Call it $57,860 plus on-roads as it sits, or around five grand pricier than a proper 2.0-litre all-wheel-driven rocketship in Volkswagen’s Golf R. Or, for that matter, Merc’s own, more-potent A250 Sport hatchback. That is, if pace is priority and packaging be damned.
Neither, however, has wagon-esque practicality, let alone makes such a flamboyant styling statement. And the statement is a suitably bold one given that it’s not much of a stretch to the $63,400 list price for a roomier and more pragmatic Benz C200 Estate.
Essentially, then, this Shooting Brake concept ideally wants to be both sensible and emotional, both in decent measures, all wrapped in inimitable and desirable schtick.
Beyond its dramatic exterior, the coupe-wagon doesn’t disappoint inside. At least when it comes to dressing for success. From the satin alloy-look dash garnish to the classic instrumentation, cabin presentation is superb and something of a small-car benchmark. It’s sporty without being too try-hard, nothing appears made-to-a-cost and all the touch points have a suitably premium feel.
It does, though, take a bit of effort to get comfortable, at least for my 175cm frame. The footwell seems a bit short, the brake pedal is a touch high, and to get requisite under-thigh support in the bucket seats requires moving the driver’s seats rearward, extending the steering reach dramatically. Which, of course, cuts into the second-row room of what is quickly discovered as hardly the roomiest small car cabin space out there, let alone that of a wagon.
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