Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the second-generation GLC Coupe, which will go on sale in India later this year. It will be produced with two turbocharged four-cylinder engines in seven standard models, including a trio of plug-in hybrids, each boasting an official electric-only range of more than 119km.
- New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe will also get two AMG models
- In India, it will not have any direct rivals
- New GLC coupe is slightly larger than previous gen
The new high-riding five-door has been comprehensively reworked in an engineering program with the latest GLC SUV, Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate, alongside which it will continue to be produced at Mercedes' factory in Bremen, Germany.
New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe design and dimensions
Developments for the new GLC Coupe (codenamed C254) include a restyled exterior, with more shapely LED headlights that extend into a larger front grille, a heavily contoured bonnet, tauter surfacing throughout the body, larger wheelhouses and more prominent feature lines along the flanks.
As with its predecessor, the GLC Coupe features a sloping roofline with a plunging liftback-style tailgate, giving it a more dynamic appearance than the more upright GLC SUV.
The rear is distinguished by new-look LED tail-lights, a more defined upturn at the rear of the tailgate for added downforce and, on the AMG Line model, a chrome-look valance with an integrated diffuser element that's bookmarked by a pair of tailpipes.
The new car is 4,763mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,699mm tall – it's 31mm longer, just as wide and 55mm higher than the original GLC Coupe, introduced back in 2016. It also has a 15mm-longer wheelbase, at 2,888mm, along with track widths extended by 6mm to 1,627mm at the front and by 23mm to 1,640mm at the rear.
New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe interior and features
The new GLC Coupe receives the same interior appointments as the new GLC SUV. Included in a heavily restyled dashboard are a 12.3-inch instrument display and an 11.9-inch portrait-oriented centre display together with a new multifunction steering wheel and newly styled air vents.
Mercedes said it provided the new SUV with higher-quality materials in a conscious bid to raise perceived luxury and comfort. Among the options is a new head-up display, a panoramic glass roof and a Burmester 710W surround-sound system with 15 speakers.
The longer wheelbase and an extended rear overhang serve to provide the GLC Coupe with an added 45 litres of boot capacity at 545 litres in the petrol and diesel models and 390 litres in the plug-in hybrids. This can be extended to a respective 1,490 litres and 1,335 litres when the rear seats are folded down. By comparison, the GLC SUV offers up to 600 litres of luggage space, extending to 1,680 litres with the rear seats folded.
New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe powertrains
There are two petrol and two diesel GLC Coupes, all featuring mid-hybrid properties (for an added 200Nm of torque under acceleration), a nine-speed automatic gearbox and 4Matic four-wheel drive as standard.
The line-up begins with the petrol-powered GLC 200 4Matic and GLC 300 4Matic, which deliver 204hp and 259hp, respectively. They're joined by the diesel-powered GLC 220d 4Matic and GLC 300d 4Matic, with 197hp and 270hp.
The three plug-in hybrids are the petrol-electric GLC 300e 4Matic and GLC 400e 4Matic, which boast combined outputs of 312hp and 380hp, and the diesel-electric GLC 300de 4Matic with 334hp. The PHEVs use a 31.2kWh battery, providing them with electric-only ranges of between 119km and 130km for the petrol-electric models and between 112km and 130km for the diesel-electric one.
Also planned are successor models to performance division AMG's GLC 43 4Matic and GLC 63 4Matic+, with up to 680hp.
New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe platform
The new GLC Coupe is underpinned by the same four-link front and multi-link rear suspension as the GLC SUV and C-Class.
Unlike the C-Class, though, it offers the option of Airmatic air suspension (standard on the PHEVs) with variable damping control. There's also a new rear-wheel steering system providing up to 4.5 degress of steering angle to the rear wheels.
As before, the GLC Coupe will be sold with an optional Off-Road Package. This includes a dedicated off-road driving mode, a downhill speed regulation (DSR) function and a 360deg camera offering a so-called ‘transparent bonnet’ in which a graphic within the infotainment system shows a virtual view underneath the front of the car, including the angle of the front wheels.
New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe India launch timeline, rivals
At the launch of the Mercedes-AMG E 53 4Matic+ Cabriolet earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz hinted that the new GLC SUV will debut in India in Q3 2023. Expect the GLC Coupe to reach the Indian shores shortly thereafter.
When the next-gen GLC Coupe is launched in India, it will not have any direct competitors.
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