Till lately, a brute drive was lurking below the entrance hood of the AMG-treated Mercedes-Benz GLC, a 4.0-litre V8 turbo engine that hurled the SUV ahead with a thunderous roar. Largely because of the politically pressured electrification in Europe, the AMG GLC 63 has now undergone a major transformation: engine displacement and cylinder depend have been halved – whereas the load has elevated considerably on account of a battery sitting beneath the trunk, powering an electrical motor.
AMG has definitely opted for probably the most radical answer, whereas the competitors stays significantly extra conservative. For instance, BMW sticks with the inline-six-cylinder within the X3 M and X4 M fashions. Has Affalterbach made the fitting selection?
The uncooked efficiency figures, at the very least, appear to counsel so. With an astonishing 680 PS and as much as 1020 Newton meters of torque, the GLC confidently takes the lead in its phase. It jumps from 0 to 100 km/h in simply 3.5 seconds, its high pace is proscribed to a beneficiant 275 km/h. Much more astonishing, it’s claimed to devour solely 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres within the European “weighted and mixed” cycle. Nevertheless, this declare must be put into perspective. Throughout a spirited drive on Spanish nation roads, not at autobahn speeds, we recorded a median consumption of almost 16 litres per 100 kilometres.
This implies the brand new four-cylinder hybrid differs solely barely from the gas consumption of the earlier eight-cylinder mannequin. However the valuable gas is effectively invested as a result of the GLC 63 S E-Efficiency is a great deal of enjoyable to drive, regardless of its hefty curb weight of over 2.3 tons. Due to a sufficiently massive battery, full acceleration is offered at virtually all instances. Relying on the driving mode, the SUV eagerly surges ahead, accompanied by an aggressive, sharp and artificially enhanced exhaust word that doesn’t try to imitate a six or eight-cylinder engine however manages to sound distinctively sporty in its personal approach. Fairly much like the A forty five AMG, really.
The usual rear-axle steering enhances agility at decrease speeds and stability at larger speeds – it really works exceptionally effectively. The equally normal anti-roll stabilisation system almost eliminates physique roll in quick corners. Our check automobile was outfitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires, 265/40ZR 21 within the entrance and 295/35ZR-21 within the rear; the car gives ample grip and may obtain surprisingly excessive cornering speeds. The one draw back is the brakes – they chunk forcefully however really feel considerably synthetic, and the pedal journey is just too brief for exact modulation.
Aside from that, the GLC 63 is a real GLC, outfitted with all of the superior driver help and infotainment methods that make the present chief in its class. AMG provides particular screens and options, giving the car a sure online game attraction. There’s sufficient room for 4, however the trunk is considerably shallow because of the large hybrid battery pack.
The GLC 63 AMG has by no means been a budget-friendly choice, and on its German residence market, the worth has elevated by a whopping 25 per cent or so. On this context, the AMG GLC 43, additionally a four-cylinder however with out plug-in hybridisation, turns into a real various, boasting 421 PS and much lower cost tag. Rumours counsel that AMG is considering of resurrecting the V8 within the C-Class, however whether or not this can really materialise and whether or not it will work its approach into the GLC as effectively stays unclear. We are going to says this: Despite the fact that the brand new GLC 63 S E-Efficiency is a good automobile, we’d welcome the V-8 again with open arms.
