The GLC coupe a great cruiser

UTILITY VEHICLE: PACKS ENOUGH COMFORT TO SATISFY A DEMANDING EXECUTIVE

This MercedesBenz has that reassuring feel that really well-built vehicles seem to share.

Some concepts simply do not mix. Like, for instance, “TV cooking show” and “entertainment”. Or “politician” and “honour”. Or “Bafana Bafana” and “winning”, or “being married” and “having sex”.

Likewise, we always believed that “utility vehicle” and “sporty” were not compatible descriptions. But Mercedes-Benz thinks we are wrong.

It calls its GLC Coupe the “sports car among the MercedesBenz SUVs” .

It says the vehicle has dynamism, athletic design, functionality, superlative aerodynamics and elegance, all in one package.

As proof, it let us drive a GLC 250 4Matic Coupe for a week.

This vehicle, the least expensive of the GLC Coupe range, comes powered by a 1 991cc, 16-valve four-cylinder engine with high-pressure fuel injection.

It develops 155kW of power at 5 500rpm, and 350Nm of torque between 1 200- and 4 000rpm.

It has a nine-speed automatic gearbox, feeding the power and torque to the tarmac via a 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive system.

Adding lustre to the mix are things like a standard-fit sports suspension, a Dynamic Body Control system with steel springing and sports suspension, including Dynamic Select with five transmission modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual).

With an exterior length of 4.73m, a height of 1.60m and a wheelbase of 2.87m, the GLC Coupe is longer and lower than the normal GLC model, with which it shares its basic architecture.

The Coupe owes its distinct character to a single-louvred diamond radiator grille, a restyled, dropping roof-line, Halogen headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights, large lateral air inlets in front, a muscular rear bumper design with integral exhaust tailpipe trims and underguard in the form of a diffuser.

The whole package sits on 18inch, five-spoke, vanadium silver 8J alloy wheels, wrapped in 235/60 R18 rubber.

Inside, there are sports seats with upholstery in man-made leather, a centre console and dashboard with flowing lines, a folding armrest for driver and front passenger with a storage compartment and snazzy front door sill panels that sport “MercedesBenz” lettering.

A centrally mounted multimedia system controls far too many features to list here, with this writer too old to understand most of the functions.

But we should mention a radio with twin tuner and traffic information decoder, a CD player with MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV compatibility, plus two USB ports in the centre armrest for external audio devices and storage media, which are compatible with both iPod and iPhone devices.

Then there is Bluetooth interface with HD voice-capable handsfree function and audio streaming for playing music files, Cover Flow and Cover Art for displaying album covers, an SMS display function and internet connectivity.

There is a reversing camera, keyless entry and starting, plus automatic climate control with two climate zones, separate temperature adjustment for driver and front passenger, automatic windscreen wipers plus an air recirculation switch with a convenience function.

The interior is large, seating five adults in comfort, with safety features including a massively strong passenger compartment, surrounded by specifically designed and crash-tested deformation zones.

In addition to three-point safety belts for all occupants, numer- ous airbags serve to protect the occupants in a crash.

Helping you not to have a crash are internally ventilated disc brakes and ABS all round, plus driving assistance systems such as Collision Prevention Assist, Crosswind Assist, Headlamp Assist, Attention Assist and ESP with Dynamic Cornering Assist.

The vehicle weighs in at 1 785kg, with the luggage compartment able to house between 490 and 1 400 litres of stuff.

The fuel tank takes 66 litres of petrol, with a seven-litre reserve space.

Getting into and out of the GLC proved simple, and interior comfort was, as expected, nothing short of superb.

On the go, the Merc moved sprightly, but not sporty (one kept feeling the body was too heavy for the power plant).

Mercedes claim a 0 to 100km/h time of 7.3 seconds, but we doubt that, even in the absence of electronic timing equipment.

What it did was cruise effortlessly at the legal limit in ninth gear, with just over 2 000rpm on the clock, with a solid, reassuring feel that really well-built vehicles seem to share.

We managed an overall fuel consumption figure of 8.2l/100km during the test, and felt really sorry when the vehicle had to be returned to its owners.

We would think the turbo-diesel derivatives would be better choices, in terms of both performance and fuel usage.

At a price of R739 900, we think the vehicle is expensive. But that would not bother its most likely buyers high up in government, who will purchase it with taxpayers’ money.

Of which, as we all know, there is a never-ending supply.