Have we reached the point where a performance SUV is more appealing than its low-slung sedan sibling? A look at the potent four-cylinder endowed GLC 63 certainly paints that picture when looking at our road test data…
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Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E Performance Fast Facts
- Price: R2 760 000
- 0 to 100 km/h: 3.41 seconds
- Top speed: 275 km/h
- Power: 500 kW
- Torque: 1 020 N.m
- CAR Fuel index: 12.24 L/100km
- CO₂: 232 g/km
Tested in our July 2024 issue, the outtake from our time spent behind the wheel of the latest interpretation of a flagship AMG-fettled C-Class was that Mercedes-Benz had fully seized the opportunity, via the use of Formula One-inspired powertrain technology, to reinvent its high-performance road-going offering. Many will argue that a C 63 without a V8 engine feels – and sounds – wrong. Yet, the corresponding numbers associated with the hybrid-powered four-cylinder drivetrain tell a story of newfound levels of refinement and everyday usability (including efficiency) melded with supercar-humbling straight-line performance. All this, despite the weight penalty associated with pairing a rear-mounted 150 kW/350 N.m electric motor, a 6.1 kWh battery pack and an electrically-operated differential, with a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine and 9-speed dual-clutch transmission. Registering 2 085 kilograms on our scales, the C 63 S E Performance later recorded a best 0-100 km/h time of just 3.37 seconds.
With so much inherent ability, the prospect of adding “a few more pounds” in the shape of the new flagship GLC SUV no longer feels like that much of a compromise.
Introduced in 2015 as the raised ride height sibling to the C-Class, on-trend, the modern GLC has established itself as Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling product. While underpinnings shared with the current W206 C-Class allow for the easy integration of AMG’s impressive PHEV powertrain into the second generation of this popular SUV, the accompanying cosmetic upgrades result in quite the stance compared with the standard GLC. Available in SUV and Coupé variants, the GLC 63 S E Performance introduces bespoke bumper designs, front and rear, the performance division’s signature Panamericana grille, a two-tier roof spoiler and flared wheel arches housing 21-inch alloy wheels with ZR-specification Michelin tyres. A quartet of large, rectangular-shaped tailpipes completes the look.
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Shared with the flagship C-Class, the interior of the GLC 63 is an exercise in high-quality materials and AMG-spec components, including a switchgear-laden flat-bottom steering wheel, designed around the brand’s newest MBUX interface. As in the C 63, the otherwise intuitive workings of the large infotainment display play host to AMG-specific menus and displays through which one can easily fine-tune this vehicle’s otherwise complex underpinnings.
Packaging the electric motor and battery pack above this car’s rear axle robs it of 38 litres of luggage space compared with the GLC 300d tested in our September 2023 issue.
With a 93 mm shorter profile than the modern C 63, the mightiest GLC is 20 mm broader at its arches and 177 mm taller than its sedan sibling. Significantly, the SUV offers 143 mm of ground clearance compared with just 116 mm in the C-Class. On our scales, the GLC 63 is 275 kg heavier than the sedan, its mass apportioned 48:52, front to rear, compared with 51:49 in the lower-slung sister car.
Capable of travelling up to 12 km in all-electric mode, with its 4.8 kWh (usable) battery replenished to 100% en route to our test strip, unleashing the GLC 63’s maximum outputs (unlocked at 5 250 r/min) realised a best 0-100 km/h sprint time of 3.41 seconds, just 0.04 seconds off the time set by the C 63. Overtaking times, between 60 and 100 km/h and 80 and 120 km/h, respectively, were even closer to those of the C 63. This is the fastest SUV we’ve ever tested.
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Measuring 390 mm (ventilated) up front and 370 mm at the rear, the GLC 63 recorded an average emergency braking time (from 100 km/h to a standstill) of just 2.83 seconds.
Staggering straight-line performance aside, the masterstroke of the GLC 63 package is the combination of AMG Ride Control adaptive dampers with the choice of three pre-set modes – including Sport+, its 48V-powered active roll stabilisation, and a uniquely tuned rear-wheel steering system. Feeling every bit as taut and purposeful as its exaggerated exterior styling suggests, there’s still enough comfort and compliance in the ride to easily complete a school run before heading to your favourite winding backroad. In its firmer settings, poise and body control belie the car’s raised centre of gravity compared with the C 63, while you can coax the rear-end should your mood dictate. We’re not disappointed that the Drift mode included in the C has been omitted from the GLC.
Interestingly, this new drivetrain setup means the flagship GLC can now manoeuvre in tight spaces without fighting against its previously impossibly tight front differential.
As in the sedan, the corresponding soundtrack may not be as rich as the one offered by an eight-cylinder powertrain, yet there’s certainly a level of theatre associated with these modern AMG siblings to cause a stir – with the ability to arrive home in all-electric stealth.
With mention in our tested BMW M5 of what defines a so-called sleeper car, a glance at the performance figures associated with the most practical vehicle tested in this issue suggests that even with its purposeful-looking stance, the GLC 63 S E Performance ticks all the boxes required to hide its prowess in plain sight.
Including a more spacious and versatile interior than its equally potent C 63 sibling, the appeal of this “downsized” powertrain is its ability to recoup and store energy on the move, allowing an owner to confidently switch between driving modes, from EV or a fuel-efficient hybrid setting on a weekly commute to one of the readily available supercar-humbling settings.
Find the full feature in the January issue of CAR Magazine.
