Mercedes-Benz has officially announced its latest offering in performance SUV category, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. To be available in a ‘regular’ and an ’S’ version, the GLC 63 is the first midsize Merc SUV to boast such high performance claims — remember there was no GLK AMG! And not just that, like with the standard GLC, there will be a Coupe version as well.
The AMG GLCs get the new AMG GT-derived Panamerica grille, which, in pictures at least, does a better job than on the sports coupe. Elsewhere the GLC is wider, more expressive, and louder than before — certainly not for the Q-car lovers, then. On the inside, the ’S’ variants get a longer list of features.
But will you really care about the features, when there’s a four-cylinder, eight-cylinder (V8), twin-turbocharged petrol engine sitting in the engine bay! It makes 469 bhp in the non-S avatar, and 502.8 bhp should you choose the more expensive offering. The new 9-speed automatic gearbox is standard, and so is the 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. Adding to all of which is the presence of drive modes, which vary the power delivery, steering, and chassis settings, depending on the mode chosen; there’s Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Individual, and an GLC 63 S-specific Race.
Like in case of other AMGs, the GLC 63 is offered with a mechanical limited slip differential at the rear, while the S gets an electronic unit. The brake discs on the former are 360 mm unit (at both front and rear), but the GLC 63 S gets larger 390 mm ones at the front. Same goes for the standard wheel sizes: the regular model gets 19-inch units, with 20-inchers reserved for the S. You can of course choose up to 21-inch units from the catalogue.
The top-speed is limited to 250 kph, if you were wondering, and a lot of optional extras to ensure yours looks nothing like that of the neighbour — provided your neighbour has a good taste in cars and an equal appetite for performance. There will also be the Edition 1 units introduced globally when the vehicle makes an international market debut later this year. It will make a public appearance at the New York Auto Show next week.
