RE: Mercedes CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake: Spotted
Discussion
I looked at one of these to replace my E estate, and was surprised that internally everything is smaller, shorter or lower than E -class - yet externally, the CLS is actually fractionally longer and wider than an E class.
The fact it drives firmer, without feeling substantially sportier, left me feeling 100% style over substance is the only reason to buy one over an E class.
Although I think it is the best looking estate on the market to my eyes.
soad said:
Harry Flashman has one.
I do! The one in the advert is hugely overpriced, even though it is the facelift with the sorted out gearbox.I own one, Chris Harris' old car, and absolutely love it. Chose it over an RS6, in fact. It is likely my last V8 family car before we go electric for the main family transportation, and I wanted those looks and the very old school powertrain. It has not disappointed, even though the 7 speed MCT is a bit clunky. When lit up it is scarily fast with a soundtrack that makes the Audi seem a bit boring. It is not particularly practical due to the low roofline and small tailgate, but the looks, steering feel, soundtrack and fabulous interior compensate for that.
Currently on loan to a fellow PHer whilst I borrowed his kindly offered Range Rover for a winter in the Alps:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Untitled by baconrashers, on Flickr
20181219_093126 by baconrashers, on FlickrEdited by Harry Flashman on Wednesday 24th April 15:56
My pal has a chipped 250d version with all the stuff. In pearl white with red leather. It is a beautiful thing but then I have always been partial to the 3 pointed star! I think it was 200 PS up to 260 PS and 500 torques to 640 or something similar. Whatever, it goes very well!
585bhp? Now that is another world of fun!
585bhp? Now that is another world of fun!
I love the Shooting Brake shape. Although I can only dream of owning an AMG version, I’m seriously considering a 350d as my next car. That or an F31 BMW 335d (if I can’t find a 328/330i).
It’s a very tough choice. Do I go with a car I’d probably take many photos of but has way less performance than my Forester STi, or a car that’s a bit boring to look at but by all account is hugely fast?!
It’s a very tough choice. Do I go with a car I’d probably take many photos of but has way less performance than my Forester STi, or a car that’s a bit boring to look at but by all account is hugely fast?!
BUG4LIFE said:
I love the Shooting Brake shape. Although I can only dream of owning an AMG version, I’m seriously considering a 350d as my next car. That or an F31 BMW 335d (if I can’t find a 328/330i).
It’s a very tough choice. Do I go with a car I’d probably take many photos of but has way less performance than my Forester STi, or a car that’s a bit boring to look at but by all account is hugely fast?!
Having had a 335d Touring its a no brainerIt’s a very tough choice. Do I go with a car I’d probably take many photos of but has way less performance than my Forester STi, or a car that’s a bit boring to look at but by all account is hugely fast?!
Hugely fast but the most boring car Ive had by a long way
Seriously the Steve Davies of cars
Crushingly competent but just a bit zzzzzzzz
Swapped it for a slug Volvo V90 and havent looked back
0-60 in 5s is admittedly cool however it isnt that special or nice inside, the standard ride is as barge like as my V90 and it is surprisingly loud and thrashy on the motorway
Glad I scratched the itch but never again
A 340i petrol on the other hand........
Cheers
numtumfutunch said:
Having had a 335d Touring its a no brainer
Hugely fast but the most boring car Ive had by a long way
Seriously the Steve Davies of cars
Crushingly competent but just a bit zzzzzzzz
Swapped it for a slug Volvo V90 and havent looked back
0-60 in 5s is admittedly cool however it isnt that special or nice inside, the standard ride is as barge like as my V90 and it is surprisingly loud and thrashy on the motorway
Glad I scratched the itch but never again
A 340i petrol on the other hand........
Cheers
So you’re saying get a CLS SB?Hugely fast but the most boring car Ive had by a long way
Seriously the Steve Davies of cars
Crushingly competent but just a bit zzzzzzzz
Swapped it for a slug Volvo V90 and havent looked back
0-60 in 5s is admittedly cool however it isnt that special or nice inside, the standard ride is as barge like as my V90 and it is surprisingly loud and thrashy on the motorway
Glad I scratched the itch but never again
A 340i petrol on the other hand........
Cheers
I figure all the cars on my list will be a tad dull to drive, compared to my Foz! But I do need my next car to be a little more relaxing and comfortable.
Unfortunately most of what I’m looking at are diesel. I’ve love an F31 340 but they’re out of my price range.
The 'S' variant is quite hard to find, especially in SB form.
But another one has appeared for sale, a bit older and a few more miles but "only" £40k:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
On the basis of this, I would say the car featured is worth more like mid-high 40s.
But another one has appeared for sale, a bit older and a few more miles but "only" £40k:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
On the basis of this, I would say the car featured is worth more like mid-high 40s.
Well hello everyone; this is my car. Thank you PH for the exposure 
and for recognising this car for what it is...a bit special.
Interesting views with regards to price with views centring around 45-50k. Of course the old adage that something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay stands true. This works both ways, what a buyer is prepared to pay and what a seller is prepared to sell for.
I have recently turned down 3 separate offers for £55k. In essence, this is where the buyers market seems to have rallied around for this particular car. That I'm holding out for a bit more means it's worth at least that to me, in that I'm happy to keep it rather than let it go at that price. If I needed to sell it, I guess I would have accepted that since this is where prospective buyers seem to have settled as a value. Book prices for a car like this goes out the window, some cars are behind book, others ahead. When they are as rare as these it's a case of what's available and what they are selling at.
I've been following CLS63 prices for 3-4 years going back to when I was looking. I've only ever seen a handful of SB's for sale in that time. I looked at 3 of them, all of which looked lovely on paper but which were horribly disappointing in the metal. The inability to find a nice example is what ultimately pushed me to buy new.
2017 was the last year these were sold. This was the last one available in the UK, forward ordered and specced by a dealer for whom my local dealer sales director previously worked so he was aware of its existence. It is the highest spec available. The S model not only benefits from the LSD and all sorts of other goodies, it also received crucially the Speedshift Plus gearbox and the full fat 585bhp engine.
This engine was fitted to the 4matic 'S' version in Europe at this vintage. Apparently the 4matic was unavailable in RHD due to front prop interfering with the driver side controls, which meant that we were the only country to receive this boosted output in a RWD configuration. Ironically, mine came from the factory originally with BiTurbo 4matic badges on the side!
In all comparisons with the RS6 it was the gearbox that received the most flak. As Harry correctly pointed out, this vintage received the updated gearbox offering, the AMG Speedshift Plus which is very rapid acting with no such lethargy present. Unfortunately being an end of line, there were never any media comparisons with what was the best incarnation of this niche car.
It is a very rare beast, the last of the big engined rear wheel drive monsters. Much of the media have alluded to the CLS SB as being a future classic/cult car with one likening it to capturing the spirit of the AMG Hammer Wagon, if any AMG estate deserves to carry that moniker this is it. I have every reason to believe this as it has all of the right ingredients to be a future cult classic.
It is super rare, I've yet to see another on the road at the same time as me, it has the large capacity Bi Turbo V8 engine, both cubes and boosted, the best gearbox available to this car, the purity of steering that only a RWD can relay, extra kudos and rarity that this is the only country to have gained the 585bhp S wagon in RWD while weighing in at 70kg less than the European 4matic version, coming in at 1955kg kerb weight.
These are no longer available, this was the final and best version of this model. Mercedes no longer produce a RWD successor. To the right buyer, this is the right car. It is in showroom condition, has just had it's second service carried out by Mercedes Benz Brooklands and is in arguably the most desirable colour combination for residuals and still carries a year of manufacturers warranty.
At the moment, there is one other 2017 CLS 'S' available, without the additional extras this is specced with, while being the less practical and more commonly found saloon (cough) coupe! (4 seats, smaller boot, not as rare), it has an asking price of £50k with three times the mileage.
My reason for sale is purely that I'm finding that I don't use it enough to justify it being sat in the garage and I get my kick out of motorbikes nowadays, it's a second car which rarely comes out because I won't leave it just anywhere. It's never seen a public car park, there are no kerbed or refurbished alloys, no scratches on the rear bumper, no accident damage or repainted panels. It's been properly run in, had the free LSD oil change at 1.5k which not even my dealer informed me of, fortunately I read all the service specs. These have a 12k service mileage interval, this has had 2nr in 6k miles. It has achieved a best of 37.5mpg (photo to prove over 7 miles at 67mph average!) last trip shows 25mpg, typical country road blast to work gives approx 17mpg. It has never been driven in anger until the engine oil and gearbox oil are up to operating temps.
Big capacity BiTurbo V8 RWD, LSD, 585bhp, 590lbs/ft torque through a quick shifting multi clutch box that would twist the input shaft of a manual Getrag box, fantastic steering, handling, braking, practicality, comfort, economy, massive specification, it really is the car that has everything, LED intelligent headlamps, massage heated and cooled seats, ludicrous fire power (with a potential 700bhp available just a remap away if wanted along with an unlimited Vmax of nigh on 200mph). Freshly serviced, detailed and ready for a new owner unless I change my mind and keep it that is
Thanks for all the comments, it's a great car and I am open to reasonable offers above the figure that I've already rejected. Overpriced? That's subjective, to me, it's definitely worth it!
Cheers
Nito
and for recognising this car for what it is...a bit special.Interesting views with regards to price with views centring around 45-50k. Of course the old adage that something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay stands true. This works both ways, what a buyer is prepared to pay and what a seller is prepared to sell for.
I have recently turned down 3 separate offers for £55k. In essence, this is where the buyers market seems to have rallied around for this particular car. That I'm holding out for a bit more means it's worth at least that to me, in that I'm happy to keep it rather than let it go at that price. If I needed to sell it, I guess I would have accepted that since this is where prospective buyers seem to have settled as a value. Book prices for a car like this goes out the window, some cars are behind book, others ahead. When they are as rare as these it's a case of what's available and what they are selling at.
I've been following CLS63 prices for 3-4 years going back to when I was looking. I've only ever seen a handful of SB's for sale in that time. I looked at 3 of them, all of which looked lovely on paper but which were horribly disappointing in the metal. The inability to find a nice example is what ultimately pushed me to buy new.
2017 was the last year these were sold. This was the last one available in the UK, forward ordered and specced by a dealer for whom my local dealer sales director previously worked so he was aware of its existence. It is the highest spec available. The S model not only benefits from the LSD and all sorts of other goodies, it also received crucially the Speedshift Plus gearbox and the full fat 585bhp engine.
This engine was fitted to the 4matic 'S' version in Europe at this vintage. Apparently the 4matic was unavailable in RHD due to front prop interfering with the driver side controls, which meant that we were the only country to receive this boosted output in a RWD configuration. Ironically, mine came from the factory originally with BiTurbo 4matic badges on the side!
In all comparisons with the RS6 it was the gearbox that received the most flak. As Harry correctly pointed out, this vintage received the updated gearbox offering, the AMG Speedshift Plus which is very rapid acting with no such lethargy present. Unfortunately being an end of line, there were never any media comparisons with what was the best incarnation of this niche car.
It is a very rare beast, the last of the big engined rear wheel drive monsters. Much of the media have alluded to the CLS SB as being a future classic/cult car with one likening it to capturing the spirit of the AMG Hammer Wagon, if any AMG estate deserves to carry that moniker this is it. I have every reason to believe this as it has all of the right ingredients to be a future cult classic.
It is super rare, I've yet to see another on the road at the same time as me, it has the large capacity Bi Turbo V8 engine, both cubes and boosted, the best gearbox available to this car, the purity of steering that only a RWD can relay, extra kudos and rarity that this is the only country to have gained the 585bhp S wagon in RWD while weighing in at 70kg less than the European 4matic version, coming in at 1955kg kerb weight.
These are no longer available, this was the final and best version of this model. Mercedes no longer produce a RWD successor. To the right buyer, this is the right car. It is in showroom condition, has just had it's second service carried out by Mercedes Benz Brooklands and is in arguably the most desirable colour combination for residuals and still carries a year of manufacturers warranty.
At the moment, there is one other 2017 CLS 'S' available, without the additional extras this is specced with, while being the less practical and more commonly found saloon (cough) coupe! (4 seats, smaller boot, not as rare), it has an asking price of £50k with three times the mileage.
My reason for sale is purely that I'm finding that I don't use it enough to justify it being sat in the garage and I get my kick out of motorbikes nowadays, it's a second car which rarely comes out because I won't leave it just anywhere. It's never seen a public car park, there are no kerbed or refurbished alloys, no scratches on the rear bumper, no accident damage or repainted panels. It's been properly run in, had the free LSD oil change at 1.5k which not even my dealer informed me of, fortunately I read all the service specs. These have a 12k service mileage interval, this has had 2nr in 6k miles. It has achieved a best of 37.5mpg (photo to prove over 7 miles at 67mph average!) last trip shows 25mpg, typical country road blast to work gives approx 17mpg. It has never been driven in anger until the engine oil and gearbox oil are up to operating temps.
Big capacity BiTurbo V8 RWD, LSD, 585bhp, 590lbs/ft torque through a quick shifting multi clutch box that would twist the input shaft of a manual Getrag box, fantastic steering, handling, braking, practicality, comfort, economy, massive specification, it really is the car that has everything, LED intelligent headlamps, massage heated and cooled seats, ludicrous fire power (with a potential 700bhp available just a remap away if wanted along with an unlimited Vmax of nigh on 200mph). Freshly serviced, detailed and ready for a new owner unless I change my mind and keep it that is
Thanks for all the comments, it's a great car and I am open to reasonable offers above the figure that I've already rejected. Overpriced? That's subjective, to me, it's definitely worth it!
Cheers
Nito
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