New 2019 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 breaks cover
The updated Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 is available with 469bhp or 503bhp, with the latter claiming the Nurburgring lap record for SUVs
This is the updated Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, the world’s fastest SUV around the Nurburgring, which has been revealed at the 2019 New York Motor Show. The Porsche Macan rival features a 4.0-litre V8 engine and a tweaked exterior, with prices starting from around £80,000 when it reaches the UK market in summer this year.
The new AMG GLC 63 receives a substantial redesign over the standard model with 20-inch alloy wheels, new LED headlights, more aggressive front and rear bumpers, deeper side skirts, a wide rear diffuser and trapezoidal exhaust tips. Buyers can also opt for larger 21-inch alloys.
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It’s powered by a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, available in two states of tune. The entry-level model produces 469bhp and 650Nm of torque, while the more powerful S version pushes out 503bhp and 700Nm of torque.
Both engines feed their power through a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels, with the most potent model offering a 0–62mph sprint of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 174mph.
To cope with the extra grunt, Mercedes-AMG has revised the GLC’s platform with adaptive dampers, uprated air suspension, six-piston brakes and an electronically-controlled locking differential. The GLC’s four-wheel-drive system has also been reworked with a new torque-splitting control unit, allowing the SUV to transition automatically between rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive, depending on road conditions.
Inside, the GLC gets the usual crop of AMG upgrades, with a pair of heavily-bolstered sports seats, an AMG multifunction steering wheel and a re-trimmed dashboard. The firm’s dual-screen MBUX infotainment system also receives an update with a range of AMG-specific menus, displaying information such as engine data, lap times and G-force.
As an optional extra, buyers can spec Mercedes’s ‘Energising’ package. The system networks a range of different interior functions, such as lighting, climate control and music, which Mercedes claims will improve the driver’s well-being on long-distance journeys.
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