In the past few years, Mercedes-Benz have been losing out on a section of the SUV market. That has all changed with the launch of the GLC: a midsized SUV that competes with vehicles like the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. But Mercedes did not stop there – they also went ahead and launched the coupé version of the GLC, which competes with the BMW X4.
The centre of the oversized grill houses the large three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star. The headlights stretch towards the rear while the front end drops downwards towards the grill and the AMG bumper has large gaping air vents on the sides. The bonnet has two raised lines that run all the way to the back of the bonnet, which serves the purpose of looking sporty but also makes the driver feel like they’re driving a performance vehicle.
The side silhouette is one of the best sides to the vehicle. The rear windscreen is is sharply raked, giving a coupé look to the vehicle. In AMG guise the wheel arches are well filled with the large mag wheels and tyres.
At the back, Mercedes has possibly one of the best-designed tail lights in the market. The large horizontal lights reduce in height as they flow inwards. The boot lid is smooth with no number plate carve-outs, which gives it a unique look. The rear end is finished off with twin silver oblong tailpipes and a raised black cut-out that houses the number plate and rear wind diffuser.
Inside, the sporty seats are comfy and have support in all the right places. The dashboard is in line with the Mercedes C class and the drop-down section houses the controls for the ventilation system and buttons for some of the car’s other features.
The Mercedes COMAND system takes centre stage between the two front seats and features a wheel as well as a track-pad section. The sports steering wheel in the AMG version has a squared-off bottom and has a nice chunky feel to it.
The rear seats fit three adults comfortably, although you need to watch you head during entry and exit thanks to the sloping rear end. The boot size is decent considering the sporty look, which does take a chunk of space from the top. On the road the vehicle feels solid and even though the car sits high, you sit fairly low down as the windows are not as large as on the normal GLC, making you feel like you are in fact in a coupé.
The 250 GLC comes with a four-cylinder, two-litre turbo-charged motor. This, matched with the nine-speed automatic gearbox and four-matic drivetrain, makes for interesting driving. The vehicle may not break any records during 0–100 km/h but it will put a smile on your face as you floor the accelerator.
This all-new vehicle is a definite change for Mercedes-Benz. Even though they have entered this market late, they seemed to have done their homework and produced a car that could be the new benchmark for SUV coupés.
Engine – 1,4l 4 Cylinder
Power – 68 kW
Torque – 130 N.M
0–100 Km/H – 7,4 Seconds
Price – From R772 700
Author: Torque Talk is a member of SAGMJ
