Mercedes-Benz India have revealed their next assault on the luxury car market in the form of the new GLC-Class compact crossover and the S-Class Cabriolet super-luxury drop-top.
The all-new Mercedes GLC-Class is essentially a GL-series vehicle based on the essentials of the C-Class. The previous model, the GLK-Class, which took on the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, BMW X3 and Land Rover Freelander overseas, was only built in left-hand-drive and thus never made it here. Not anymore.
The new GLC will go on sale later this year and for good reason. The new E-Class marks the début of the company’s all-new 2.0-litre (1,950-cc) four-cylinder diesel engine. In 220 d guise, it delivers 195 PS and 400 Nm. The GLC is slated to arrive in 250 d guise, and will sport an even more powerful version of the engine, we believe, with 225 PS and 500 Nm.
The petrol version, the GLC 300 4MATIC, will have the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-pot with 252 PS and 350 Nm. All models will sport the new 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission. The GLC 250 d will get rear-wheel drive, while the GLC 300 will have 4MATIC all-wheel-drive.
The GLC-Class is expected to be price in the Rs 40-50 lakh bracket, and will fight the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, BMW X3 and Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Mercedes-Benz India also unveiled the S 500 Cabriolet – the super-luxury convertible version of the S-Class Coupé they launched last year. The S 500 gets the same BiTurbo 4.7-litre V8 petrol engine with 455 PS and 700 Nm of torque. It will be launched later this year, at an expected price of Rs 2.2 crore. The S Cabriolet will give the well-heeled another option to choose from, rivalling super sport-luxury models such as te Bentley Continental GTC and Maserati GranCabrio among others. Whether the more powerful AMG S 63 arrives, with its 585-PS BiTurboV8 remains to be seen.
Mercedes also unveiled their most opulent armoured ‘Guard’ model, the Maybach S 600 Guard, offering the most exquisite interior of their range together with protection from bullets and IEDs, rated up to VR9. The extremely heavy reinforced car makes use of the 6.0-litre BiTurbo V12 wit 530 PS and 830 Nm: ample go even for the five-odd tonnes it must haul.
Story: Jim Gorde
