When Mercedes->ke187 brought the Shooting Brake Concept to the 2010 Auto China, it was pretty much a done deal that the CLS->ke539 would get a station wagon variant. The wagon may be getting an elegant name, but it is still a Brake - or in other words, a car that has little to do with luxury but everything to do with being a carrier.

Nonetheless, Mercedes has found a place for the wagon in their lineup and have decided to offer a production version of the concept. We just hope it won't end in as big a disappointment as the BMW 5-Series GT, but enough about that, let's talk about the car. Spy photographers have caught the first prototypes of the CLS Shooting Brake testing and the little camouflage found on the vehicles show that the model will generally be identical to the concept car. As for the engine line-up, expect to see the same engines as in the sedan: four petrol and diesel engines, with four, six, and eight cylinders pushing out between 204 HP and 408 HP. Even an AMG Shooting Brake will be offered with a 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine delivering 525 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque, and room to carry your luggage at a very high speed.

Expect to see the new CLS Shooting Brake sometime in 2012 with sales beginning shortly thereafter.

.