[Omkar]

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupe Review

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupe Pros

• A performance-oriented car that can also be your daily driver
• Coupe-SUV shape is quite the differentiating factor. Stands out from the regular crop of cars
• 416 BHP, 2.0L petrol provides exciting performance (0-100km/h in under 5 seconds)! 9-speed AMG Multi-Clutch transmission is lightning quick
• Excellent handling package – Mature suspension in comfort mode and tight in Sport+ mode
• Premium quality interiors, sporty seats, filled with technology
• Loaded with features like 15 speakers, 710W Burmester sound system, head-up display, transparent bonnet, active parking assist and more
• 5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & a suite of electronic aids to keep you safe

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupe Cons

• Won’t be cheap. Typical CBU pricing
• Coupe roofline has its disadvantages – limited rearward visibility and less headroom for rear passengers
• 20-inch wheels or the optional 21-inch wheels have thin tyre sidewalls. Makes the ride stiff and you have to be careful on bad roads
• Some missing goodies such as cooled seats, Level 2 ADAS, full-size spare tyre (has a space saver tyre) etc.
• The back seat is more suitable for 2 healthy adults and a child. Not 3 healthy adults
• Heavier adults will find the front seats too snug

This review has been jointly compiled with Axe77. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

A brand new addition to the Performance SUV category of cars in India is this GLC 43 4Matic Coupe from Mercedes Benz. It carries the AMG badge and has the numbers to back it up – 416 BHP and 500 Nm of torque. Now, some of you might remember that the previous generation GLC also got an AMG 43 version in India and that it came with a 3.0L V6 petrol engine. Well, under the hood of the second-gen GLC 43, you get a 2.0L 4-cylinder petrol engine. It gets a lot of tech that helps it produce more power than the V6 and is even quicker to 100 km/h from a standstill (4.8 seconds). So, let’s keep the 6-cylinder vs 4-cylinder debate aside and focus on the car that we have here.

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupe Price & Brochure

Mercedes will announce the prices of the two variants of the GLC 43 soon. The expected price range would be in the range of Rs. 1.15 Cr (ex-showroom).

The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupe will be available post-launch.

[Omkar]

Exterior

The difference between the AMG variant and the regular GLC is quite significant. You get a different grille, bumper and headlights as well. There’s a noticeable lack of chrome which makes the car look more sporty:


Given the coupe shape, the rear completely differs from the regular GLC. In fact, the rear of the GLC 43 coupe looks more like a sedan on stilts. You have slim taillights which are connected by a gloss black strip. You don’t get connected taillamps which for a change looks good here:


While some people have extreme opinions about Coupe SUVs, IMO, the GLC coupe shouldn’t offend many. While the bigger GLE coupe may look a bit odd due to its size (reference image), the proportions of the GLC coupe are easier on the eye:


The GLC 43 AMG measures 4,793 mm in length, 2,075 mm in width (with mirrors) and 1,603 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,888 mm. Our test car was finished in this 'Manufaktur Graphite Grey Magno' optional paint shade:


This is the best angle to look at a coupe SUV. The GLC 43 coupe manages to look good overall. It managed to attract a lot of eyeballs on our test drive just because it looks different from the conventional Mercedes SUVs:


Up front, you have the AMG grille and bumper. Gloss black has been used on the bumper instead of chrome. You also get a front splitter-like attachment with flics on the side:


A look at the multibeam LED headlamps which get an LED DRL strip at the top. The 2 oval bits that you see below the strip are also DRLs and something you will find on AMG cars:


The GLC 43 carries the AMG Affalterbach crest on the bonnet:


You get this ‘Turbo Electrified’ badge on the fender. The GLC43 comes with an electric exhaust gas turbocharger which is a technology that has been derived from the Formula 1 car:


20-inch wheels are standard on the GLC 43. These are the optional 21-inch alloy wheels which are shod with 265/40 section tyres at the front and…


… 295/35 section tyres at the rear. Our test car was shod with Continental SportContact tyres and they performed well in the wet driving conditions. Note the red brake calipers:


The side step that you see here is an additional accessory. The car isn’t very high, so most people won’t be using the step:


The sloping roofline extends into the tailgate spoiler:


Like some of the other AMGs, the tailgate spoiler is subtle:


A closer look at the sleek rear taillamp with the GLC 43 badge:


You get two black chrome-plated double tailpipe trims for the AMG exhaust system. There’s also a rear diffuser board:


Next to the Axe77’s GLC 300 for reference:

Interior

Well-designed interiors get some AMG bits and the overall quality of materials is top-notch:


The AMG steering is definitely among one of the best. The flat-bottom steering wheel has a non-slip microfiber finish where you would hold it. You get a carbon-fibre finish on the bottom and the top part with a top-dead-centre marker on top. There are sensor surfaces on the horizontal spokes for different functions:


These are the two AMG buttons that enthusiasts will enjoy the most. The round display on the left has two buttons on the side which can be programmed for different functions on the car. Here it’s for engaging the performance exhaust and the switching off traction control. The dial on the right is a rotary dial with the middle portion displaying the current driving mode. Engaging Sport+ mode or Race mode automatically activates the performance exhaust:


The digital instrument cluster gets a few more sporty displays to choose from. It gives a lot of information and you can even see the mechanical settings (engine mode, exhaust mode, traction mode, etc.) as well in this mode:


Here’s another AMG mode that you can select. The display is bright and easy to read. Note that the GLC 43 comes with a lane-keep assist feature:


You also get a display of when the turbocharger electric motor is charging or delivering maximum power:


There are different kinds of displays for the head-up display as well:


You get sporty metal pedals:


I wear UK10 shoes and I found the dead pedal a bit small for my foot. The tip of my foot hit the top plastic part as you can see here:


You get 3 central AC vents like the regular GLC. The dashboard gets contrast red stitching:


The 11.9-inch touchscreen head-unit is tilted towards the driver and has quick access buttons at the bottom:


The touchscreen is loaded with features and you have AC controls always on the bottom part of the screen which is handy. You get active parking assist and can access vehicle functions quickly like lane keep assist. The 360-degree camera is detailed and gives you a good view of the surroundings. You will be using this a lot. The dynamic settings of the car can be selected through the touchscreen as well. As we have seen in recent Mercedes cars, you have an off-road mode and a transparent bonnet feature here as well:


You can even have some interesting dynamic display on the touchscreen as you can see here. Something for the watch enthusiasts, you get a Virtual IWC Pilot's Watch display on the touchscreen. In performance mode, you have a track mode where you can select the track that you are at, have a drag lights countdown and even check the telemetry data of your lap. Super cool to have on a performance-oriented car:


The centre console gets this carbon-fibre-like finish with a lid:


Underneath, you get a couple of cupholders, a wireless charging pad and 2 USB-C charging ports. The reason why I am holding it open is because the sliding cover wasn’t locking in position in our test car. A rare case where the cover felt flimsy:


The driver armrest also gets the contrast red stitching. Underneath you have a deep storage area with 2 USB-C charging ports:


AMG sport seats are finished in microfiber material and provide good overall support. You get an AMG badge on the backrest and sporty red seatbelts as well:


The rear view from the driver’s seat is horrible. Due to the coupe roof, you can barely see anything at the back. You will have to depend on the 360-degree camera:


Consequently, the view from the IRVM is nothing great either. This can be a concern to some on the highway. The IRVM is more of a conversation mirror with the people in the backseat:


The ORVMs are well-sized and you will be using these more often than the IRVM:


The front seats get a heating option, but no ventilation. You get 3 memory settings for the driver’s seat:


The GLC 43 is equipped with a Burmester 3D surround system with 15 speakers and an output of 710W:


A look at the passenger side of the dashboard. The same carbon fibre-like finish from the centre console continues here as well:


The sunroof is decently sized but the regular GLC gets a bigger sunroof (reference image):


A look at the rear seats. Getting in and out is not a hassle. You cannot adjust the backrest angle but the default angle is quite comfortable too:


The rear passengers get a rear sunshade. Also, note the ambient lighting on the door:


At 5’10” tall, I had just enough legroom behind my driving position. In comparison with the regular GLC, the headroom is roughly an inch and a half to two inches less. While the headroom was enough for me, someone who’s taller than 6 feet would feel it tight:


The centre armrest is set at a nice height and you get a phone holder along with 2 cupholders:


The floor hump is big which makes the rear seat best for 2 passengers only:


The boot capacity is 546 litres. For reference, the regular GLC has a boot space of 620 litres. You can fold the rear seats to expand the luggage carrying capacity to 1,490 litres:


Space saver spare wheel and battery are located below the boot floor:

[Omkar]

Driving the 2.0L Turbo Petrol AT

The 2.0L inline 4-cylinder M139 turbo-petrol engine makes 416 BHP and 500 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 9-speed AMG Multi-Clutch transmission. The car has AMG Performance 4Matic which sends 31% of the power to the front axle and 69% to the rear axle:


Internationally, there’s also a GLC 63 S coupe which gets the same 2.0L 4-cylinder petrol, but in a higher state of tune. Additionally, it also gets an electric motor which puts the combined power output at 671 BHP and 1,020 Nm of torque. The 2.0L turbo-petrol engine that we get in the GLC 43 doesn’t come with an electric motor. It comes with an electric exhaust gas turbocharger which is a technology that has been derived from the Formula 1 car. This system finds a middle ground between choosing a small turbocharger (less turbo lag) with low peak performance and a large turbocharger (more turbo lag) with high peak performance. It features a small electric motor that is integrated directly into the turbocharger shaft and sits in between the turbine wheel on the exhaust side and the compressor wheel on the fresh air side. In simple words, this is done to improve the engine response and basically eliminate turbo lag. The turbocharger is operated via a 48-volt on-board electrical system which also includes the belt-driven starter generator.

Fire up the engine and it growls to life. I was surprised as I didn’t have to do an AMG emotion start. The engine on its own did a blip of the throttle when it came to life. The nice growl from the exhaust at the start is something you will never get tired of. Knowing the nature of the engine and the power under the hood, I started in Comfort driving mode just to get a baseline of how it is to live with the car on a day-to-day basis. With a light foot on the throttle, the GLC 43 is smooth in delivering the power in Comfort mode. It’s not eager to jump and doesn’t feel jerky. Surprisingly it was like driving the regular GLC. Even Axe77 who owns the latest GLC 300 was surprised at how similar the car felt when driving sedately in Comfort mode. Driving around in bumper-to-bumper traffic didn’t feel like a task. The engine’s response at the bottom end is linear and not very dramatic. In fact, you might be left wondering if this is even an AMG. Keeping up with traffic and making those quick overtakes is very easy and the GLC 43 felt comfortable driving around in the city. The controls are light and the seating position is quite commanding as well so you have a good frontal visibility. I especially like the size of the GLC 43 as it’s perfect for Mumbai where the traffic is quite dense and it is easy to manoeuvre this coupe SUV.

Out on some open roads, you can flex your right foot and enjoy the performance on offer. Even in Comfort mode, the engine doesn’t feel sluggish at all. It has more than enough power for highway overtakes and you can cruise peacefully as well munching miles. Switch to Sport+ or Race mode and the car completely transforms. It turns from this calm Golden Retriever to an angry Rottweiler. All the senses are heightened and you can feel that the car is just waiting for your inputs to deliver all that power. The throttle response is sharp and the GLC 43 just jumps when you bury the throttle. Did an acceleration run from a standstill and didn’t even realize when the speedometer reached 120 km/h.

The 0-100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds is very much believable. The transmission in fact has a Race Start function where it understands that you’re in a Drag race-like setup and optimizes the acceleration from a standstill. In Sport + or Race mode on open roads, you realize how sharp the entire setup is. You cannot be indecisive with the throttle or the brakes. Getting on and off the throttle has to be smooth and precise. If not, you will have passengers who are wondering if you even are a good driver because the whole car will feel jerky. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier to connect with the car and utilize the performance on offer. There is almost no turbo lag and the engine pulls hard throughout the rev range. While the redline is marked at 7,000 rpm, the transmission upshifts at roughly 6,000 rpm.

The 9-speed automatic transmission’s clutch runs in an oil bath and is a multi-clutch setup. It is a smooth transmission in Comfort mode and just like the engine, it becomes extremely aggressive in Sport+ or Race mode. The upshifts are aggressive and in kickdown mode, the gearbox doesn’t hesitate to downshift even 4 gears instantly. Get off the throttle and you can feel the downshifts with a jerk. That’s how aggressive the Sport+ and Race mode are! If you want a smooth drive, it’s best to stick to Comfort mode.

The AMG exhaust system can be activated by a button on the steering wheel and it is a pleasure to hear this exhaust. It is not the performance variable exhaust like in the GLE 53, but this one sounds just as good. You don’t get the pops and bangs though, and it’s just a nice exhaust overall. You can switch off the loud exhaust in Comfort mode and it will sound like a regular GLC.

The GLC 43 gets AMG ride control suspension with an adaptive damping system. It adapts the damping on each wheel based on the chosen driving mode (Comfort, Sport and Sport+). Our test car had the optional 21-inch wheels shod with 265/40 R21 tyres up front and 295/35 R21 tyres at the rear. 20-inch wheels are available as standard. When I started driving around in Comfort mode, I expected the ride to be very stiff. It isn’t unbearable though and it is very livable. The 21-inch wheels make the ride busy as you feel a lot of the road. There is an underlying stiffness to the suspension which is what you would expect from a German car. Even on the highway, the GLC 43 stays planted and there’s not much vertical movement at high speeds. When you switch to Sport or Sport + mode, the suspension setup gets extremely stiff. The ride is bone jarring in these modes and that’s not what you want when cruising on the highway.

Where the stiff ride quality of the Sport and Sport + mode shines is when you want to have some fun on twisty roads. The handling is very precise and the car reacts exactly how you want it to. Turn into a corner and you can feel the immense grip from the tyres and the drivetrain. The car holds the line very well and you can carry good speed into a corner without any understeer. The steering has a good amount of heft and gives good feedback when in corners. Another trick up the sleeve of the GLC 43 is that it has active rear axle steering which operates with a maximum steering angle of 2.5 degrees. As is with rear-axle steering, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction of the front wheels up to 100 km/h and in the same direction above 100 km/h. This makes quick direction changes very easy.

The AMG brake system has internally ventilated and perforated brake discs. You get 4-piston fixed calipers on the front axle and 1-piston floating calipers on the rear axle. The stopping power is excellent and even with 50% brake pressure, the GLC 43 sheds speed very effectively. The brake pedal is very precise and takes some time getting used to.

All in all, the GLC 43 is an out-and-out fun car to drive. It has loads of power that is accessible and a chassis setup that is potent enough to handle it. It is aggressive when you want it to be (Sport + mode) and comfortable as well when you want to just get from point A to point B. The duality is what people want from a performance SUV and that's what the GLC 43 delivers.

The 2.0L engine is developed at AMG’s Affalterbach location and follows the “One Man, One Engine” principle:


The GLC 43 gets AMG ride control suspension with an adaptive damping system:

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[Tutenkhamen]

Well, 4 pots in a 1Cr+ territory is a non-starter.

Whichever way you put it and sure the goodies like Burmester sound and that large vertical central screen may be really nice, but, nah!

You cannot just package a very nice and powerful 4 pot & stomp on AMG legacy. The v6 and v8 are famous and loved for their monstrous nature. This 43 guise doesn't cut it (for me!).

At that price point, a Defender X5, GLE in 3.0 petrol/diesel guise makes so much more sense.

[ajmat]

Nice review and nice car. 4 pot in a full fat GLC 63 may not cut it as also battery weight but the semi-skimmed GLC43 is an interesting proposition considering the technology that goes into it, it also sounds good.

[Nair.V8]

Keeping all the flaws aside, this new AMG GLC 43 Coupe is rather attractive! This is by far one of the prettiest SUV Coupes on sale today, the proportions & details are just spot on!

[PB65]

They are making things too complex. Why not keep it simple like a BMW or Audi perhaps?

This is not a super/hyper SUV that people buy for 0-100 bragging rights. The clientele in this range wants strong performance and quality. And yes, they do care about the maintenance too, since it's not some chauffeur driven vehicle.

An engine, little bit of electric boost and a gearbox is all one wants in this range. And QUALITY. Mercedes has been on a downhill ride on the quality front. Too many complex assist systems all working in conjunction within a plastic box on our kind of roads and environment is a disaster. Could have just given a V6 from AMG. I'll say it again, no one wants a technological Marvel from F1 at this price. And JUST 4.8 second sprint time is nothing to boast about, given how complex this system is. A simple V6 could've done much better, and would've been lighter as well.

I guess we all have some Swedish kids to blame for all this nuisance.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Fundamental question: is this super hi tech engine E20 or at least E15 compliant? The last thing you’d want to do is run this cutting edge piece of engineering on incompatible fuel.

[84.monsoon]

A lovely car indeed and would have been a perfect buy, if only it had come in the CKD way and Mercedes had priced it accordingly. With 100% import duty on this CBU, it is going to be atrociously overpriced. For reference, the new BMW 5 series (albeit in non-LWB body) sells in the US for around the same price as the AMG GLC43 coupe (around USD 70K ex-showroom). Both are new launches. However, the 530Li costs 73 lakhs ex-showroom and the GLC 43 coupe is going to cost 1.15 crores ex-showroom - a 58% premium! This is where it makes less sense to do CBU imports in this segment due to the extraordinary premium required to be paid. In the 2Cr+ market segment, such premiums can be charged due to the non-elastic nature of demand, but the strategy fails miserably in the entry luxury to mid luxury segment.

[Exile]

I echo what’s been mentioned above in the comments, they could’ve kept all this tech for the 63(still should have had 6 cylinders if not 8 cylinders) and provided a normal 6-cyl in this 43 which would’ve kept the price a little more accessible. I guess customers are now paying for the development of this advanced F1-derived tech! MB just keep pushing the price ceiling upwards for the others to follow suit. Impressive tech indeed but I fear with so much and so many huge screens in all these cars, we’ll lose the visceral sensations of driving at the rate we’re going.

[TusharK]

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe launched at Rs 1.11 crore

Mercedes-Benz has launched the AMG GLC 43 Coupe in the Indian market. The SUV is priced at Rs 1.11 crore (ex-showroom).



The updated GLC 43 Coupe was introduced globally in September last year. The biggest difference between the outgoing GLC 43 and the new model is the engine. The 3.0-litre twin-turbo, 6-cylinder engine has been replaced with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder mild-hybrid.



The new GLC 43 Coupe’s M139 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine delivers 416 BHP and 500 Nm. It is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission, which sends power to all four wheels, via Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system. The SUV has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h and is capable of sprinting from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.



Being an AMG, the GLC 43 Coupe has a muscular design with an AMG-specific grille up front, flared wheel arches and slim LED taillights at the rear. The car gets a set of sporty bumpers with a diffuser and quad exhausts at the rear.

Inside, the GLC 43 Coupe gets a 3-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the centre.

Link to Team-BHP News

[harish]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

For reference, the new BMW 5 series (albeit in non-LWB body) sells in the US for around the same price as the AMG GLC43 coupe (around USD 70K ex-showroom). Both are new launches. However, the 530Li costs 73 lakhs ex-showroom and the GLC 43 coupe is going to cost 1.15 crores ex-showroom - a 58% premium!

But comparing similarly priced cars such as the GLE450 here in India to the GLC43, they are both priced same at around 1.35cr on road mark here in TN and in the US they are coming out to ~$90k. Looks like in terms of models pricing within MB it doesn't matter if its CBU or CKD.