This, ladies and gentlemen, is the new Mercedes-AMG GLC63, which is due to make its debut at the New York International Auto Show this month.
Yes, the mad folks from Affalterbach have stuffed their stonking twin-turbo V8 (yip, the one from the AMG GT, and other AMG-badged offerings) into the German brand’s mid-size SUV, applying the idea to both the standard body style and the coupé variant. And, as has become expected, there’s also a more powerful “S” version.
The twin-turbo 4,0-litre V8 engine (linked to a nine-speed automatic transmission) makes 350 kW/650 N.m in GLC63 guise and 375 kW/700 N.m in the GLC63 S and GLC63 S Coupé variants. Acceleration from 0‑100 km/h in the latter two takes a claimed 3,8 seconds (and two-tenths longer in the former). Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.
The high-performance SUVs also feature air spring suspension with adaptive adjustable damping, 4Matic+ all-wheel drive (with fully variable torque distribution), a rear-axle limited-slip differential and a high-performance braking system. They furthermore boast the “Panamericana” grille, which was previously reserved for the AMG GT family.
After being officially unveiled in New York, the new models are expected to hit the market towards the end of 2017, spoiling for a fight with the likes of the Porsche Macan Turbo, the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV and the rumoured Jaguar F-Pace SVR. No word yet on timing for local introduction.
