Mercedes-amg GLC63 S 4Matic+ 9G-tronic
The performance potential of the E63 S is harnessed alongside SUV practicality. Does that make the GLC63 the most versatile AMG to date?
Arelatively insignificant measurement when viewed on paper is the 45 mm of additional ground clearance the new Mercedes-amg GLC63 S boasts over the C63 sedan with which it shares a platform. Nonetheless, that difference was front of mind in the moments before turning into one of the fastest corners on the technical Zwartkops Raceway outside of Pretoria. The raised driving position so craved by ever-increasing numbers of SUV buyers is also doing little to help a recently consumed breakfast settle in my stomach.
And, yet, despite exterior dimensions and mass measurements that suggest otherwise, there’s enough surefootedness, precision and braking ability offered by the newest Affalterbach-branded SUV to allow you to focus on racing lines and, ultimately, lap times instead of worrying about maintaining a balance in the driver’s seat.
As if to single-handedly quell any suggestion that MercedesBenz may have cut corners when it came to introducing its latest performance-based SUV, both the new GLC63 S SUV and its GLC63 S Coupé sibling share the brand’s imposing Panamericana grille with their highly rated AMG GT Coupé cousin. Compared with the standard GLC and GLC Coupé, the most powerful derivatives (only the S version of each will be offered in South Africa) feature 41 mm wider front tracks (32 mm at the rear) and ride 24 mm closer to the ground.
I prefer the slightly subtler styling of the SUV, including its black wheelarch extensions and generally cleaner lines, compared with those of the sweptback Coupé, although those looking to make a statement might fancy the somewhat ungainly extended runner boards fitted to the sleeker version. Standard 20-inch alloy wheels
complete the package.
Despite a minimal weight penalty on the Coupé, both versions boast identical claimed performance figures, including a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 3,8 seconds.
Not as modern in its layout or workings as more recent Mercedes-benz packages (including the E- and forthcoming A-class), the interior of the most expensive GLC is nevertheless lifted above ordinary by standard sports seats and an Amg-crafted steering wheel.
A member of the C-class family by name, the GLC63’S drivetrain, however, borrows heavily from the larger E63 S’, with 375 kw and 700 N.m produced by AMG’S twin-turbocharged 4,0-litre V8 engine channelled to all four wheels via the brand’s impressive 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system and the slick workings of a nine-speed automatic transmission. Able to send up to 50% of torque to the front wheels when required, this system also incorporates an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle (non-s versions use a mechanical item). Unlike in the fastest E, though, there’s no drift mode offered on the GLC63.
To manage expectations, those aforementioned dimensions and masses, along with the level of driving skill that the average SUV owner is likely to possess, the stability-control system has sensibly been tuned to intervene earlier than a more spirited driver might anticipate. That said, a variety of driving modes allows the GLC63 S owner to configure any number of variables, including adaptive air suspension, steering weight, exhaust note and level of stability control oversight.
Impressively well balanced and precise on track, the GLC63 S Coupé on its standard 20-inch wheels felt appreciably more refined on road than the 21-inch-clad SUV I swapped into later in the day. Much as we have found with other MercedesBenz products of late, the upgrade to a larger-than-standard wheel size not only negatively affects ride comfort, but also challenges the integrity of the cabin’s build quality.
Certainly more so than the focused C63 S siblings (sedan and Coupé) and even the brutal E63 S, the GLC63 S is the AMG model that offers the most convincing dual personality. With its signature burbling exhaust note that’s not as pronounced (read: antisocial) as in the C or E, the GLC is more than capable of unobtrusively cruising at 120 km/h in ninth gear (at 1 750 r/min) before kicking down to the appropriate gear and attacking the horizon with serious intent should the need arise. The fact that the SUV, in particular, offers comfortable accommodation for five passengers and their luggage only adds to the appeal.