The engine is the same 3.0-litre BiTurbo V6 with 367 PS and 520 Nm. Power flows through the 9G-Tronic automatic to all four wheels, with the AMG performance 4MATIC splitting drive 31:69 biased to the rear, as it should be. As expected from an AMG 43, there are five Dynamic Select modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual, each of which alters the drive and handling characteristics of the medium-sized crossover coupé. Another advantage of sorts for the GLC Coupé is its weight. At 1,855 kg, it’s a bit more than the C, of course, but a lot less than the bigger GLE Coupé. And that means it’s quick!
Sprightly the GLC does feel. It accelerates almost as quickly as the SLC roadster, losing just a few tenths in comparison — thanks in no small part to the four-wheel driveline. It goes through gears quickly in Comfort, shifting up at as low as 1,700 rpm, before the turbos’ spool even becomes audible. Switch to Sport, and it feels and sounds a little more urgent. Mercedes seem to have focused on drama just as much. The howl under acceleration is evident, yet feels distant, even subdued. The tail-pipes feel like they’re in a time zone behind you. Then again, sport-luxury car customers don’t want loud, screamy engines. Or do they?
A quick reminder: the GLE 43 Coupé managed the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.45 real-world seconds. We haven’t tested the C 43 4MATIC yet, but the lighter, rear-wheel-drive only SLC managed to go a second quicker, registering 5.49 seconds on a somewhat moist road surface, mind you. The GLC Coupé, then, slots in closer to the SLC with a time of 5.7 seconds. Not bad at all!
Even more surprising was the performance from the AMG slotted and ventilated discs, which took less than 40 metres and only 2.84 seconds. The rubber on hand was a set of Michelin Latitude 255/55 R19s, which help in no small part for this exercise. What they also do is provide phenomenal grip! Cornering speeds well above what you’re used to are easily accomplished. The package — air suspension and four-wheel drive both included — screams a brilliant tune. Tight hairpins, long flowing bends, you name it. The GLC 43 carries speed through with ease: one of the truly outstanding features of this middleweight coupé.
The steering, too, sang its bit later. Lightly gripping the chunky flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel, I thought it felt overly light in the city; memories of the older W204 C-Class came flashing back. The moment we hit the hills and their curves, however, oh, how that opinion turned on its head! Firming up at speed, proportionately, it let me ease it into the lesser bends and attack the more challenging ones with vigour. No understeer, just some tyre squeal, rare oversteer, but sharp responsiveness, all make it a driver’s car worthy of the AMG badging — which is now also on the wheel centres, might I add.
For a big shapely 1.9-tonner, the fuel efficiency figures, too, weren’t all that horrendous. In the city, the GLC 43 Coupé returned 6.5 km/l. On the open road that figure went up to 10.5 km/l. An overall 7.5 km/l and the 66-litre tank translate into a range of around 500 km.
With a price tag of Rs 74.80 lakh (ex-showroom), it’s the least expensive Mercedes-AMG 43 car out there. With 367 PS and over 500 Nm of torque, there’s little you could ask for in terms of performance. However, knowing about the 63 S does mean your mind tricks you into thinking you could use more power, not to mention two more cylinders, to soothe the eight-year-old petrol-head throwing a tantrum inside you. Yet, for that balance. To have a more environment-friendly car. A smaller carbon footprint. Lower emissions. Better efficiency. This is the answer. It’s yet another Mercedes-AMG that offers one more solution to a question we never expected society to ask, but it rang through ears anyway. Two doors or four? Small, medium or large? Two- or four-wheel drive? Roadster, even. Lap up the V6s now. They’re soon going to be confined to history. The GLC 43 is the one that promises to do it all, and damn well does that anyway. Sports car performance, all-road ability, and a formidable stance for many. Fans of the star, this is your jack of all trades, indeed.
Need to Know – Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupé
Price: Rs 74.80 lakh
Engine: 2,996 cc, twin-turbo, V6, direct injection, petrol
Max Power: 367 PS @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
Max Torque: 520 Nm @ 2,500-4,500 rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed, automatic, all-wheel drive
Weight: 1,855 kg
COMPETITION CHECK
BMW X4
The scaled-down sibling of the one that started it all, the X4 follows in the lines and footsteps of the X6, bringing a compact-luxury-sports-activity-four-door-coupé-crossover to a lower price band. Of course, it’s not on sale here but, globally, it’s the 360-PS X4 M40i that’s the closest competitor to the GLC 43 Coupé.
Volvo S60 Cross Country
Essentially a sport-luxury sedan on stilts, the S60’s lines more than mimic a coupé. Thankfully, it’s available here, but only in 190-PS/400-Nm D5 turbo-diesel form. So far as application is concerned, its design, ride height, and all-wheel drive ensure it fits the description. What you don’t get is a 300+ PS T6 model.
