The GLC get a twin-turbo V-6.
It’s going to be a high octane New York Auto Show for Mercedes-Benz. The German maker is bringing an array of new models to the Big Apple this month, with a number of them getting the AMG treatment. That includes the latest version of the midsize GLC sport-utility vehicle.
The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 will get a big boost from a new twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that will punch out 367 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. That’s backed up with a sportier suspension, adaptive damping and a variety of aerodynamic body tweaks.
“With the new GLC 43 4MATIC we are offering an AMG model in the mid-size SUV segment for the first time. The new SUV from Affalterbach marks the pinnacle of the GLC product range and in the AMG portfolio it closes the gap between the GLA and GLE”, says AMG CEO Tobias Moers.
With the current, strong market for performance, Mercedes likely couldn’t have had better timing as it rolls out new AMG versions of its E-Class, CLA and, now, the GLC. That’s likely to yield even bigger demand after the performance subsidiary’s record sales performance in 2015.
The biturbo V-6 is paired with a sport-tuned version of Mercedes’ 9G-Tronic automatic transmission – which offers shorter shift time than the standard gearbox. The package can push the big ute from 0 to 100 kmh (62.5 mph) in just 4.9 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited at 155 mph.
The biturbo six can launch the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 43 from 0 to 60 in under 5 sec.
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As with all AMG models, virtually every aspect of the new GLC 43 has been touched and tweaked. There’s a newly developed front axle, for example, and a speed-sensitive sports steering system.
The adaptive damping system can be switched between Comfort to Sport to Sport Plus modes. The drivetrain, meanwhile, has five different Modes, adding Eco and Individual, the latter allowing a driver to choose different setting for specific vehicle functions.
The AMG version of the 4Matic all-wheel-drive package here is retuned for sport driving, normally driving 69% of the GLC 43’s hefty torque output to the back wheels.
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The GLC 43 gets a number of exterior changes, most to improve aerodynamics.
The 2017 Mercedes-AMC GLC 43 features a number of exterior revisions, most of them designed to enhance engine breathing and cooling, as well as overall aerodynamics. That includes a revised front bumper with larger vents, side skirts and a rear diffuser. The SUV also gets the distinctive diamond AMG grille, quad exhaust and 19-inch wheels
Inside, look for sport seats, red seatbelts, an AMG gauge cluster, and a flat-bottomed steering wheel finished in micro-suede and leather.
The 2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 will make its formal debut at the NY Auto Show next week and will reach U.S. showrooms in April.
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