AMG’s GLC63 is an SUV sledgehammer
THE NEW Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 is built on the same principle as 1960s American muscle-cars, by putting the most powerful engine that’ll fit, into a mid-sized body.
But there’s nothing old-school about the way AMG has done it, first with the C-Class sedan and now in SUV format with the GLC 63.
This is a mid-sized (by SUV standards anyway) all-wheel drive sledgehammer that shares its four-litre twin-turbo V8 with Affalterbach’s two-door hotshot, the AMG GT – and it’s available in both 350kW standard or 375kW S tuning, as either the GLC 63 4Matic+ or the GLC 63 4Matic+ Coupé, each with air suspension, adaptive adjustable damping, a limited-slip rear differential and AMG’s nine-speed Speedshift MCT transmission.
This has a start-off wet clutch in place of the usual torque convertor for instant, kick-in-the-kidneys response to the loud pedal, and fast multiple downshifts with double-declutching function for authoritative overtaking.
The rear axle is permanently driven, with an electromagnetic clutch taking up to 50 percent of the drive to the front axle, seamlessly controlled by the intelligent 4Matic+ drive.
Engine response, shift points, suspension settings, steering and the level of intervention from the ESP nannybot are defined by ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’, ‘Sport Plus’, ‘Race’ (only on the S) and ‘Individual’ drive modes.
There’s also a button to switch the transmission directly into paddle-shift manual mode, while the adaptive damping can be set in three stages – Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus.
The GLC 63 rolls on 10-spoked 19” rims shod with 235/55 front and 255/50 rear radials, while the S boasts 20” alloys with 265/40 front and 295/35 rear rubber – but you can have up to 21” of rim and 295mm of rear tyre tread for a few dollars (OK, a lot of dollars) more.
Driver and passenger are gently but firmly supported by standard-issue sports seats trimmed in a mix of Artico synthetic leather and Dinamica microfibre; the instrument panel is in black Artico with contrasting top-stitching and aluminium trim elements, while the standard Mercedes touchpad on the centre console is surrounded by the drive mode controls.
The S model adds a sports steering wheel in black nappa leather and Dinamica microfibre, AMG badges on the leather-trimmed head restraints and a special instrument cluster with red highlights.
Even by Stuttgart standards the options list for the new GLC is impressive, headed by a number of special packages, including the Night Package with exterior trim elements in gloss black, and the Carbon Fibre package with the light stuff in all the right places.
The GLC 63 and 63 S will go on sale in Europe on 16 June and are due for release in South Africa during the fourth quarter of 2017.