09:45
Lovely engine but....
it's not a pretty car. It looks to be sitting quite high and doesn't hide it's bulk very well. I would go as far as to say it actually looks quite ugly. Admittedly estates are hard to make look attractive but both Alfa and Audi have managed it in recent years (156 Sportwagen & RS4).
Personally if I was in the market for a fast estate - presumably to carry family, dog, stuff in the boot - I would want something less tail happy and a little more sure footed - especially in the wet.
No doubt it's a fun car to test drive for a day, but a little irrelevant as an ownership proposition. (God, I'm dull)
Curious to know the market for this. Dubai?
it's not a pretty car. It looks to be sitting quite high and doesn't hide it's bulk very well. I would go as far as to say it actually looks quite ugly. Admittedly estates are hard to make look attractive but both Alfa and Audi have managed it in recent years (156 Sportwagen & RS4).
Personally if I was in the market for a fast estate - presumably to carry family, dog, stuff in the boot - I would want something less tail happy and a little more sure footed - especially in the wet.
No doubt it's a fun car to test drive for a day, but a little irrelevant as an ownership proposition. (God, I'm dull)
Curious to know the market for this. Dubai?
Awful styling of the rear end although a slight improvement on the frankly hideous normal CLS. Really, if you like that you need to go to Specsavers.
I've had a lot of cars in my life (2x500SEC, 1xSLK and 1xSL55AMG plus many Porsches and a couple of M cars) but the only Mercs that i think look decent these days are the SLS, G-Wagen and mental Black Series CLK and SL. They seem to make a niche where there isn't one then build a bad looking car to fit it. A, B, C, E, S - they are all shocking designs. Oh, and a big ass engine does not make a drivers car. You can't turn a rubbish C class estate into an RS4 beater by sticking the latest V8 into it. How many reviews have you read pitching fast estates and in how many did the Merc win outright over the years?
Wake up and smell the coffee people - the marketing is great, the product not so great. You do not feel exclusive in a Stuttgart minicab and if you do, you should aim higher.
The rest are not well designed, build quality is not up with VAG or BMW and the depreciation on just about every one is truly awful.
I just don't get them at all.
Really nice, I think the production values are going up with each film. If anything this one feels too short but I guess this is more of a straight car review when compared to the long term Panamera one of last week.
Chris mentions a new target audience for this car, I wonder who that would be.
I liked the high shot of the hairpin through the trees, it shows that they're trying to think of new angles to illustrate their vids.
The break smoke/Porsche chasing sequence was a nice touch.
The centred steering comment was very nicely described and shot.
Knocking these out once a week whilst dealing with other work commitments is no mean feat.
Chris mentions a new target audience for this car, I wonder who that would be.
I liked the high shot of the hairpin through the trees, it shows that they're trying to think of new angles to illustrate their vids.
The break smoke/Porsche chasing sequence was a nice touch.
The centred steering comment was very nicely described and shot.
Knocking these out once a week whilst dealing with other work commitments is no mean feat.
V8 AMG Mercedes estates have long been my favourites of the M/RS/AMG stable - up until now for the noise, really. I know the Audi does the all weather thig better, and I know the BMWsare meant to be better at ten tenths - but the Merc is just so old school muscly, that I love it.
Now, the design and interior appear to be up there too. I love this car. If I have children, and fuel doesn't cost nine millio punds a cupful, I shall have one - after a few years of depreciation. In a nice quiet dark blue with a cream interior, all badging removed.
Very desirable thing, to me.
Now, the design and interior appear to be up there too. I love this car. If I have children, and fuel doesn't cost nine millio punds a cupful, I shall have one - after a few years of depreciation. In a nice quiet dark blue with a cream interior, all badging removed.
Very desirable thing, to me.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 20th September 11:15
Can someone explain why and how Mercedes can engineer such great soundtracks into their turbocharged AMG models yet BMW cannot (ie M5 and M6 in particular).
When the E63 AMG (and similar models) when from a normally aspirated 6.2 to a 5.5 bi-turbo set up, it lost virtually none of the sound that made it so appealing.
BMW - take note!
When the E63 AMG (and similar models) when from a normally aspirated 6.2 to a 5.5 bi-turbo set up, it lost virtually none of the sound that made it so appealing.
BMW - take note!
HighwayStar said:
Trust me, 4WD, especially in an Audi, does not automatically mean more fun... I should know, I have a TTS, light, plenty of power, Quattro, IMO looks great, well built but it's not very involving. Yeah it's fast and goes found corners but there not much real fun to be had unless simply getting there fast gets you off. If I could run a V8 M3, that would be my weapon of choice... If I had to leave it at home for what a week of proper snow, so be it. A 40min walk to work is no bother. Obviously we all have our priorities and depending where you live in the country, winter weather conditions etc 4WD just makes sense.
It always makes laugh when people come on here about powerful RWD cars, rain and 4WD is sooo much safer as though Bimmers and Merc drivers would be mad to take to the roads unless they are bone dry otherwise they'll spin off at the first corner. Some people (like me) may not chose the Merc simply because they don't like them. Clearly not rubbish but I've never liked their interiors and to me, as mentioned by other, the more mature gentleman's chariot.
Thanks, I have never driven anything with anywhere near this much power in RWD or 4WD form so I guess I only have popular opinion to base my assumptions on. I have been a passenger in GTRs and an RS6 in the wet and they do seem to cope well (if a 3rd gear, 4 wheel drift is coping). It always makes laugh when people come on here about powerful RWD cars, rain and 4WD is sooo much safer as though Bimmers and Merc drivers would be mad to take to the roads unless they are bone dry otherwise they'll spin off at the first corner. Some people (like me) may not chose the Merc simply because they don't like them. Clearly not rubbish but I've never liked their interiors and to me, as mentioned by other, the more mature gentleman's chariot.
What's stopping you getting the M3 if you don't mind me asking? Too thirsty?
tali1 said:
Spirit of the vastly unwanted R63 Amg lives on.
Personally i find AMG Mercs a tad too old bloke in tight leather trousers with viagra stuffed in pockets.
Well being 48 and an AMG owner (SL55) it is true that I fell for the charms of AMG as an older chap.Personally i find AMG Mercs a tad too old bloke in tight leather trousers with viagra stuffed in pockets.
When I was young, lets call it my 964RS era, life was fast and furious, hot and noisy. Now its smooth, sophisticasted and on request very rapid indeed.
As for the leather trousers, well the secret with an AMG is keep the colour and wheel options restrained, and perhaps "de badge". I am thinking of removing the plastic chrome "V8 Kompresser badges" from the wings as the are a little gauche.
And the blue pills? only required "wit yo mamma" of course
my personal favourite used to be the quattroporte and I'm impatiently awaiting the new one, especially if there's ever going to be a shooting brake model. But, and it's a big but, this mercedes is mindblowingly good from what I see. Loving the looks, the engine, the interior. Damn, the only advantage of the maserati that I can think of is that it's, well, a maserati and the unmatched sound of its V8.
excellent review Chris, should I mention the 911 chase?
glad to hear you like Tyskie
excellent review Chris, should I mention the 911 chase?
glad to hear you like Tyskie
Oz83 said:
HighwayStar said:
Trust me, 4WD, especially in an Audi, does not automatically mean more fun... I should know, I have a TTS, light, plenty of power, Quattro, IMO looks great, well built but it's not very involving. Yeah it's fast and goes found corners but there not much real fun to be had unless simply getting there fast gets you off. If I could run a V8 M3, that would be my weapon of choice... If I had to leave it at home for what a week of proper snow, so be it. A 40min walk to work is no bother. Obviously we all have our priorities and depending where you live in the country, winter weather conditions etc 4WD just makes sense.
It always makes laugh when people come on here about powerful RWD cars, rain and 4WD is sooo much safer as though Bimmers and Merc drivers would be mad to take to the roads unless they are bone dry otherwise they'll spin off at the first corner. Some people (like me) may not chose the Merc simply because they don't like them. Clearly not rubbish but I've never liked their interiors and to me, as mentioned by other, the more mature gentleman's chariot.
Thanks, I have never driven anything with anywhere near this much power in RWD or 4WD form so I guess I only have popular opinion to base my assumptions on. I have been a passenger in GTRs and an RS6 in the wet and they do seem to cope well (if a 3rd gear, 4 wheel drift is coping). It always makes laugh when people come on here about powerful RWD cars, rain and 4WD is sooo much safer as though Bimmers and Merc drivers would be mad to take to the roads unless they are bone dry otherwise they'll spin off at the first corner. Some people (like me) may not chose the Merc simply because they don't like them. Clearly not rubbish but I've never liked their interiors and to me, as mentioned by other, the more mature gentleman's chariot.
What's stopping you getting the M3 if you don't mind me asking? Too thirsty?
athol said:
Wake up and smell the coffee people - the marketing is great, the product not so great. You do not feel exclusive in a Stuttgart minicab and if you do, you should aim higher.
The rest are not well designed, build quality is not up with VAG or BMW and the depreciation on just about every one is truly awful.
Totally agree, only ever had one good experience with Mercedes and that was after going to a different dealership to get a customers car fixed, they are truly awful people must have rose tinted glasses on the thickness of Coke bottles.The rest are not well designed, build quality is not up with VAG or BMW and the depreciation on just about every one is truly awful.
Never been a Merc man, then one day we ended up with a brand spanking new F10 525d M sport, 1000k miles on the clock or so, what a fantastic car, interior wise it felt just as good as my E39 just crisper and fresher, then drove it, didn't sound like a diesel, didn't drive like one, handle was superb, it felt like driving a new age E34, car left us with 2,500 miles or so.
This then got replaced with an 800 mile on the clock Mercedes E250 diesel AMG or what ever the hell it was, what a pile of s
t, the only thing I liked about it, was the interior was aesthetically pleasing on the eye.A block of plastic you shove in the dash to make it start
On board computer which was a load of s
t to use, iDrive took 2 minutes to work out, Merc I didn't even find the Sat Nav, in fact I don't think it had any.Gearbox which you had to turn the flappy paddles on somewhere on the centre console.
Tail happy, don't get me wrong I like a bit of sideways motion, but even my mum kept spinning the tyres, left us with 830 miles on the clock, the only time it was fun was drifting it through a muddy field, and no I don't care what you think, the car was s
t, wasn't mine quite frankly it could burn.Then you have to deal with Mercedes customer service, which is frankly s
t.Anyway, how is this car a shooting brake? It has 4 doors does it not? Makes it an estate, shooting brake as far as I have ever known, 2 door sporty estate which wasn't really an estate to start with
Aston
Boniolo Aston Martin Vanquish EG Shooting Brake
Jaguar
Ford, btw this looks lush
Ferrari
Porsche
All 2 doors, Mercedes either do it properly or call it an estate, goes for PH as well, it isn't a shooting brake as far as I am concerned, and as far as every other car manufacturer who has made a shooting brake is concerned it is wrong.
4 doors estate.
2/3 doors on a coupe platform shooting brake.
Taking a 4 door saloon and turning it into a slopey estate doesn't make it a shooting brake.
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