FUTURE MODELS: ‘Cool’ Mercedes coupe takes a bow
by Michael Taylor,
2016-03-24 06:50:37.0
THE last time the GLC Coupe headlined a Mercedes-Benz stand at a motor show, it was a concept car in Shanghai. This time around it’s a full production reality as the wraps came off the car at the New York Auto Show.
The once-staid Benz is promising the swoopier Coupe version of the GLC will be on sale in SA in the third quarter of this year, probably in November.
Local model options are yet to be confirmed, but internationally Benz is promising eight engine variants for the mid-sized SUV, including four diesels, a plug-in hybrid and, naturally, a cruncher of an AMG sitting at the top of the range. All of them will deliver their power to the wheels through a magnesium-cased nine-speed automatic transmission that saves 12kg over the older seven-speed unit.
The headline act of the GLC 43 AMG Coupe will use its all-new 3.0l, biturbo V6 petrol engine to deliver 270kW of power, which Benz says will be enough to hurl it to 100km/h in less than five seconds.
The five-seat production car is surprisingly faithful to the Shanghai concept, right down to its 4.73m overall length. That makes it about 80mm longer than the more conservative, traditional looking GLC SUV on which it’s based, though it shares the same 2.87m wheelbase.
"The GLC Coupé reflects our iconic Mercedes-Benz coupé design while symbolising the bipolarity of our brand — it is ‘hot and cool’," says Daimler’s head of design, Gorden Wagener.
"With its design idiom of sensual purity, it perfectly embodies our styling philosophy while at the same time representing contemporary luxury."
At 1.6m high, its roofline comes in about 40mm lower than the standard GLC, too, in an effort to accentuate its sportier philosophy.
Even that can change, though. The GLC Coupe family will come with a choice of steel springs or, attached to multi-chamber air suspension damping, weight-saving (glass-fibre reinforced) plastic springs. When it is travelling at speed or has its Dynamic Select driving set-up system switched to Sport mode, it lowers the body another 15mm, delivering a 55mm difference to the donor car.
It has other tricks, including the ability to lower the cargo area by 40mm to help people lift their shopping or luggage in and out of the back.
It pushes the added sportiness in other ways, with the Direct Steer electromechanical steering system tightened up for faster responses. It’s down from the GLC’s 16.1:1 ratio to 15.1:1 and while the car runs on standard 18-inch alloy wheels, the options stretch up to 20 inches.
It scores the sportier version of the Benz grille, too, with a single horizontal louvre and an integrated round Benz logo in the middle of it.
It has a drag coefficient of 0.31 thanks to detail aerodynamic engineering like shutters over the radiator that only open when cooling air is actually needed.
The fat part of the car’s sales bell curve will be occupied by the diesel-powered GLC 220d and the GLC 250d 4Matic Coupe. The 220d version has 125kW of power and 400Nm of torque from its 2.0l, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine and Benz is claiming a European combined consumption figure of 5l/100km for it. It’s also claiming a 0-100km/h acceleration figure of 8.3 seconds and a 210km/h top speed.
The 250d version ekes out 150kW and 500Nm from the same engine and offers the same consumption figure, along with the same claimed CO2 emissions figure of 131g/km. It’s faster, though, with the claimed 0-100km/h time cut to 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 220km/h.
The four-cylinder petrol-powered GLC 250 Coupe uses its 2.0l turbo motor to deliver 155kW of power and 350Nm of torque, which gets it to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds and pushes it to a 222km/h top speed. It pays a price at the pump, though, with Benz claiming a number of 7l/100km and a 159g/km CO2 emissions figure.
Other than the entry-level petrol GLC 220 Coupe, all versions will be all-wheel drive.
The plug-in hybrid will combine the 2.0l, turbocharged petrol engine with a lithium-ion battery, a claimed 30km of pure-electric running and a disc-shaped electric motor inside the automatic transmission. Benz says its CO2 emissions will be as low as 59g/km, despite having 235kW of total system power and a sprint time to 100km/h of just 5.9 seconds.
Benz has fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the coupe book, though, insisting the GLC Coupe’s aerodynamics mean rainwater can’t possibly land on the rear screen, so it forgoes a rear wiper. As Porsche 911 owners will attest, rain usually has no qualms about hitting even the most aerodynamic of rear window angles at reverse parking speeds. Mercedes-Benz could not confirm whether a rear wiper will be optional.
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The Mercedes GLC Coupe remains true to the concept. Picture: DAIMLER AG
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The interior is standard GLC. Picture: DAIMLER AG
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Mercedes has now really joined the SUV coupe movement. Picture: DAIMLER AG
THE last time the GLC Coupe headlined a Mercedes-Benz stand at a motor show, it was a concept car in Shanghai. This time around it’s a full production reality as the wraps came off the car at the New York Auto Show.
The once-staid Benz is promising the swoopier Coupe version of the GLC will be on sale in SA in the third quarter of this year, probably in November.
Local model options are yet to be confirmed, but internationally Benz is promising eight engine variants for the mid-sized SUV, including four diesels, a plug-in hybrid and, naturally, a cruncher of an AMG sitting at the top of the range. All of them will deliver their power to the wheels through a magnesium-cased nine-speed automatic transmission that saves 12kg over the older seven-speed unit.
The headline act of the GLC 43 AMG Coupe will use its all-new 3.0l, biturbo V6 petrol engine to deliver 270kW of power, which Benz says will be enough to hurl it to 100km/h in less than five seconds.
The five-seat production car is surprisingly faithful to the Shanghai concept, right down to its 4.73m overall length. That makes it about 80mm longer than the more conservative, traditional looking GLC SUV on which it’s based, though it shares the same 2.87m wheelbase.
"The GLC Coupé reflects our iconic Mercedes-Benz coupé design while symbolising the bipolarity of our brand — it is ‘hot and cool’," says Daimler’s head of design, Gorden Wagener.
"With its design idiom of sensual purity, it perfectly embodies our styling philosophy while at the same time representing contemporary luxury."
At 1.6m high, its roofline comes in about 40mm lower than the standard GLC, too, in an effort to accentuate its sportier philosophy.
Even that can change, though. The GLC Coupe family will come with a choice of steel springs or, attached to multi-chamber air suspension damping, weight-saving (glass-fibre reinforced) plastic springs. When it is travelling at speed or has its Dynamic Select driving set-up system switched to Sport mode, it lowers the body another 15mm, delivering a 55mm difference to the donor car.
It has other tricks, including the ability to lower the cargo area by 40mm to help people lift their shopping or luggage in and out of the back.
It pushes the added sportiness in other ways, with the Direct Steer electromechanical steering system tightened up for faster responses. It’s down from the GLC’s 16.1:1 ratio to 15.1:1 and while the car runs on standard 18-inch alloy wheels, the options stretch up to 20 inches.
It scores the sportier version of the Benz grille, too, with a single horizontal louvre and an integrated round Benz logo in the middle of it.
It has a drag coefficient of 0.31 thanks to detail aerodynamic engineering like shutters over the radiator that only open when cooling air is actually needed.
The fat part of the car’s sales bell curve will be occupied by the diesel-powered GLC 220d and the GLC 250d 4Matic Coupe. The 220d version has 125kW of power and 400Nm of torque from its 2.0l, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine and Benz is claiming a European combined consumption figure of 5l/100km for it. It’s also claiming a 0-100km/h acceleration figure of 8.3 seconds and a 210km/h top speed.
The 250d version ekes out 150kW and 500Nm from the same engine and offers the same consumption figure, along with the same claimed CO2 emissions figure of 131g/km. It’s faster, though, with the claimed 0-100km/h time cut to 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 220km/h.
The four-cylinder petrol-powered GLC 250 Coupe uses its 2.0l turbo motor to deliver 155kW of power and 350Nm of torque, which gets it to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds and pushes it to a 222km/h top speed. It pays a price at the pump, though, with Benz claiming a number of 7l/100km and a 159g/km CO2 emissions figure.
Other than the entry-level petrol GLC 220 Coupe, all versions will be all-wheel drive.
The plug-in hybrid will combine the 2.0l, turbocharged petrol engine with a lithium-ion battery, a claimed 30km of pure-electric running and a disc-shaped electric motor inside the automatic transmission. Benz says its CO2 emissions will be as low as 59g/km, despite having 235kW of total system power and a sprint time to 100km/h of just 5.9 seconds.
Benz has fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the coupe book, though, insisting the GLC Coupe’s aerodynamics mean rainwater can’t possibly land on the rear screen, so it forgoes a rear wiper. As Porsche 911 owners will attest, rain usually has no qualms about hitting even the most aerodynamic of rear window angles at reverse parking speeds. Mercedes-Benz could not confirm whether a rear wiper will be optional.
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