Saint-Vincent, Italy – Car manufacturers need to be clever with their product offerings these days. Indeed, even when every possible niche is seemingly filled, a given automaker comes up with yet another unique offering. And then its rivals respond.
Of course, BMW first gave us the X6 and X4, swoopy coupé versions of the X5 and X3, respectively. But Mercedes-Benz quickly followed suit with the GLE Coupé and now its smaller brother, the GLC Coupé. And although Mercedes-Benz South Africa doesn’t release individual sales figures, I get the sense the GLC is proving relatively popular, which bodes well for the Coupé version.
How does it differ?
This is one of the most important questions for me. It turns out, the Coupé is actually markedly different to the standard SUV. Obviously, the body is different, and the car is also longer, wider and higher. Needless to say, looks more imposing and cuts a more distinctive look on the road, too.
However, underneath there’s the sport chassis of the GLC, as well as two suspension levels offered in the Coupé. Firstly, the optional Dynamic Body Control is available. This includes steel springs with adaptive dampers. The system allows the driver to set the suspension, for example, to comfort, sport or sport+.
Next up is the Air Body Control system, which offers sizeable suspension cylinders at each corner. Apart from also offering the settings mentioned above, at higher speeds the car lowers itself, while the driver can also lift the car at lower speeds. When the sport or sport+ mode is selected, the car automatically lowers itself by 15 mm. We’ll get back to the handling and ride quality shortly.
The steering system, meanwhile, has also been updated, with a smaller steering ratio delivering a more direct experience.
And space inside?
The GLC Coupé offers a spacious cabin, especially at the front. If you think rear seating space has been massively compromised, you would be wrong. At 1,87 metres tall, I had plenty of legroom (seated behind the driver’s perch set to my own driving position) as well as shoulder-room. My hair, however, just about touched the roof lining when I was sitting up straight.
On the road
Scattered around the Aosta Valley is the usual narrow and twisty roads that we closely associate with the Alps. Equipped with the 2,1-litre turbodiesel engine delivering 150 kW and 500 N.m, performance was brisk. Even though the claimed kerb weight is 1 845 kg, the low-down torque (max torque is already delivered at 1 600 r/min) is the perfect antidote for a heavy car.
The result is that between 2 000 and 4 000 r/min, this GLC Coupé accelerates with surprisingly briskly. With a claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time of 7,6 seconds, you could even call it sporty.
The single most impressive aspect, however, was the grip level. Although it is unlikely that owners will drive their cars this hard very often, when they do, they will be in for a pleasant surprise.
Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic system (standard on all models) offers traction even when you try your best to unsettle the car. The tight hairpins of the Alpine roads illustrated these grip levels perfectly, allowing you to press the throttle pedal with a total level of trust. Granted, there is not a huge amount of power on offer, and the cars were fitted with 20-inch wheels wrapped with 255 section tyres at the front and rear – and some with even 285 section tyres at the rear – but the driving experience is utterly composed.
I experienced both the Air Body Control as well as the Dynamic Body Control system, and although the air suspension at times offers a slightly more comfortable, floaty experience, the Dynamic Body Control is not far behind. Personally, I’d spent the money elsewhere, except if you want the luxury of having the best of both worlds in terms of suspension setup.
What’s next?
The range will be launched in South Africa by September. The three launch models will include the 220d and 250d turbodiesels and 250 turbopetrol derivative. During the first quarter of 2017, the 350d, 300 as well as the AMG GLC43 will find their way to our shores. As spy pictures of the upcoming AMG GLC63 have already surfaced online, we can also expect to see an AMG GLC63 Coupé towards the end of 2017.
In the meantime, that’s another niche segment deftly filled by Mercedes-Benz, as its counterpunching battle with BMW continues.
