Merc-AMG's GLC SUV gets the coupe treatment

Merc-AMG's GLC SUV gets a streamlined shape

The recently released Mercedes-AMG GLC has proved to be a damn impressive product off the showroom floor, and to diversify this red-hot SUV look, the coupe is on its way. As we have seen in the past, when Mercedes offers a coupe, there is usually a substantial price hike that comes with it. In the GLC 43s case, the sleeker look is somewhat more sensibly priced over the SUV, but the GLC 63 S offers a less-than-streamlined price bump over the 'standard' version.

Before we get into the new look and its price, let’s talk about the car. We recently got behind the wheel of the AMG GLC 63 S E Performance, and a few questions lingered in our minds. With a similar spec sheet to the C63's E Performance, the lack of a V8 is less than ideal, so will the public care as much about the new AMG GLC's cylinder count following the C63's public ridicule? Well, after spending some time behind the wheel, it seems the AMG GLC 63 might be the perfect recipient for AMG's new 2.0-litre hybrid engines.

The GLC is an impressive tool both on and off the track. On the road, it offers an exciting yet usable performance experience; it's spacious and family-orientated, and once you get past the firm ride quality, it’s a fantastic city contender. However, once you head out onto the track or the mountain passes, this SUV shows its split personality. The GLC 63 is wickedly fast off the line and direct in the corners, and the amount of grip and stability in the turns is surprising.

The GLC AMG Coupe is a fresh body for the standard AMG GLC, offering the same 2.0-litre engine options in a 43 and 63 name. The smaller of the two, the GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe, offers a potent 310kW and 500Nm with the addition of 10kWs worth of power through its belt-driven starter generator. Although this nippy SUV is slapped with the unfortunately entry-level idea, it's by no means a slouch. From a standstill, the GLC 43 will go from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds with an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h.

Its more powerful sibling, on the other hand, is blessed with the iconic 63 S badge, and its performance fills those shoes. The 63 S E Performance Coupe is the brand's first hybrid performance SUV Coupe, powered by the mind-bogglingly impressive but universally despised M139l engine, which produces 350kW and 545Nm on internal combustion alone, making it the world's most powerful series-produced 4-cylinder. That's not enough for a 2.86-tonne SUV, though. So the addition of a PHEV system brings the total output to 500kW and 1,050Nm, which is a lot more than satisfactory in a performance family hauler.

Mercedes has become clinical over the years and has moved beyond the days of sideways tyre-shredding V8 power. But to ensure that this new engineering mindset meets and surpasses the AMG excitement barometer, clever engineering is found throughout the GLC. Arguably, the most interesting touch is a 2-speed 150kW electric motor mounted on the rear axle and further managed through a rear axle electronic limited-slip diff. This performance hybrid layout is called the P3, and to ensure the weight is distributed evenly across the chassis, the battery is found above the rear axle too. Add to that the use of a 2-speed gearbox, and the electric motor will not run out of legs at higher speeds by shifting into a higher gear at 140km/h at most.

As you can imagine, a lot of this tech is derived from F1 development, allowing for a fast-acting, high-performance output with innovative cooling with a lightweight benefit. This also allows for fast energy regeneration to access all that the car has to offer without charging it as often. The battery is a 6.1kWh unit offering 80kW of continuous power while further providing 150kW at maximum acceleration. Also inspired by Formula 1 is the electric exhaust gas turbocharger, and the M139l motor is the only production car to use this hardware. This system ensures immediate power for the motor under acceleration, providing the low-end boost of a supercharger in a turbocharged format.

A powerful engine needs a strong gearbox, and in the GLC's case, it's as sophisticated as expected. The GLC makes use of an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G transmission with a wet start-off clutch. The abbreviation MCT stands for Multi-Clutch Transmission and makes use of a wet clutch to replace the need for a torque converter. This allows for short gear changes and offers soft and smooth gear changes in comfort mode and a more aggressive feel in sport and sport+ modes. It’s also a 9-speed gearbox, so it's more efficient at higher speeds.

As we have seen with Mercedes in the past, the coupe shape comes at a cost. Not only in price but cabin space too. The coupe shape is my preferred look, but it does reduce headroom for the rear passengers and decreased boot capacity. It also comes in with a R170k price increase on the 63 S SUV and a R35k increase for the 43, and all this is for a look that doesn’t affect its performance. With that being said, it does look slightly more exotic.

The AMG GLC 43 Coupe comes in at R1,911,750 over the standard GLC 43 at R1,876,750. The GLC 63 S coupe will set you back a whopping R2,930,000 compared to the standard GLC 63 S at R2,760,000. In this case, if the look is important to you, the GLC 43 makes more sense because of the lower premium, but the 63 S raises some questions as to why such a large cost bump was even considered. Nevertheless, it’s a brilliantly capable performance SUV with a new look that will add exclusivity to this rapid German family car.

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe: R1,911,750

Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E Performance Coupe: R2,930,000

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